Charlton Heston (Actor)

"Heston, says he hates being described as a star or a celebrity. 'I find those words distateful. Although I dislike those descriptions, I suppose they are appropriate in my case.'" - from "Page Six" of the New York Post, Oct. 2, 1996

Heston opposed affirmative action, supported gun rights and changed his political affiliation from Democratic to Republican in the 1980s. He also campaigned for Republican Presidents Ronald Reagan, George H. W. Bush and George W. Bush.

Heston supplied the voice-over for the Anheuser-Busch environmental campaign.

Heston underwent hip surgery in November 1996.

Heston was diagnosed with prostate cancer in December 1998. Following a course of radiation treatment, the cancer went into remission.

Heston was elevated to the rank of Commandeur de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French government in March 1997

In 2000, Heston revealed in the National Enquirer tabloid that he had entered a rehab clinic for a drinking problem.

In August 2002, Heston publicly announced he was diagnosed with symptoms consistent with Alzheimer's disease.

On his experience with Orson Welles in "Touch of Evil": "He was a good actor, not great on lines. That's probably because he didn't study them. Actually, I remember when we finished, it was about six in the morning, we went to have some champagne and scrambled eggs, and we were telling each other how marvelous we were. I said to him, 'I think you only made one mistake in the picture.' He said, 'What is that, my boy?' He always called me 'my boy.' I said, 'There are three short scenes that serve no point other than to remind the audience that I am the leading man and I have the best part, and that's not really true. This picture is about the decline and fall of your character, Captain Quinlan.' He said, 'Well, then I won't worry about them in the cutting room.' And he didn't, he cut them." - Heston to Time Out New York, Sept. 10-17, 1998