Charlton Heston
Acting
Charlton Heston (October 4, 1923 – April 5, 2008) was an American actor, renowned for his towering screen presence and roles in some of Hollywood’s most famous epics. Born John Charles Carter 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.
Known for
Acting250
moviePlanet of the Apes: A Milestone of Science Fiction
2024
Self (archive footage)
movieCharlton Heston: Radical to Right Wing
2023
Self (archive footage)
movieYul Brynner, the Magnificent
2020
Self - Actor (archive footage)
movieTodos los nombres de Sara
2019
Self - Actor (archive footage)
movieHail Satan?
2019
Self - Actor (archive footage)
movieSword-and-Sandal: The Story of the Period Epic
2019
Self - Actor (archive footage)
movieI Am Richard Pryor
2019
Self - Actor (archive footage)
movieEmergency: Donald Trump’s "Touch of Evil"
2019
(archive footage)
movieThe Madding Crowd
2017
Self (archive footage)
movieBienvenido Mr. Heston
2016
Self (archive footage)
movieSpanish Western
2015
Self (archive footage)
Children of the Civil Rights
2015
Self (archival footage)
movieMagician: The Astonishing Life and Work of Orson Welles
2014
Self - Actor (archive footage)
movieMarlon Brando: An Actor Named Desire
2014
Self - Actor (archive footage)
movieGore Vidal: The United States of Amnesia
2013
Self (archive footage)
tvTalking Pictures
2013
Self (archive footage)
movieCharlton Heston and Ben-Hur: A Personal Journey
2011
Self (archive footage)
movie2Everything2Terrible2: Tokyo Drift
2010
(archive footage)
movieCameraman: The Life and Work of Jack Cardiff
2010
Self – Interviewee
movieGreatest Heroes and Legends: The Story of Moses
2008
Self - Host / Moses
movieAFI: 100 Years... 100 Movies... 10th Anniversary Edition
2007
Self (archive footage)
movieDe Madrid a la Luna
2006
Self (archive footage)
movieBen-Hur: The Epic That Changed Cinema
2005
Self (archive footage)
movieSam Peckinpah's West: Legacy of a Hollywood Renegade
2004
Self (archive footage)
movieChristmas in Hollywood
2003
Self (archive footage)
movieThe Making of The Ten Commandments
2003
Self (archive footage)
movieMy Father
2003
Josef Mengele
movieBen Hur
2003
Ben Hur (voice)
movieEdith Head: The Paramount Years
2002
Self (archive footage)
movieThe Face of Evil: Reinhard Heydrich
2002
Narrator (voice)
movieBowling for Columbine
2002
Self - NRA President
moviePlanet of the Apes
2001
Zaius (uncredited)
movieCats & Dogs
2001
The Mastiff (voice)
movieThe Order
2001
Professor Finley
movieTown & Country
2001
Mr. Clayborne
tvThe Weber Show
2000
Charlton Heston
movieAny Given Sunday
1999
AFFA Football Commissioner
tvCamino de Santiago
1999
Professor Marcelo Rinaldi
tvSecrets of War: Shadows of The Reich
1998
Self - Narrator (voice)
movieGideon
1998
Addison Sinclair
tvSworn to Secrecy: Secrets of War
1998
Self - Narrator (voice)
movieBehind the Planet of the Apes
1998
Self - 'Taylor'
movieAlaska: Spirit of the Wild
1998
Self - Narrator (voice)
movieArmageddon
1998
Narration (voice)
movieHercules
1997
Narrator (voice)
movieCharlton Heston Presents the Bible
1997
Self - Narrator
movieHamlet
1996
Player King
movieAlaska
1996
Perry
movieThe Mysterious Origins of Man
1996
Self - Host
movieThe Lord Protector
1996
Narrator (voice)
tvMADtv
1995
Self
movieTexas
1995
Narrator
tvThe Outer Limits
1995
Chief Justice Haden Wainwright
movieIn the Mouth of Madness
1995
Jackson Harglow
movieThe Avenging Angel
1995
Brigham Young
tvFriends
1994
Charlton Heston
movieTrue Lies
1994
Spencer Trilby
movieThe Legacy of Malthus
1994
Self (Population Institute, 1993) (archive footage)
movieTombstone
1993
Henry Hooker
movieWayne's World 2
1993
Good Actor
tvLate Night with Conan O'Brien
1993
Self - Guest
tvseaQuest DSV
1993
Abalon
movieNoël
1992
Narrator
movieSolar Crisis
1992
Adm. "Skeet" Kelso
movieCrash Landing: The Rescue of Flight 232
1992
Captain Al Haynes
tvNoel's House Party
1991
Star guest
movieThe Crucifer of Blood
1991
Sherlock Holmes
movieAir Force One: The Planes and the Presidents
1991
Host and Narrator
movieThe Little Kidnappers
1990
James MacKenzie
movieTreasure Island
1990
Long John Silver
movieOriginal Sin
1989
Louis Mancini
movieCall from Space
1989
Alien (voice)
movieA Man for All Seasons
1988
Sir Thomas More
tvKorea: The Unknown War
1988
General Douglas MacArthur (voice)
All-Time Movie Greats
1988
Self (archive footage)
movieProud Men
1987
Charley MacLeod Sr.
movieEclipse of Reason
1987
Narrator
tvThe Colbys
1985
Jason Colby
movieThe Stars Salute the U.S. Olympic Team
1984
Self - Performer
movieNairobi Affair
1984
Lee Cahill
tvChiefs
1983
Hugh Holmes
movieMother Lode
1982
Silas McGee / Ian McGee
tvWogan
1982
Self
movieLet Poland Be Poland
1982
Self - Co-Host
tvDynasty
1981
Jason Colby
movieThe Awakening
1980
Matthew Corbeck
movieThe Mountain Men
1980
Bill Tyler
movieGray Lady Down
1978
Captain Paul Blanchard
movieEnergy: A National Issue
1977
Narrator (voice)
movieThe Prince and the Pauper
1977
Henry VIII
movieTwo-Minute Warning
1976
Capt. Peter Holly
movieAmerica at the Movies
1976
Narrator
movieMidway
1976
Capt. Matthew Garth
movieThe Last Hard Men
1976
Sam Burgade
tvSaturday Night Live
1975
Self - Host
movieEarthquake
1974
Stewart Graff
movieThe Four Musketeers
1974
Cardinal Richelieu
tvDinah!
1974
Self
movieAirport 1975
1974
Alan Murdock
movieThe Three Musketeers
1973
Cardinal Richelieu
movieSoylent Green
1973
Detective Robert Thorn
movieThe Call of the Wild
1972
John Thornton
movieSkyjacked
1972
Capt. Henry 'Hank' O'Hara
movieAntony and Cleopatra
1972
Marc Antony
movieThe Special London Bridge Special
1972
Tennis Player
movieVietnam! Vietnam!
1971
Narrator (voice)
movieThe Omega Man
1971
Robert Neville
movieThe Last Man Alive: The Omega Man
1971
Self - Narrator
movieThe Hawaiians
1970
Whip Hoxworth
movieJulius Caesar
1970
Marc Antony
movieKing: A Filmed Record... Montgomery to Memphis
1970
Self (archive footage)
movieNumber One
1969
Ron "Cat" Catlan
tvThe Dick Cavett Show
1968
Self - Guest
moviePlanet of the Apes
1968
George Taylor
movieElizabeth the Queen
1968
Lord Essex
movieCounterpoint
1967
Lionel Evans
movieWill Penny
1967
Will Penny
movieWhile I Run This Race
1967
Narrator
movieKhartoum
1966
Gen. Charles 'Chinese' Gordon
movieThe War Lord
1965
Chrysagon
movieThe Agony and the Ecstasy
1965
Michelangelo
movieUncertain Verification
1965
(archive footage)
movieThe Greatest Story Ever Told
1965
John the Baptist
movieMajor Dundee
1965
Major Amos Charles Dundee
F.D.R.
1965
Franklin Delano Roosevelt
The Patriots
1963
Thomas Jefferson
movieThe Five Cities of June
1963
Narrator
movie55 Days at Peking
1963
Maj. Matt Lewis
movieDiamond Head
1962
Richard 'King' Howland
tvThe Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
1962
Self / Self (archive footage)
movieThe Pigeon That Took Rome
1962
Captain Paul MacDougall / Benny the Snatch / Narrator
tvThe Mike Douglas Show
1961
Self - Guest
movieEl Cid
1961
El Cid Rodrigo de Vivar
tvKraft Mystery Theatre
1961
Paul Malone (archive footage)
movieBen-Hur
1959
Judah Ben-Hur
movieThe Wreck of the Mary Deare
1959
John Sands
movieThe Buccaneer
1958
Gen. Andrew Jackson
movieThe Big Country
1958
Steve Leech
movieTouch of Evil
1958
Ramon Miguel Vargas
movieThree Violent People
1956
Colt Saunders
Forbidden Area
1956
Col. Jesse Price
tvPlayhouse 90
1956
Col. Jesse Price
tvThe Steve Allen Show
1956
Self - Actor / Self
movieStars of Cabaret
1956
Self (archive footage)
movieLucy Gallant
1955
Casey Cole
movieThe Private War of Major Benson
1955
Maj. Bernard R. 'Barney' Benson
movieThe Far Horizons
1955
Lt. William Clark
tvThe $64,000 Question
1955
Substitute Host
tvClimax!
1954
Lt. Paul Peterson / Chipman
movieSecret of the Incas
1954
Harry Steel
movieThe Naked Jungle
1954
Christopher Leiningen
movieBad for Each Other
1953
Dr. Tom Owen
movieArrowhead
1953
Ed Bannon
moviePony Express
1953
Captain William Frank 'Buffalo Bill' Cody
movieThe President's Lady
1953
Andrew Jackson
tvThe Oscars
1953
Self
movieRuby Gentry
1952
Boake Tackman
tvOmnibus
1952
Self - Presenter
movieThe Savage
1952
James 'Jim' Aherne Jr. / War Bonnet
movieThe Greatest Show on Earth
1952
Brad Braden
tvHallmark Hall of Fame
1951
Thomas Jefferson / Robert Devereaux, Earl of Essex
movieA Bolt of Lightning
1951
James Otis
movieStudio One: Wuthering Heights
1950
Heathcliff
movieDark City
1950
Danny Haley
tvThe Colgate Comedy Hour
1950
Self / Self - Host
movieThe Taming of the Shrew
1950
Petruchio
movieJulius Caesar
1950
Mark Antony
tvYour Show of Shows
1950
Self - Guest Performer / Self - Guest Host
tvRobert Montgomery Presents
1950
Cashel Bryon / Peter Handley / Melody Jones
movieJane Eyre
1949
Edward Rochester
tvStudio One
1948
Col. / Dr. Michael Knowle / Philip Carey / Petruchio / Heathcliff / Edward Rochester / Mitch Henderson / James Otis / Macbeth / Merton Densher / Commander Schneider
tvBambi
1948
Self
tvGolden Globe Awards
1944
Self / Self - Presenter / Self - Nominee
moviePeer Gynt
1941
Peer Gynt
Directing3
movieA Man for All Seasons
1988
Director
movieMother Lode
1982
Director
movieAntony and Cleopatra
1972
Director
Writing1
movieAntony and Cleopatra
1972
Screenplay