Charlton Heston (born John Charles Carter; October 4, 1923 – April 5, 2008) was an American actor in film, theatre and television[1] and a political activist. As a Hollywood star he appeared in 100 films over 60 years. He is best known for his heroic roles in The Ten Commandments (1956); Ben-Hur, for which he won the Academy Award for Best Actor (1959); El Cid (1961); and Planet of the Apes (1968). He also is well known for his roles in the films The Greatest Show on Earth (1952) and Touch of Evil (1958). His most memorable scenes were as Moses, parting the Red Sea in The Ten Commandments, and winning a spectacular chariot duel in Ben Hur. The starring roles gave the actor a grave, authoritative persona and embodied responsibility, individualism and masculinity; he rejected scripts that did not personify those virtues. His media image as a spokesman for Judeo-Christian moral values enabled his political voice. [2]