Charlton Heston: Oscar-Winning Star of Ben-Hur and The Ten Commandments

Charlton Heston was an American actor and activist. Born John Charles Carter on October 4, 1923, in Wilmette, Illinois, he served in the Army Air Forces in World War II.

He starred as Moses in The Ten Commandments (1956), won the Academy Award for Best Actor for Ben-Hur (1959), and played in El Cid, Planet of the Apes and Touch of Evil. He supported the civil rights movement in the 1960s and served as president of the Screen Actors Guild.

He was president of the National Rifle Association from 1998 to 2003. In 2002 he announced he had symptoms consistent with Alzheimer's disease. Heston died at his home in Beverly Hills on April 5, 2008, at age 84, and was survived by his wife of 64 years, Lydia.

Achievements: Academy Award for Ben-Hur (1959), Presidential Medal of Freedom (2003).

Birth: October 4, 1923 - Wilmette, Illinois.

Profession: Actor.

Interesting Facts: He took part in the 1963 March on Washington.