American Legends: The Life of Charlton Heston

American Legends: The Life of Charlton Heston

*Includes pictures.
*Includes Heston's own quotes about his life, his career, and politics.
*Includes a bibliography for further reading.
*Includes a table of contents.

â€œ[Fame] has complicated my life a little, but not enormously. I had to learn to be a public person, but fame has given me a good deal of control over my career, which I otherwise would not have had. Also, chances to work with some extraordinary men and women." â€“ Charlton Heston

â€œCharlton Heston was seen by the world as larger than life. He was known for his chiseled jaw, broad shoulders and resonating voice, and, of course, for the roles he played. No one could ask for a fuller life than his. No man could have given more to his family, to his profession and to his country.â€ â€“ An official statement made by Hestonâ€™s family after his death

A lot of ink has been spilled covering the lives of historyâ€™s most influential figures, but how much of the forest is lost for the trees? In Charles River Editorsâ€™ American Legends series, readers can get caught up to speed on the lives of Americaâ€™s most important men and women in the time it takes to finish a commute, while learning interesting facts long forgotten or never known.

Charlton Heston had one of the longest and most critically acclaimed careers of any man in Hollywood during the second half of the 20th century, winning an Academy Award for Best Actor and appearing in some of Hollywoodâ€™s most beloved classics, including The Greatest Show on Earth (1952), The Ten Commandments (1956), Touch of Evil (1958), Ben-Hur, (1959), El Cid (1961), The Agony and the Ecstasy, and Planet of the Apes (1968). Given so many popular and memorable roles, Heston became known across the nation for playing strong, moral men who were not just fatherly role models but also voices of authority and forces for good.

Of course, it was no coincidence that Heston played roles with these characteristics, because he rejected appearing as a character who did not share his own personal, professional, political or religious outlook. Anyone who was unaware of that wouldâ€™ve noticed that Heston was outspoken about his beliefs and unabashedly advocated them. During the 1960s, he championed Democratic candidates, but as he grew older, he became an ideological conservative and was perhaps more associated with the Republican Party than anyone else in Hollywood.

Ironically, Heston may be best known by todayâ€™s generations for speaking in favor of conservative causes and especially his affiliation with the National Rifle Association, even more than for his actual film career. If so, it certainly didnâ€™t bother Heston, who wrote a speech titled Fighting the Culture War in America and said, â€œThe Constitution was handed down to guide us by a bunch of wise old dead white guys who invented our country! Now some flinch when I say that. Why! It's true-they were white guys! So were most of the guys that died in Lincoln's name opposing slavery in the 1860s. So why should I be ashamed of white guys? Why is "Hispanic Pride" or "Black Pride" a good thing, while â€˜White Prideâ€™ conjures shaven heads and white hoods? Why was the Million Man March on Washington celebrated by many as progress, while the Promise Keepers March on Washington was greeted with suspicion and ridicule? Iâ€™ll tell you why: Cultural warfare!â€ Heston remained the president and face of the NRA until stepping down after being diagnosed with Alzheimerâ€™s, and he died a few years later in 2008.

American Legends: The Life of Charlton Heston examines the life and career of one of Americaâ€™s most famous and infamous actors. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about Heston like never before, in no time at all.
Country USA
Manufacturer Charles River Editors
Binding Kindle Edition
ReleaseDate 2014-06-02
Format Kindle eBook

Country	USA
Manufacturer	Charles River Editors
Binding	Kindle Edition
ReleaseDate	2014-06-02
Format	Kindle eBook

American Legends: The Life of Charlton Heston

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