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His autobiography "In the Arena" is pretty good. My favorite story is after he appeared in "The Greatest Show on Earth" as the circus manager. Someone commenting on the movie said that the circus manager they brought in for that part held his own with the real actors. A guy at the studio told Heston that this was the best review he would ever get: to be mistaken for a real person in a role. |
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Written By:
Billy Hollis
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http://
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I blame those damn, dirty apes... |
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Written By:
Scott Jacobs
URL:
http://
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I also just liked the guy. I see you’re getting emotional again, McQ. As a leading conservative icon, Heston’s death is yet another blow to your meme that the surge is not a failure. You should show some intellectual honesty and admit that. |
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Written By:
Ott Scerb
URL:
http://cluelessprof.maine.edu
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I had my order in for Ben Hur as soon as I heard it was coming out in DVD (I think that was about 2003 or 2004). Heston was the image of the epics of the era, Moses, Ben Hur...nobody but Heston could have played those roles, at least not in a way that would fit that genre. And of course, he’s even had a Homer Simpson tribute. |
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Written By:
Scott Erb
URL:
http://faculty.umf.maine.edu/~erb/blog.htm
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GET YOUR STINKING PAWS OFFA ME YOU DAMN DIRTY APE |
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Written By:
shark
URL:
http://
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Also, it would seem that they can now, infact, start trying to pry that gun out of his hands... |
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Written By:
Scott Jacobs
URL:
http://
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Gosh, that would have been such a good final movie in the Planet of the Apes series....
The Orangutans plan a massive gun control program to bring order to the planet of the Apes, aided by the gestapo like Gorillas, poised to have full power. Armed with only the second amendment, a growing human civilization, and some friendly Chimps, a now aging Astronaut George Taylor returns to ape civilization and plans a rebellion, determined to stop the orangutans and gorillas from creating a police state. |
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Written By:
Scott Erb
URL:
http://faculty.umf.maine.edu/~erb/blog.htm
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And after the service coffee and Soylent Green will be served at the reception.
OK, that was tasteless (pun intended) but someone had to say it.
Seriously though, while people today remember him for his movies and the hid defense of the Second Amendment Mr. Heston was also one of Hollywood’s leading campaigners for civil rights in the 1960’s marching alongside with Martin Luther King.
Rest well Chuck, you’ll be missed. |
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Written By:
Andrew V.
URL:
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I grew up watching Charlton Heston, he was one of those stars who’s name on the marquee was enough to get me to pony up my $.75 (remember that?).
One of my favorites was Midway.
I also loved seeing him make a cameo in another favorite of mine, as the rancher in Tombstone.
By the way, does anyone recall any other leading man who’s characters died as often as his did?
Spoilers ahead if you have not seen his movies...
Think about it, The Ten Commandments, Midway, Beneath the Planet of the Apes, Earthquake, Airport, Towering Inferno, The Omega Man, Ruby Gentry, El Cid, The Greatest Story Ever Told, Kharthoum, Elizabeth the Queen, Call of the Wild, Anotny and Cleopatra, The Awakening, Mother Lode, Nairobi Affair, A Man for All Season.
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Written By:
Captin Sarcastic
URL:
http://
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Gee, Captin, thanks for the list of films to put on my netflix queue. # 1 is Soylent Green, I haven’t seen that for a long time (and given current events and overpopulation/food crises maybe...) |
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Written By:
Scott Erb
URL:
http://faculty.umf.maine.edu/~erb/blog.htm
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BTW, Charlton Heston wasn’t in Airport, or The Towering Inferno. He was in Airport 1975 though.
Spoiler: His character survives in that one. |
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Written By:
Andrew V.
URL:
http://
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I had my order in for Ben Hur as soon as I heard it was coming out in DVD Billy, do you like movies about gladiators?
{/snark]
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Written By:
Bithead
URL:
http://bitsblog.florack.us
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Get your stinking paws off my wallet, you damn dirty socialists! |
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Written By:
Bilwick
URL:
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One of his best movies was Bill Wyler’s 1958 epic western, The Big Country. The cast is absolutely first rate - Gregory Peck, Charles Bickford, Chuck Connors, Burl Ives (academy award), Charlton Heston, Carol Baker and Jean Simmons. The cinematography is reminds you of Lawrence of Arabia - earth and sky. Every second of the 2:47 is in motion.
It’s set in post Civil War Texas and centers around what everyone needed, water. Heston is the foreman of a wealthy Union major’s ranch. Burl Ives plays a poor Confederate rancher. Without being the least bit preachy, it speaks to physical courage, modesty and morality.
It’s too bad that actors are so deeply into politics these days. Their cynicism shows. |
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Written By:
Arch
URL:
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I have a long list of favorites where Heston played the lead role:
The War Lord
The Mountain Men
Will Penny
El Cid
Khartoum
But two of his best came in a supporting roles as the Cardinal Richelieu:
The Three Musketeers
The Four Musketeers
And in both of them he played the Cardinal with a grace, irony, and sense of humor that can only be said to be "unmatched".
He will be greatly missed! |
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Written By:
SShiell
URL:
http://
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I am surprised that Dale, Jon or McQ don’t have any more to say about Heston on the subject of gun rights, civil rights, Heston’s Libertarian attitudes and what he referred to as the broader culture war.
I learned the news of his death on FARK (of all places). I perused the comments and amongst the predictable ape and Soylent Green jokes, I actually learned a thing or two about the man.
This passage is classic stuff and needs to be said:
"For example, I marched for civil rights with Dr. King in 1963 — Long before Hollywood found it fashionable. But when I told an audience last year that white pride is just as valid as black pride or red pride or anyone else’s pride, they called me a racist. I’ve worked with brilliantly talented homosexuals all my life. But when I told an audience that gay rights should extend no further than your rights or my rights, I was called a homophobe. I served in World War II against the Axis powers. But during a speech, when I drew an analogy between singling out innocent Jews and singling out innocent gun owners, I was called an anti-Semite."
Does this not resonate with you? It certainly does to me.
And what about that story he tells when he attended the Time Warner shareholders meeting? It would have been fun to see those executives squirm.
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Written By:
JasperPants
URL:
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"I told an audience last year that white pride is just as valid as black pride ...they called me a racist."
I guess I am in good company, then.
The War Lord is one of my favorites (as is Will Penny), and it has the added bonus of having Richard Boone in it.
"But two of his best came in a supporting roles as the Cardinal Richelieu:"
Oh, yeah. It always impresses me when someone of Heston’s stature will take a supporting role, and also do such an excellent job. |
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Written By:
timactual
URL:
http://
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"I told an audience last year that white pride is just as valid as black pride I agree — neither is valid. Pride should not be in ethnicity, citizenship (proud to be an American is silly — why should one be proud because of the country one happens to be born in), or religion. Pride should be based on ones’ individual accomplishments and actions in life. Chris Hedges tells the story of a Muslim farmer who brought milk to a Serb baby in the Bosnian civil war, nightly, despite being ridiculed by his own people for helping keep alive "one of them." That man has more to be proud of than most of us. |
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Written By:
Scott Erb
URL:
http://faculty.umf.maine.edu/~erb/blog.htm
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