Charlton Heston Dies

Oscar-winner Charlton Heston passed away today at his Beverly Hills home. He was 83, and had been diagnosed in 2002 with symptoms similar to those of Alzheimer’s disease.

The ruggedly handsome actor, famous for playing such epic figures as Moses, Michelangelo, and Andrew Jackson, went on to become a best-selling author, Hollywood labor leader, and unapologetic gun advocate. Whether you agreed with him or not, he was one of those actors who never wavered from his beliefs.

When I think of Charlton Heston, I think of him as Moses in Cecil B. DeMille’s 1956 epic The Ten Commandments, raising that rod over his head as God parted the Red Sea.

And also in 1959’s Ben-Hur, for which he won the Academy Award for best actor. The 15-minute chariot scene where he’s racing four white horses at top speed is one of the all-time great action sequences.

More after the jump, including a “Ten Commandments” clip:

In a 1956 interview, Heston said, “I don’t seem to fit really into the 20th century. Pretty soon, though, I’ve got to get a part where I wear pants with pleats and pockets.”

The entertainment world was stunned in August 2002, when he made a poignant videotaped statement announcing his illness. No matter what, though, he always faced the future bravely and with a sense of humor. They truly don’t make them like that anymore.

“The world is a tough place,” he said with a chuckle. “You’re never going to get out of it alive.”

Here’s the “Let my people go” clip from The Ten Commandments:

Image: Charlton Heston, MPTV.net, 1967