Charlton Heston

Biography

Charlton Heston was an American actor renowned for his towering screen presence and roles in some of Hollywood’s most famous epics. Born John Charles Carter on October 4, 1923, 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

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

Friends

Saturday Night Live

The Mike Douglas Show

Golden Globe Awards

Golden Globe Awards

Golden Globe Awards

All Movies (194)

• Airports2025
• Planet of the Apes: A Milestone of Science Fiction2024 · as Self (archive footage)
• Charlton Heston: Radical to Right Wing2023 · as Self (archive footage)
• Yul Brynner, the Magnificent2020 · as Self - Actor (archive footage)
• Todos los nombres de Sara2019 · as Self - Actor (archive footage)
• Hail Satan?2019 · as Self - Actor (archive footage)
• Sword-and-Sandal: The Story of the Period Epic2019 · as Self - Actor (archive footage)
• I Am Richard Pryor2019 · as Self - Actor (archive footage)
• Emergency: Donald Trump’s "Touch of Evil"2019 · as (archive footage)
• The Madding Crowd2017 · as Self (archive footage)
• Bienvenido Mr. Heston2016 · as Self (archive footage)
• The Lost City of Cecil B. DeMille2016 · as Self
• Spanish Western2015 · as Self (archive footage)
• Children of the Civil Rights2015 · as Self (archival footage)
• Magician: The Astonishing Life and Work of Orson Welles2014 · as Self - Actor (archive footage)
• Marlon Brando: An Actor Named Desire2014 · as Self - Actor (archive footage)
• Gore Vidal: The United States of Amnesia2013 · as Self (archive footage)
• Charlton Heston and Ben-Hur: A Personal Journey2011 · as Self (archive footage)
• 2Everything2Terrible2: Tokyo Drift2010 · as (archive footage)
• Cameraman: The Life and Work of Jack Cardiff2010 · as Self – Interviewee
• Hollywood sul Tevere2009
• Greatest Heroes and Legends: The Story of Moses2008 · as Self - Host / Moses
• AFI: 100 Years... 100 Movies... 10th Anniversary Edition2007 · as Self (archive footage)
• De Madrid a la Luna2006 · as Self (archive footage)
• Ben-Hur: The Epic That Changed Cinema2005 · as Self (archive footage)
• Sam Peckinpah's West: Legacy of a Hollywood Renegade2004 · as Self (archive footage)
• Remembering Reagan at His Ranch2004 · as Host
• Christmas in Hollywood2003 · as Self (archive footage)
• The Making of The Ten Commandments2003 · as Self (archive footage)
• My Father2003 · as Josef Mengele
• Greatest Heroes and Legends of the Bible: Daniel and the Lion's Den2003 · as Self - Host
• Greatest Heroes and Legends of The Bible: Jonah and the Whale2003 · as Self - Host
• Greatest Heroes and Legends of The Bible: David and Goliath2003 · as Self - Host
• Greatest Heroes and Legends of The Bible: Samson and Delilah2003 · as Self - Host
• Greatest Heroes and Legends of The Bible: The Garden of Eden2003 · as Self - Host
• Greatest Heroes and Legends of The Bible: Joshua and the Battle of Jericho2003 · as Self - Host
• Ben Hur2003 · as Ben Hur (voice)
• Lasting Love2003
• Edith Head: The Paramount Years2002 · as Self (archive footage)
• The Face of Evil: Reinhard Heydrich2002 · as Narrator (voice)
• Bowling for Columbine2002 · as Self - NRA President
• The Making of 'Tombstone'2002 · as Self
• Last Party 20002001 · as Self
• The Making of Midway2001 · as Self
• Planet of the Apes2001 · as Zaius (uncredited)
• Cats & Dogs2001 · as The Mastiff (voice)
• The Gun Deadlock2001 · as Self
• The Order2001 · as Professor Finley
• Town & Country2001 · as Mr. Clayborne
• Hollywood at Your Feet: The Story of the Chinese Theatre Footprints2000 · as Self
• Any Given Sunday1999 · as AFFA Football Commissioner
• Yesterday's Tomorrows1999 · as Self
• Television: The First Fifty Years1999 · as Self
• Forever Hollywood1999 · as Self
• Private Screenings: Charlton Heston1998 · as Self
• Gideon1998 · as Addison Sinclair
• Behind the Planet of the Apes1998 · as Self - 'Taylor'
• Alaska: Spirit of the Wild1998 · as Self - Narrator (voice)
• Armageddon1998 · as Narration (voice)
• Gary Cooper: The Face of a Hero1998 · as Self
• Charlton Heston Presents the Bible: Genesis1997 · as Self - Host
• Big Guns Talk: The Story of the Western1997 · as Self
• Hercules1997 · as Narrator (voice)
• Barbara Stanwyck: Straight Down the Line1997 · as Self
• Charlton Heston Presents the Bible1997 · as Self - Narrator
• Hamlet1996 · as Player King
• Love in Hollywood1996 · as Self
• Alaska1996 · as Perry
• Shirley Maclaine: Kicking Up Her Heels1996 · as Self
• Andersonville Diaries1996 · as Narrator
• The Mysterious Origins of Man1996 · as Self - Host
• The Lord Protector1996 · as Narrator (voice)
• Texas1995 · as Narrator
• Charlton Heston: For All Seasons1995 · as Self
• In the Mouth of Madness1995 · as Jackson Harglow
• The Avenging Angel1995 · as Brigham Young
• True Lies1994 · as Spencer Trilby
• Masters of Illusion: The Wizards of Special Effects1994 · as Self
• The Legacy of Malthus1994 · as Self (Population Institute, 1993) (archive footage)
• The Bible According to Hollywood1994 · as Self
• A Century of Cinema1994 · as Self
• Tombstone1993 · as Henry Hooker
• Wayne's World 21993 · as Good Actor
• The Mystery of the Sphinx1993 · as Narrator
• Charlton Heston Presents the Bible: Jesus of Nazareth1993 · as Self - Host
• Charlton Heston Presents The Bible: The Story of Moses1993 · as Self - Host
• Noël1992 · as Narrator
• Solar Crisis1992 · as Adm. "Skeet" Kelso
• Crash Landing: The Rescue of Flight 2321992 · as Captain Al Haynes
• Symphony for the Spire1992
• The Crucifer of Blood1991 · as Sherlock Holmes
• Cults: Saying No Under Pressure1991 · as Narrator
• Air Force One: The Planes and the Presidents1991 · as Host and Narrator
• Almost an Angel1990 · as God
• A Night on Mount Edna1990 · as Self
• The Little Kidnappers1990 · as James MacKenzie
• Treasure Island1990 · as Long John Silver
• With Orson Welles: Stories from a Life in Film1990 · as Self
• Saturday Night Live: 15th Anniversary1989 · as Self
• Original Sin1989 · as Louis Mancini
• Call from Space1989 · as Alien (voice)
• A Man for All Seasons1988 · as Sir Thomas More
• Proud Men1987 · as Charley MacLeod Sr.
• Andrew Weyth, The Helga Pictures1987 · as Self - Host
• Happy 100th Birthday, Hollywood1987 · as Self
• Eclipse of Reason1987 · as Narrator
• The Fantasy Film Worlds of George Pal1986 · as Self
• Directed by William Wyler1986 · as Self
• The Stars Salute the U.S. Olympic Team1984 · as Self - Performer
• Nairobi Affair1984 · as Lee Cahill
• Barry Norman in Celebrity City1982 · as Self
• Mother Lode1982 · as Silas McGee / Ian McGee
• The Orson Welles Story1982 · as Self
• Let Poland Be Poland1982 · as Self - Co-Host
• This Is Your Life: 30th Anniversary Special1981 · as Self
• The Awakening1980 · as Matthew Corbeck
• The Mountain Men1980 · as Bill Tyler
• Gray Lady Down1978 · as Captain Paul Blanchard
• Energy: A National Issue1977 · as Narrator (voice)
• The Prince and the Pauper1977 · as Henry VIII
• Two-Minute Warning1976 · as Capt. Peter Holly
• America at the Movies1976 · as Narrator
• Midway1976 · as Capt. Matthew Garth
• The Last Hard Men1976 · as Sam Burgade
• Earthquake1974 · as Stewart Graff
• The Four Musketeers1974 · as Cardinal Richelieu
• Airport 19751974 · as Alan Murdock
• The Three Musketeers1973 · as Cardinal Richelieu
• Soylent Green1973 · as Detective Robert Thorn
• A Look at the World of 'Soylent Green'1973 · as Self
• The Call of the Wild1972 · as John Thornton
• Skyjacked1972 · as Capt. Henry 'Hank' O'Hara
• Antony and Cleopatra1972 · as Marc Antony
• The Special London Bridge Special1972 · as Tennis Player
• Vietnam! Vietnam!1971 · as Narrator (voice)
• The Omega Man1971 · as Robert Neville
• The Last Man Alive: The Omega Man1971 · as Self - Narrator
• The Hawaiians1970 · as Whip Hoxworth
• Julius Caesar1970 · as Marc Antony
• Beneath the Planet of the Apes1970 · as Taylor
• King: A Filmed Record... Montgomery to Memphis1970 · as Self (archive footage)
• Number One1969 · as Ron "Cat" Catlan
• Planet of the Apes1968 · as George Taylor
• Elizabeth the Queen1968 · as Lord Essex
• Rowan & Martin at the Movies1968 · as Self
• Counterpoint1967 · as Lionel Evans
• Will Penny1967 · as Will Penny
• While I Run This Race1967 · as Narrator
• Khartoum1966 · as Gen. Charles 'Chinese' Gordon
• Planet of the Apes Test Reel1966 · as Thomas
• The War Lord1965 · as Chrysagon
• Night of the Dragon1965 · as Narrator
• The Agony and the Ecstasy1965 · as Michelangelo
• Uncertain Verification1965 · as (archive footage)
• The Greatest Story Ever Told1965 · as John the Baptist
• Major Dundee1965 · as Major Amos Charles Dundee
• The Patriots1963 · as Thomas Jefferson
• The Five Cities of June1963 · as Narrator
• 55 Days at Peking1963 · as Maj. Matt Lewis
• The Greatest All-Star Advertial of All Time1963 · as Self
• Look at Life: The City's Built for Shooting1963 · as Self
• Diamond Head1962 · as Richard 'King' Howland
• The Pigeon That Took Rome1962 · as Captain Paul MacDougall / Benny the Snatch / Narrator
• El Cid1961 · as El Cid Rodrigo de Vivar
• Ben-Hur1959 · as Judah Ben-Hur
• The Wreck of the Mary Deare1959 · as John Sands
• The Buccaneer1958 · as Gen. Andrew Jackson
• The Big Country1958 · as Steve Leech
• Touch of Evil1958 · as Ramon Miguel Vargas
• Fun in the Big Country1958 · as Self
• Three Violent People1956 · as Colt Saunders
• The Ten Commandments1956 · as Moses
• Forbidden Area1956 · as Col. Jesse Price
• Stars of Cabaret1956 · as Self (archive footage)
• Lucy Gallant1955 · as Casey Cole
• The Private War of Major Benson1955 · as Maj. Bernard R. 'Barney' Benson
• The Far Horizons1955 · as Lt. William Clark
• Secret of the Incas1954 · as Harry Steel
• The Naked Jungle1954 · as Christopher Leiningen
• Bad for Each Other1953 · as Dr. Tom Owen
• Three Lives1953 · as Self
• Arrowhead1953 · as Ed Bannon
• Pony Express1953 · as Captain William Frank 'Buffalo Bill' Cody
• The President's Lady1953 · as Andrew Jackson
• Ruby Gentry1952 · as Boake Tackman
• The Savage1952 · as James 'Jim' Aherne Jr. / War Bonnet
• The Greatest Show on Earth1952 · as Brad Braden
• A Bolt of Lightning1951 · as James Otis
• Studio One: Wuthering Heights1950 · as Heathcliff
• Dark City1950 · as Danny Haley
• The Taming of the Shrew1950 · as Petruchio
• Julius Caesar1950 · as Mark Antony
• Jane Eyre1949 · as Edward Rochester
• Peer Gynt1941 · as Peer Gynt

All TV Shows (75)

• Talking Pictures2013 · as Self (archive footage)
• The Weber Show2000 · as Charlton Heston
• Camino de Santiago1999 · as Professor Marcelo Rinaldi
• Secrets of War: Shadows of The Reich1998 · as Self - Narrator (voice)
• Sworn to Secrecy: Secrets of War1998 · as Self - Narrator (voice)
• MADtv1995 · as Self
• Eco-Challenge1995
• The Outer Limits1995 · as Chief Justice Haden Wainwright
• Friends1994 · as Charlton Heston
• Space Ghost Coast to Coast1994 · as Self
• Late Night with Conan O'Brien1993 · as Self - Guest
• seaQuest DSV1993 · as Abalon
• Noel's House Party1991 · as Star guest
• Pebble Mill1991 · as Self
• Korea: The Unknown War1988 · as General Douglas MacArthur (voice)
• The Dame Edna Experience1987 · as Self
• The Colbys1985 · as Jason Colby
• Chiefs1983 · as Hugh Holmes
• Wogan1982 · as Self
• Dynasty1981 · as Jason Colby
• The Kennedy Center Honors1978 · as Self
• Saturday Night Live1975 · as Self - Host
• Les Rendez-vous du dimanche1975 · as Self
• Dinah!1974 · as Self
• Spécial cinéma1974 · as Self
• The American Film Institute Salute to ...1973 · as Self
• Film '721971 · as Self
• V.I.P. Schaukel1971 · as Self
• The Dick Cavett Show1968 · as Self - Guest
• F.D.R.1965 · as Franklin Delano Roosevelt
• The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson1962 · as Self
• The Merv Griffin Show1962 · as Self
• The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson1962 · as Self (archive footage)
• The Mike Douglas Show1961 · as Self - Guest
• Kraft Mystery Theatre1961 · as Paul Malone (archive footage)
• Shirley Temple's Storybook1958 · as Beast
• Playhouse 901956 · as Col. Jesse Price
• The Steve Allen Show1956 · as Self - Actor
• The Steve Allen Show1956 · as Self
• The $64,000 Question1955 · as Substitute Host
• Climax!1954 · as Lt. Paul Peterson
• Climax!1954 · as Chipman
• The Oscars1953 · as Self
• General Electric Theater1953 · as Tim
• Omnibus1952 · as Self - Presenter
• Hallmark Hall of Fame1951 · as Thomas Jefferson
• Hallmark Hall of Fame1951 · as Robert Devereaux, Earl of Essex
• Schlitz Playhouse of Stars1951
• The Colgate Comedy Hour1950 · as Self
• The Colgate Comedy Hour1950 · as Self - Host
• Your Show of Shows1950 · as Self - Guest Performer
• Your Show of Shows1950 · as Self - Guest Host
• What's My Line?1950 · as Self
• Robert Montgomery Presents1950 · as Cashel Bryon
• Robert Montgomery Presents1950 · as Peter Handley
• Robert Montgomery Presents1950 · as Melody Jones
• Suspense1949
• Studio One1948
• Studio One1948 · as Philip Carey
• Studio One1948 · as Edward Rochester
• Studio One1948 · as Col. / Dr. Michael Knowle
• Studio One1948 · as Petruchio
• Studio One1948 · as Heathcliff
• Studio One1948 · as Mitch Henderson
• Studio One1948 · as Macbeth
• Studio One1948 · as James Otis
• Studio One1948 · as Merton Densher
• Studio One1948 · as Commander Schneider
• The Philco Television Playhouse1948
• The Ed Sullivan Show1948 · as Self
• Bambi1948 · as Self
• Golden Globe Awards1944 · as Self
• Golden Globe Awards1944 · as Self - Presenter
• Golden Globe Awards1944 · as Self - Nominee
• Science Fiction Film Awards— · as Himself