HOLLYWOOD, CA (ANS) -- Charlton Heston, who was a wonderful friend of MOVIEGUIDE® and the Christian Film & Television Commission® and won the best actor Oscar for his starring role in the Christian epic BEN-HUR, died on Saturday, April 5th, 2008, at the age of 84 with his wife of sixty-four years at his side.

Charlton Heston plays Moses in a scene from the motion picture The Ten Commandments, which re-enacts the parting of the Red Sea

Chuck starred in many great movies and liked to note the historical figures he had portrayed, including Moses (“The Ten Commandments”), John the Baptist (“The Greatest Story Ever Told”), and Michelangelo (“The Agony and the Ecstasy”).

Born John Charles Carter on Oct. 4, 1923, in Evanston, Illinois, Chuck moved with his family at an impressionable age to St. Helen, Mich., in the Michigan woods, where he had almost no playmates except the imaginary friends from the many adventure books he read. When his parents divorced and his mother re-married Chester Heston and moved to Chicago suburb, Chuck felt shy, so he took refuge in the drama department. In a 1986 interview, he noted, “What acting offered me was the chance to be many other people. In those days I wasn't satisfied with being me.”

Chuck called himself Charlton Heston from his mother's maiden name and his stepfather's last name and went Northwestern University in 1941 on an acting scholarship. In 1943, he enlisted in the Army Air Force and was a radio-gunner in World War II. In 1944, he married Lydia Clarke.

Chuck Heston was a pleasant, reserved, self-controlled, gentle man. Although it would be presumptuous to equate talking to Charlton Heston with talking to Moses, it was easy to lapse into that association since he portrayed Moses with such charisma in THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. So when I interviewed him years ago, his deep, authoritative voice sounded very much like one would expect Moses to sound. Reflecting back on his career, Heston commented on how fortunate he was to have worked with such great directors and actors so early in his career.

Under the direction of Cecil B. De Mille, Heston starred in THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH and also played the memorable role of Moses in THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.

“If you can't make a career out of two De Mille pictures, you better turn in your suit,” Heston said.

He commented further on De Mille's strong Christian faith and his understanding of how good the biblical stories were, enabling him to make some of the most honored films in history. Chuck told me that while De Mille was on a four-foot ladder preparing a shot for THE TEN COMMANDMENTS, he fell and no one expected the movie to continue. The very next day, De Mille came back on the set, gave everyone a New Testament and told them the saving Good News about Jesus Christ and how Jesus Christ had healed him. As the son of a preacher, De Mille knew how to present the Gospel. Chuck said that this event changed his life and brought him close to Jesus Christ.

Years later in his four-part video series CHARLTON HESTON PRESENTS THE BIBLE, Chuck declared loud and clear, “If you seek the Lord, you will find Him.”

Heston also starred in the unforgettable movie BEN-HUR, directed by William Wyler, which won Best Picture of 1959 and 11 Academy Awards. Among these significant achievements, Heston has also worked with Lawrence Olivier, Orson Wells, Gary Cooper, and Jimmy Stewart.

Charlton Heston

Chuck became involved in our Christian Film & Television Commission® Annual Faith & Values Awards Gala & Report to the Entertainment Industry in the early 1990s and came for several years to present awards until his health prevented his participation. In 1993, Charlton Heston confirmed to the Entertainment Industry that upholding high moral standards has played an important part in his career and the success of his movies. On accepting a special award for his CHARLTON HESTON PRESENTS THE BIBLE series, Chuck relayed many fond remembrances from the popular biblical epics in which he has starred. Dartmouth College documentarian John Murray had his video camera out in full force to capture it all, including exclusive interviews with Mr. Heston to be used in a special VIOLENCE IN HOLLYWOOD project he is producing.

When he could no longer participate, he would faithfully write short notes such as:

“Please accept… my best wishes for a successful evening [at the Annual Awards Gala and Report to the Entertainment Industry] and continued good luck in your ministry on the Christian Film & Television Commission.

Cordially,

Charlton Heston

Note: For more information, or to arrange an interview with Dr. Ted Baehr, founder of CFTVC and author of NARNIA BECKONS: C.S. LEWIS'S THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE AND BEYOND, SO YOU WANT TO BE IN PICTURES, THE MEDIA-WISE FAMILY, WHAT CAN WE WATCH TONIGHT?, and many other books, please call 1-800-577-6684.

© 2007 baehr, All Rights Reserved

NOTE from Dr. Ted Baehr: For more information from a Christian perspective, order the latest MOVIEGUIDE® magazine by calling 1-800-899-6684(MOVI) or visit our website at www.movieguide.org. MOVIEGUIDE® is dedicated to redeeming the values of Hollywood by informing parents about today's movies and entertainment and by showing media executives and artists that family-friendly and even Christian-friendly movies do best at the box office year in and year out. MOVIEGUIDE® now offers an online subscription to its magazine version, at www.movieguide.org. The magazine, which comes out 25 times a year, contains many informative articles and reviews that help parents train their children to be media-wise consumers. MOVIEGUIDE® also regularly broadcasts several international TV and radio programs hosted by Dr. Baehr. Also, if you want to train your family to be media-wise, call 1-800-899-6684 in North America to order the book, video or audio version of THE MEDIA-WISE! FAMILY, Dr. Ted Baehr's latest book. © baehr, 2001