Charlton Heston

Biography:

An American actor and political activist, Charlton Heston is remembered for his performances in historical, biblical and science fiction films. Born on October 4, 1923, John Charles Carter changed his surname to Heston later in life. He started out in the theater and joined the entertainment industry when he shifted to Hollywood. Heston made an impact with movies like The Greatest Show on Earth in 1952 and The Naked Jungle in 1954. However, it was his performances in The Ten Commandments (1956) and Ben-Hur (1959) that established him as a great actor in the history of movies.

Charlton Heston won the Oscar for his portrayal of Judah Ben-Hur in Ben-Hur, the movie that went on to win eleven Academy Awards breaking all previous records. Some of his other great films include El Cid (1961), The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965), Planet of the Apes (1968), The Omega Man (1971) and Soylent Green (1973). Heston not only had a great career in films but he was an active participant in public and political events. For instance, he served as president of the Screen Actors Guild and was awarded the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award in 1978 by the Academy. Charlton Heston passed away on April 5, 2008, in Beverly Hills, California.