Charlton Heston

[McClef]

Strange that I should only have played my DVD of El Cid last week.

One does not have to fully admire all the aspects of a person's life to admire their acting and his many fine performances stand the test of time as classics.

[macwilkin]

When you're in a hole...stop digging.

Maybe pass-off to another mod?

Truly, the mods need the patience of Job.

Kilted men have strong opinions pro or con about...everything.

It's hard to stop digging when people keep throwing it in on top of you, Larry.

Let's have this message be the last on the subject, please, and keep this thread only to a tribute to Mr. Heston.

Regards,

Todd

[Malcolm MacWilliam]

I was away over the weekend in Alexandria. When I returned home Sunday night, my wife told me about Mr. Heston. She knew I admired him. Now: any photos of him in a kilt? Welllll, we could stretch it a bit and say that in Ben Hur he was wearing a leather kilt! He did show his legs and knees a lot! Good Bye, Mr. Heston! RIP. Malcolm

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

I have to agree with Paul, your choice of words did seem a bit intemperate, although probably unintentionally so. I do not believe the opinions of any member of this forum descend into the gutter, although they do often stray "off topic".

That said, I reiterate what I said earlier about Mr. Heston. He was a gentleman, through and through.

[Coemgen]

About Mr. Heston, I can say only what I hope is said of me when I pass, that he was a good man.

[RCallan]

Again. The world has lost a great actor. We will always have his images on film, video, DVD, HD, Blue-Ray or what ever comes next. The man once said...."I've played three presidents, three saints and two geniuses - and that's probably enough for any man. "

He also is mostly remembered for running around in a leather loin cloth for most of his adult life....he still laughs about that.
He had a handshake like a vice grip attached to a meat hook.

Just be glad he was who he was.

[Galician]

Again. The world has lost a great actor. We will always have his images on film, video, DVD, HD, Blue-Ray or what ever comes next. The man once said...."I've played three presidents, three saints and two geniuses - and that's probably enough for any man."

Three saints? That would be maybe Moses and.....?

[Dhuni]

Back about 35 years ago Heston and his wife and kids were hanging out on a fairly regular basis with our local band of Clan Fraser http://www.fraserclan-cal.net/calfraser.html.
His mother was a Fraser and his son(who bought us beer a couple times) is named Fraser as well.
They came to a New Years Eve party held at my cousin's ranch one year.
I vividly remember Heston's broad shoulders and bird legs (he was kilted).
I think my mom still has a bunch of pictures from the party.
He drank like a fish, swore like a sailor and was friendly and easy to talk to.

RIP Chuck

[Bob C]

I guess I'm in the minority. I thought he was an awful, melodramatic over-actor who made a bunch of truly bad movies.

Nonetheless, I would not wish Alzheimer's and death on anyone.

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

I guess I'm in the minority. I thought he was an awful, melodramatic over-actor who made a bunch of truly bad movies.

Believe it or not, actors have to key their performance to the requirements of the director. A good director gets really good performances, a so-so director will often get duff performances out of great actors. Acting styles also change with the passing of time. As scripts become more complex, or deal with previously taboo subjects, acting styles adapt. John Barrymore's performance in SVENGALI would be laughable today, just as Keanu Reeves performance in THE MATRIX would leave Heston's audiences baffled in the 1950s. Heston's career has to be judged in it's time, and by the standards of that time.

In my personal opinion Heston's prowess as an actor is best displayed in two films: A TOUCH OF EVIL, and BEN HUR. BEN HUR won 11 Academy Awards-- a record at the time. It would have probably won a 12th Oscar, but the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences doesn't hand out statues for The Most Boring Picture of the Year, which BEN HUR certainly was. However, Heston's performance is superb (as is his laconic portrayal of "Chinese" Gordon in the film Khartoum).

Quite often viewers ascribe "bad acting" to a picture they either dislike (and I don't like BEN HUR) or don't understand-- well, all actors have the occasional bad day, but 9 times out of 10 it's the director who is at fault if the actor delivers a sub-par performance.

Mr. Heston was a consummate actor, always prepared and always on the set ready to work. Unfortunately, not every director was up to his standards.