Charlton Heston Passes Away At Age 84

[capt.hendry51]

I just read on Yahoo News film legend Charlton Heston has passed away Saturday night.  There are no details about Mr. heston's passing, but he had retired from film making after announcing in 2002 that he had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease.  Personally, I greatly admired him and his body of film work.  R.I.P. Mr. Heston, you will be sorely missed. 

[SpankRamen]

I just read it on Yahoo News as well just a few minutes ago. My brother was watching Planet Of The Apes just last night on AMC. The world has lost one of it's greatest actors.

[monsterphile]

He had done many genre films most notably THE OMEGA MAN and SOYLENT GREEN, but  his role in PLANET OF THE APES is just huge.  It remains one of my favorite movies, let alone Sci Fi, to this day.  Now, Taylor joins Dr. Zaius, Cornelius, and Zira.  

"Take your stinking paws off me, you damned dirty ape! "

[gracebuster]

Fellas, this is truley the end of an era.
This was a great man, a great actor and a GREAT AMERICAN!

God Bless him.

[Monster Bob]

God Bless Chuck Heston.

Long live POTA and the NRA! 

Sorry about the politics.

[poseablemonster]

I was shocked this morning when I checked my email and saw this story.  Very sad to hear of his passing.  He's always been a "larger than life" persona; so many classic roles that he played.  Rest in peace, Mr. Heston.

[JMichaelRoddy]

Hey Gang,
Well I wake up this morning and as I peruse my favorite movie news sites I read the following:

CHARLTON HESTON DIES AT 84.

Wow... Another iconic actor gone. This one seems really weird, because even though he hasn't been in many films in the last few years, Heston always was such a vibrant personality on screen. Say what you will about his personal politics ( I can already hear people quoting how they will finally pull that gun from his cold dead hand), but the man was the man. He WAS moses, Ben Hur, El Cid.
What was even cooler to me is that he was brave in his choices. He took on roles in Science Fiction films, and gave them credibility before you ever walked in the theatre just by having his name on the marquee.

Planet of the Apes - Soylent Green - The Omega Man

I will remember him in two of my favorite films from the 70's. Earthquake and Airport 75. I was a disaster junkie and he was a great heroic lead saving Los Angeles from ruins and flying the airliner to safety after being struck by a smaller plane.


He was also in TOMBSTONE - which is the best western ever.

As a fitting tribute to him... I put the character in a show I wrote and directed back in 2001. Charlton Heston was a character in the show, as we poked fun at popular culture. That year saw the release of the re-imagining of Planet of the Apes and instead of having Mark Wahlberg come into the theatre to battle the evil monkey tyrant Thade, I chose to have Charlton Heston. He was dressed in loin cloth, toupee and NRA sash, and played in all his oily goodness by my good friend Chris Cox. It did my heart good that the audience responded so well to the appearance... mostly because of Cox's performance, but also because Heston was an icon.

So with that... goodnight Mr. Heston. Thanks for your work.

[neonnoodle]

A great actor has left us.

[Meek]

   "Mors hora,  mors sed hora incerta"  Death is certain, only the hour of death is uncertain.

    Growing up in the 60's Heston was everywhere and I remember well going to the Fox Theater to see "Planet of the Apes" and then all the sequals even though the quality sank dramatically after "Beneath The Planet of the Apes".
    "Will Penny" is one of my favorite westerns and I really don't care for horse operas and then there's an early Heston western "Three Violent People" that I found quite good.
     Read his autobiography---an enjoyable book to spend time with and thrill at his being savaged by a camel during "Ben Hur"---bit him on the knee.
     Heston was here in Iowa some years ago when he portrayed the filmrole of the pilot Cat. Al Haines of the United 232 that crashed spectacularly in a firey cartwheel at Sioux City's airport back in the 1980's.

      "Meek"

[capt.hendry51]

As well as his great SF films, there are 4 non-genre fims of Mr. Heston's I am fond of : Cecil B. DeMilles' The Greatest Show on Earth,  The Ten Commandments, Major Dundee, with about every great cowboy actor and the late great Richard Harris, and The Naked Jungle ,with the gorgeous Eleanor Parker and William Conrad.

[Tom Smith Monsternut]

BEN HUR !! We love that film and watch it every year on Easter Sunday !
RIP Chuck !

Tom

[Grape]

A great actor. An amazing, powerful, commanding screen presence. One of the last of the really giant movie stars. One of the last really classy movie stars, too. What an awful shame that Alzheimers kept him from giving us more great performances in his last few years.

As for his politics, I think that whether one agreed or disagreed with him we can agree that he stood up for his beliefs with class and integrity. Quite unlike a lot of young stars who seem to be terribly snotty and obnoxious when spouting their political views.

Mind you, I'm not agreeing with or disagreeing with or commenting on anything political. Merely commenting on style and saying that Heston was one of the last class acts in Hollywood.

[raycastile]

I was about to go to bed last night when I read online about Heston.  So I decided to stay up another couple hours and watch Omega Man in tribute.  I really liked Heston as an actor and a good old fashioned, larger-than-life "movie star."  I wish more directors had capitalized on his iconic status in the 80s and 90s and cast him in more genre pictures.  It was nice to see John Carpenter, James Cameron and Tim Burton give him small parts, but I would have liked to have seen more.  I suspect his political profile cost him roles.  I am on the opposite end of the political spectrum from Heston, but there is no reason that should stand in the way of liking him or his work.

[Mego73]

Charlton Heston was the first actor I noticed and liked as a youngster. Now, you can count me in as one who admired both the man and his politics. But even when I when I went through my young Liberal phase, I couldn't bring myself to dislike the guy. I will miss him.

[Toy Ranch]

I loved his movies and am a big POTA fan.   

Whether you agree or disagree with his political activities (me, some of both), he showed time and time again that he was committed to his beliefs and worked hard to do what he believed was best for our country.  It wasn't just a matter of spouting snippets of sound byte for publicity purposes, Heston tried to make our nation a better place. 

A great actor and a great man.