Charlton Heston

Wikipedia Biographical Summary:

"...Charlton Heston born John Charles Carter (October 4, 1923 – April 5, 2008) was an American actor of film, theatre and television. Heston is known for heroic roles in films such as El Cid, The Ten Commandments, Planet of the Apes and Ben-Hur, for which he won the Academy Award for Best Actor. He also is well known for his roles in the films Touch of Evil and The Greatest Show on Earth..."

"...Heston was also known for his political activism. In the 1950s and 1960s he was one of a handful of Hollywood actors to speak openly against racism and was an active supporter of the Civil Rights Movement. Initially a moderate Democrat, he later supported conservative Republican policies and was president of the National Rifle Association from 1998 to 2003..."

"...Heston was born John Charles Carter, the only child of Lila (née Charlton; 1899–1994) and Russell Whitford Carter (1897–1966), a mill operator. Most sources state that he was born in Evanston, Illinois.Heston's autobiography,[9] however, and some other sources place his birth in No Man's Land, Illinois, which usually refers to a then-unincorporated area now part of Wilmette, a wealthy northern suburb of Chicago..."

"...When Heston was 10 years old, his parents divorced. Shortly thereafter, his mother married Chester Heston. The new family moved back to Wilmette. Heston (his new surname) attended New Trier High School..."

"...Throughout Heston's life he was known by friends as "Chuck" although his wife always called him "Charlie." His stage name Charlton Heston is drawn from his mother's maiden surname (Charlton) and his stepfather's surname (Heston), and was used for his first film, Peer Gynt..."

".... Heston became an icon for portraying Moses in the hugely successful film The Ten Commandments (1956)..."

"...Heston died on April 5, 2008, at his home in Beverly Hills, California, with Lydia, his wife of 64 years, by his side. He was also survived by his son, Fraser Clarke Heston, and adopted daughter, Holly Ann Heston. The cause of death was not disclosed by the family..."

SOURCE: Wikipedia contributors, 'Charlton Heston', Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 29 August 2011, 08:22 UTC, <http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Charlton_Heston&oldid=447...> [accessed 30 August 2011]