Legend Charlton Heston Dies at 84: ´He loved deeply, and he was deeply loved´

Beverly Hills, CA – Charlton Heston was a remarkable man, who blessed the lives of millions because of his portrayal of great heros in epic films, and because he fought so hard for worthy causes that he believed strongly in.

He played the part of heros on the screen, and he was a hero in real life. He is a hero to my three boys (ages 12 to 18) because they love the characters in his films, and because they see him as a real-life hero who defends freedom. He is a legend because his roles are classic tales that will continue to make him a hero to generations yet unborn.

The roles he played on the screen made him a legend, and a hero throughout the world. His passionate fight for causes he believed in strongly brought out his courage, and his determination to fight for what he felt was right. Even those who disagreed with his stands on issues still admired him for his integrity. He was a true hero to many, on and off the screen.

In 1959 Heston won to Oscar for best actor in the film "Ben-Hur," but he may be best known for his portrayal of Moses in the "Ten Commandments." He played many heroic figures, including Michelangelo, El Cid, and Andrew Jackson in historical epics. Later he became a best-selling author, a Hollywood labor leader, and an outspoken advocate for the Second Amendment and many conservative causes and political candidates.

On the screen he will be best remembered for the chariot race in "Ben-Hur," and of course for his role as Moses, particularly in the scene when he parted the Red Sea. Other top movie memories of Heston include playing a deadly game of cat and mouse with Orson Welles in the oil fields in "Touch of Evil," his rant in "Planet of the Apes" when he sees the destruction of the Statue of Liberty, his discovery that "Soylent Green is people!" in the sci-fi hit "Soylent Green" and the dead Spanish hero on his steed in "El Cid."

In recent years his activism brought him critics among gun control advocates and liberal Hollywood who demonized him when he became president of the National Rifle Association in 1998. His critics made it possible for him to become a real-life legend.

He met their fierce criticism of his stand on the gun issue with the release of a photo in which he mimicked his famous pose of Moses parting the Red Sea with a staff raised above his head. Instead, the photo showed him raising a flintlock over his head with the challenge to his critics to pry it "from my cold, dead hands."

Ronald Reagan was one of his good friends, and Heston was often compared to Reagan. Both actors started out as liberal Democrats but became conservative Republicans. Both were elected as presidents of the Screen Actors Guild. And both men suffered from Alzheimer's disease in later life. Heston attended Reagan's state funeral on 11 June 2004, two years after he announced he had the disease and a year after he completed his term as president of the NRA.

Once when he was asked about why he changed from Democrat to Republican, he replied: "I didn't change. The Democratic Party slid to the Left from right under me."

His family issued the following statement shortly after his death:

"To his loving friends, colleagues and fans, we appreciate your heartfelt prayers and support. Charlton 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. Indeed, he committed himself to every role with passion, and pursued every cause with unmatched enthusiasm and integrity.

"We knew him as an adoring husband, a kind and devoted father, and a gentle grandfather, with an infectious sense of humor. He served these far greater roles with tremendous faith, courage and dignity. He loved deeply, and he was deeply loved.

"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. In his own words, 'I have lived such a wonderful life! I've lived enough for two people.'"

A few days after he announced his illness in 2002, Heston said in an interview from his home: "The world is a tough place," he said with a chuckle. "You're never going to get out of it alive."

Unlike the rest of us, Charlton Heston will live on in the masterpiece epic films, and in the lives of millions he has inspired who will carry on his great work.

A private memorial service will be held. The family has requested that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Motion Picture and Television Fund.