Charlton Heston dead at 84

LOS ANGELES - Charlton Heston, who won the 1959 best actor Oscar as the chariot-racing "Ben-Hur" and portrayed Moses, Michelangelo, El Cid and other heroic figures in movie epics of the '50s and '60s, has died. He was 84.

The actor died Saturday night at his home in Beverly Hills with his wife Lydia at his side, family spokesman Bill Powers said.

Powers declined to comment on the cause of death or provide further details.

The actor assumed the role of leader offscreen as well. He served as president of the Screen Actors Guild and chairman of the American Film Institute and marched in the civil rights movement of the 1950s. With age, he grew more conservative and campaigned for conservative candidates.

In June 1998, Heston was elected president of the National Rifle Association, for which he had posed for ads holding a rifle. He delivered a jab at then-President Bill Clinton, saying, "America doesn't trust you with our 21-year-old daughters, and we sure, Lord, don't trust you with our guns."

Heston stepped down as NRA president in April 2003, telling members his five years in office were "quite a ride. ... I loved every minute of it."

Later that year, Heston was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor. "The largeness of character that comes across the screen has also been seen throughout his life," President George W. Bush said at the time.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23975503/

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{ Except for the unfortunate reality of having Alzheimer's in his later years I would think Mr Heston had a good long life. He was certainly somewhat controversial for his extreme right wing views and his role as spokesman of the NRA. I must admit I never cared for him as an actor or as a man but I do understand he did good work for the civil rights movement in the early days of that struggle. He should be judged on his whole life and not just parts of it.

He was lionized by many on the right for his celebrity, conservative views and his guns. This is an unbeatable combination for many on the right. They spew forth hate for liberal actors and entertainers for expressing their liberal views while they wax poetically over such right wing acting luminaries as Fred Thompson, Schwarzenegger and Tom Selleck. They listen with bated breath to every word they say about politics and guns pausing occasionally to spew bile over Barbara Streisand or Martin Sheen. It's all so silly and hypocritical. Conservatives seem to hate Actors and generally seem to think they should shut up and go away but sputter and spat with glee at the opinions of right wing actors. Very selective reasoning ....as usual.

Charlton Heston is gone and I feel sorry for his family. It's up to history and historians to judge the worth of his life and I will leave that up to them.}

Rose