Charlton Heston

Book excerpt: The most definitive biography of Hollywood icon Charlton Heston—one of the most popular, engrossingly complex and, at times, controversial personalities ever to emerge from American cinema. Charlton Heston starred in American movies for more than six decades, in roles that ranged from the Biblical leader Moses in The Ten Commandments to the title role in William Wyler’s definitive Ben-Hur, to the heroic astronaut George Taylor in 1968’s sci-fi classic Planet of the Apes, in addition to hundreds of other screen, theater, and television roles. He also served as president of the Screen Actors Guild, and more controversially, as the head of the National Rifle Association, which placed him at odds with Hollywood’s then-prevalent left-leaning power elite. New York Times bestselling author Marc Eliot’s definitive biography, which benefits from extraordinary access to friends, family, and private papers, unravels the epic life story of one of America’s most iconic actors, bringing to light Heston’s greatest achievements as well as his greatest failures and regrets—culminating in an account that is informed, moving, artful, and honest. In it, Eliot lays bare the story of how a boy from the backwoods of Michigan went on to become Hollywood’s go-to action and historical actor and left a legacy that helped define American movie heroes of the twentieth century. From Michigan to New York City to Hollywood, Eliot traces the footsteps of this extraordinary figure and sheds new light on one of America’s greatest stars. In glistening detail, he examines and celebrates the lasting legacy of Charlton Heston, taking advantage of never-before-heard stories of Heston as husband, father, and unremitting actor whose stamp on Hollywood grows stronger every year.