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Charlton Heston

Acting Born Oct 4, 1923 Wilmette, Illinois, USA 24 credits

Biography

Charlton Heston was an American actor renowned for his towering screen presence and roles in some of Hollywood’s most famous epics. Born John Charles Carter on October 4, 1923, in Illinois, he discovered his passion for acting in school, studied drama at Northwestern University, and began his career on stage and in live television before transitioning to film. He first gained major attention in Cecil B. DeMille’s The Greatest Show on Earth and then became an international star with his performances as Moses in The Ten Commandments and Judah Ben‑Hur in Ben‑Hur, the latter earning him the Academy Award for Best Actor. Heston went on to headline a wide range of big‑budget films, including El Cid, The Agony and the Ecstasy, Planet of the Apes, and The Omega Man, establishing himself as one of the most recognizable leading men of mid‑20th‑century cinema. Beyond acting, he was active in public life, supporting civil rights in the 1960s and later becoming a prominent conservative voice and president of the National Rifle Association from 1998 to 2003. He retired from public life after being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2002 and died on April 5, 2008, in Beverly Hills, California, leaving behind a legacy as both a cinematic icon and a polarizing political figure.

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Known for

Friends

as Charlton Heston

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

as Self

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

as Self (archive footage)

Saturday Night Live

as Self - Host

Dynasty

as Jason Colby

The Mike Douglas Show

as Self - Guest

Golden Globe Awards

as Self

Golden Globe Awards

as Self - Presenter

Golden Globe Awards

as Self - Nominee

Full filmography

  • Friends (1994) as Charlton Heston
  • The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962) as Self
  • The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962) as Self (archive footage)
  • Robert Montgomery Presents (1950) as Cashel Bryon
  • Robert Montgomery Presents (1950) as Peter Handley
  • Robert Montgomery Presents (1950) as Melody Jones
  • Saturday Night Live (1975) as Self - Host
  • Dynasty (1981) as Jason Colby
  • The Mike Douglas Show (1961) as Self - Guest
  • Golden Globe Awards (1944) as Self
  • Golden Globe Awards (1944) as Self - Presenter
  • Golden Globe Awards (1944) as Self - Nominee
  • The Philco Television Playhouse (1948)
  • Late Night with Conan O'Brien (1993) as Self - Guest
  • The Merv Griffin Show (1962) as Self
  • Climax! (1954) as Lt. Paul Peterson
  • Climax! (1954) as Chipman
  • Spécial cinéma (1974) as Self
  • Wogan (1982) as Self
  • The Ed Sullivan Show (1948) as Self
  • Suspense (1949)
  • Space Ghost Coast to Coast (1994) as Self
  • seaQuest DSV (1993) as Abalon
  • The Outer Limits (1995) as Chief Justice Haden Wainwright