Acting
Charlton Heston
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.
Filmography
Airports
Film · 2025
Planet of the Apes: A Milestone of Science Fiction
Film · 2024
Charlton Heston: Radical to Right Wing
Film · 2023
Yul Brynner, the Magnificent
Film · 2020
I Am Richard Pryor
Film · 2019
Emergency: Donald Trump’s "Touch of Evil"
Film · 2019
Hail Satan?
Film · 2019
Sword-and-Sandal: The Story of the Period Epic
Film · 2019
Todos los nombres de Sara
Film · 2019
The Madding Crowd
Film · 2017
The Lost City of Cecil B. DeMille
Film · 2016
Bienvenido Mr. Heston
Film · 2016
Spanish Western
Film · 2015
Children of the Civil Rights
Film · 2015
Magician: The Astonishing Life and Work of Orson Welles
Film · 2014
Marlon Brando: An Actor Named Desire
Film · 2014
Gore Vidal: The United States of Amnesia
Film · 2013
Talking Pictures
Series · 2013
Charlton Heston and Ben-Hur: A Personal Journey
Film · 2011
A Night at the Movies: The Horrors of Stephen King
Film · 2011
Cameraman: The Life and Work of Jack Cardiff
Film · 2010
2Everything2Terrible2: Tokyo Drift
Film · 2010
Hollywood sul Tevere
Film · 2009
Greatest Heroes and Legends: The Story of Moses
Film · 2008
AFI: 100 Years... 100 Movies... 10th Anniversary Edition
Film · 2007
De Madrid a la Luna
Film · 2006
Ben-Hur: The Epic That Changed Cinema
Film · 2005
Remembering Reagan at His Ranch
Film · 2004
Sam Peckinpah's West: Legacy of a Hollywood Renegade
Film · 2004
Greatest Heroes and Legends of the Bible: Daniel and the Lion's Den
Film · 2003
Greatest Heroes and Legends of The Bible: David and Goliath
Film · 2003
Greatest Heroes and Legends of The Bible: Jonah and the Whale
Film · 2003
Lasting Love
Film · 2003
Greatest Heroes and Legends of The Bible: Samson and Delilah
Film · 2003
My Father
Film · 2003
Greatest Heroes and Legends of The Bible: The Garden of Eden
Film · 2003
Christmas from Hollywood
Film · 2003
Ben Hur
Film · 2003
Greatest Heroes and Legends of The Bible: Joshua and the Battle of Jericho
Film · 2003
The Making of The Ten Commandments
Film · 2003
Bowling for Columbine
Film · 2002
Edith Head: The Paramount Years
Film · 2002
The Face of Evil: Reinhard Heydrich
Film · 2002
The Making of 'Tombstone'
Film · 2002
Town & Country
Film · 2001
The Order
Film · 2001
The Gun Deadlock
Film · 2001
Planet of the Apes
Film · 2001
The Making of Midway
Film · 2001
Cats & Dogs
Film · 2001
Last Party 2000
Film · 2001
Hollywood at Your Feet: The Story of the Chinese Theatre Footprints
Film · 2000
The Weber Show
Series · 2000
Yesterday's Tomorrows
Film · 1999
Any Given Sunday
Film · 1999
Television: The First Fifty Years
Film · 1999
Forever Hollywood
Film · 1999
Camino de Santiago
Series · 1999
Alaska: Spirit of the Wild
Film · 1998
Behind the Planet of the Apes
Film · 1998
Gideon
Film · 1998
Armageddon
Film · 1998
Gary Cooper: The Face of a Hero
Film · 1998
Sworn to Secrecy: Secrets of War
Series · 1998
Secrets of War: Shadows of The Reich
Series · 1998
Hercules
Film · 1997
Big Guns Talk: The Story of the Western
Film · 1997
Barbara Stanwyck: Straight Down the Line
Film · 1997
Charlton Heston Presents the Bible: Genesis
Film · 1997
Charlton Heston Presents the Bible
Film · 1997
Hamlet
Film · 1996
Andersonville Diaries
Film · 1996
Love in Hollywood
Film · 1996
The Lord Protector
Film · 1996
Shirley Maclaine: Kicking Up Her Heels
Film · 1996
Alaska
Film · 1996
The Mysterious Origins of Man
Film · 1996
In the Mouth of Madness
Film · 1995
The Avenging Angel
Film · 1995
Charlton Heston: For All Seasons
Film · 1995
Texas
Film · 1995
MADtv
Series · 1995
Eco-Challenge
Series · 1995
The Outer Limits
Series · 1995
The Legacy of Malthus
Film · 1994
True Lies
Film · 1994
The Bible According to Hollywood
Film · 1994
A Century of Cinema
Film · 1994
Masters of Illusion: The Wizards of Special Effects
Film · 1994
Friends
Series · 1994
Space Ghost Coast to Coast
Series · 1994
Tombstone
Film · 1993
Wayne's World 2
Film · 1993
The Mystery of the Sphinx
Film · 1993
Charlton Heston Presents the Bible: Jesus of Nazareth
Film · 1993
Charlton Heston Presents The Bible: The Story of Moses
Film · 1993
seaQuest DSV
Series · 1993
Late Night with Conan O'Brien
Series · 1993
Solar Crisis
Film · 1992
Crash Landing: The Rescue of Flight 232
Film · 1992
Noël
Film · 1992
Symphony for the Spire
Film · 1992
The Crucifer of Blood
Film · 1991
Air Force One: The Planes and the Presidents
Film · 1991
Cults: Saying No Under Pressure
Film · 1991
Noel's House Party
Series · 1991
Pebble Mill
Series · 1991
Almost an Angel
Film · 1990
Treasure Island
Film · 1990
The Little Kidnappers
Film · 1990
With Orson Welles: Stories from a Life in Film
Film · 1990
A Night on Mount Edna
Film · 1990
Call from Space
Film · 1989
Saturday Night Live: 15th Anniversary
Film · 1989
Original Sin
Film · 1989
A Man for All Seasons
Film · 1988
All-Time Movie Greats
Film · 1988
Korea: The Unknown War
Series · 1988
Andrew Weyth, The Helga Pictures
Film · 1987
Proud Men
Film · 1987
Eclipse of Reason
Film · 1987
Happy 100th Birthday, Hollywood
Film · 1987
The Dame Edna Experience
Series · 1987
The Fantasy Film Worlds of George Pal
Film · 1986
Directed by William Wyler
Film · 1986
An All-Star Celebration Honoring Martin Luther King Jr.
Film · 1986
All Star Party for 'Dutch' Reagan
Film · 1985
The Colbys
Series · 1985
Nairobi Affair
Film · 1984
The Stars Salute the U.S. Olympic Team
Film · 1984
Chiefs
Series · 1983
Mother Lode
Film · 1982
Barry Norman in Celebrity City
Film · 1982
Let Poland Be Poland
Film · 1982
The Orson Welles Story
Film · 1982
Wogan
Series · 1982
This Is Your Life: 30th Anniversary Special
Film · 1981
Dynasty
Series · 1981
The Awakening
Film · 1980
The Mountain Men
Film · 1980
Gray Lady Down
Film · 1978
The Kennedy Center Honors
Series · 1978
The Prince and the Pauper
Film · 1977
Energy: A National Issue
Film · 1977
Midway
Film · 1976
Two-Minute Warning
Film · 1976
The Last Hard Men
Film · 1976
America at the Movies
Film · 1976
Saturday Night Live
Series · 1975
Les Rendez-vous du dimanche
Series · 1975
Earthquake
Film · 1974
Airport 1975
Film · 1974
The Four Musketeers
Film · 1974
Spécial cinéma
Series · 1974
Dinah!
Series · 1974
The Three Musketeers
Film · 1973
Soylent Green
Film · 1973
A Look at the World of 'Soylent Green'
Film · 1973
The American Film Institute Salute to ...
Series · 1973
The Call of the Wild
Film · 1972
Skyjacked
Film · 1972
Antony and Cleopatra
Film · 1972
The Special London Bridge Special
Film · 1972
The Omega Man
Film · 1971
Vietnam! Vietnam!
Film · 1971
The Last Man Alive: The Omega Man
Film · 1971
V.I.P. Schaukel
Series · 1971
Film '72
Series · 1971
Beneath the Planet of the Apes
Film · 1970
Julius Caesar
Film · 1970
The Hawaiians
Film · 1970
King: A Filmed Record... Montgomery to Memphis
Film · 1970
Number One
Film · 1969
Planet of the Apes
Film · 1968
Rowan & Martin at the Movies
Film · 1968
Elizabeth the Queen
Film · 1968
The Dick Cavett Show
Series · 1968
Will Penny
Film · 1967
Counterpoint
Film · 1967
While I Run This Race
Film · 1967
Khartoum
Film · 1966
Planet of the Apes Test Reel
Film · 1966
The Greatest Story Ever Told
Film · 1965
Major Dundee
Film · 1965
The Agony and the Ecstasy
Film · 1965
The War Lord
Film · 1965
Uncertain Verification
Film · 1965
Night of the Dragon
Film · 1965
F.D.R.
Series · 1965
55 Days at Peking
Film · 1963
The Five Cities of June
Film · 1963
The Patriots
Film · 1963
The Greatest All-Star Advertial of All Time
Film · 1963
Look at Life: The City's Built for Shooting
Film · 1963
Diamond Head
Film · 1962
The Pigeon That Took Rome
Film · 1962
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Series · 1962
The Merv Griffin Show
Series · 1962
El Cid
Film · 1961
Kraft Mystery Theatre
Series · 1961
The Mike Douglas Show
Series · 1961
Ben-Hur
Film · 1959
The Wreck of the Mary Deare
Film · 1959
Touch of Evil
Film · 1958
The Buccaneer
Film · 1958
The Big Country
Film · 1958
Fun in the Big Country
Film · 1958
Shirley Temple's Storybook
Series · 1958
The Ten Commandments
Film · 1956
Three Violent People
Film · 1956
Forbidden Area
Film · 1956
Stars of Cabaret
Film · 1956
Playhouse 90
Series · 1956
The Steve Allen Show
Series · 1956
The Steve Allen Show
Series · 1956
The Far Horizons
Film · 1955
The Private War of Major Benson
Film · 1955
Lucy Gallant
Film · 1955
The $64,000 Question
Series · 1955
Secret of the Incas
Film · 1954
The Naked Jungle
Film · 1954
Climax!
Series · 1954
Climax!
Series · 1954
Pony Express
Film · 1953
Arrowhead
Film · 1953
Bad for Each Other
Film · 1953
The President's Lady
Film · 1953
Three Lives
Film · 1953
General Electric Theater
Series · 1953
The Oscars
Series · 1953
The Greatest Show on Earth
Film · 1952
Ruby Gentry
Film · 1952
The Savage
Film · 1952
Omnibus
Series · 1952
A Bolt of Lightning
Film · 1951
Hallmark Hall of Fame
Series · 1951
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
Series · 1951
Hallmark Hall of Fame
Series · 1951
Dark City
Film · 1950
Julius Caesar
Film · 1950
Studio One: Wuthering Heights
Film · 1950
The Taming of the Shrew
Film · 1950
The Colgate Comedy Hour
Series · 1950
Your Show of Shows
Series · 1950
Robert Montgomery Presents
Series · 1950
The Colgate Comedy Hour
Series · 1950
Your Show of Shows
Series · 1950
Robert Montgomery Presents
Series · 1950
Robert Montgomery Presents
Series · 1950
What's My Line?
Series · 1950
Jane Eyre
Film · 1949
Suspense
Series · 1949
Studio One
Series · 1948
The Philco Television Playhouse
Series · 1948
The Ed Sullivan Show
Series · 1948
Studio One
Series · 1948
Studio One
Series · 1948
Studio One
Series · 1948
Studio One
Series · 1948
Studio One
Series · 1948
Studio One
Series · 1948
Studio One
Series · 1948
Studio One
Series · 1948
Studio One
Series · 1948
Bambi
Series · 1948
Studio One
Series · 1948
Golden Globe Awards
Series · 1944
Golden Globe Awards
Series · 1944
Golden Globe Awards
Series · 1944
Peer Gynt
Film · 1941
The Making of the Greatest Story Ever Told
Film
Science Fiction Film Awards
Series