Charlton Heston
Photo: Rowland Scherman / Public domain / Wikimedia Commons
Birth Date
October 4, 1923
Died
April 5, 2008
Nationality
United States
Sun Sign
Libra
Natural hair color
Brown
Eye color
Blue
Height
6 ft 3 in | 191 cm
Weight
86 kg | 190 lbs
Shoe size
11 US | 44 EU
Early acting career First movie Breakthrough
Charlton Heston was born in Wilmette, Illinois, United States, on October 4, 1923, was an American actor.
Young Charlton Heston first started performing during his years at the Northwestern University in Evanston, in school theater productions.
He made his film debut in amateur silent 16 mm adaptation of Henrik Ibsen's play Peer Gynt (1941).
He landed his professional movie role as Danny Haley / Richard Branton in drama mystery Dark City (1950), at the age of 26.
He got his television debut in CBS's anthology drama series Studio One (1949).
Heston's breakthrough performance came as Brad Braden in melodrama movie The Greatest Show on Earth (1952) directed by Cecil B. DeMille.
Best Movies
He was nominated for the Golden Globe Awards for Best Actor for his roles in films:
The Ten Commandments (1956) epic religious drama in role as Moses
The Pigeon That Took Rome (1962) comedy in role as Captain Paul MacDougall
He won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his role as Judah Ben-Hur in epic historical drama film Ben Hur (1959).
Touch of Evil (1958) drama mystery with Orson Welles and Marlene Dietrich
Planet of the Apes (1968) science fiction in role as George Taylor
Soylent Green (1973) post-apocalyptic science fiction thriller in role as Detective Frank Thorn
The Big Country (1958) epic Western with Gregory Peck, Jean Simmons and Carroll Baker
The Omega Man (1971) science fiction in role as Neville
Midway (1976) drama action with Toshiro Mifune, Henry Fonda and James Coburn
Any Given Sunday (1999) sports drama directed by Oliver Stone
El Cid (1961) epic historical drama with Sophia Loren and Raf Vallone
The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965) epic drama with Max von Sydow, John Wayne and Claude Rains
The Agony and the Ecstasy (1965) drama history with Rex Harrison, Diane Cilento and Harry Andrews
Facts
Attended New Trier High School in Winnetka, Illinois.
Studied drama at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois.
Had English and Scottish ancestry.
Had a younger sister, Lilla and brother, Alan.
Charlton appeared in over 100 films during his career.
Was an avid tennis player, runner and swimmer in his youth.
Was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, in July of 2003.
Received Golden Globe Cecil B. DeMille Award in 1967.
He was honored with a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1960.
Received Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award in 1978.
Was the President of the National Rifle Association (1998-2003).
He served for two years in the United States Army Air Forces.
Heston died on April 5, 2008, Beverly Hills, California, United States, at age of 84.
Spouse
He was married to actress and photographer Lydia Marie Clarke (1944–2008), they had one son and one adopted daughter.
Relationships
He dated Katy Jurado (1953).