in memoriam: Charlton Heston
Charlton Heston, star of such classic films as Ben-Hur ((1959) Dir.: William Wyler, Wrt.: Karl Tunberg) and Planet of the Apes ((1968) Dir.: Franklin J. Schaffner, Wrts.: Rod Serling & Michael Wilson) died last night, probably as a result of his struggle with Alzheimer’s.
Though a crazy right-wing activist since the late 1980s (culminating in a five-year stint as president of the NRA from 1998 until 2003) and an occasionally hammy actor (the same accusations have been leveled at Brando), Heston was an outspoken proponent of the Civil Rights movement in the 1950s and 1960s and his contributions to film cannot be overlooked. He will be missed.
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