Charlton Heston
Biography
An American actor who became a leading man in Hollywood epics, Charlton Heston appeared in biblical epics, historical dramas, science fiction films, and action pictures. His first professional movie appearance was a leading role in Dark City (1950), and he broke through in The Greatest Show on Earth (1952), playing a circus manager. He gained stardom as Moses in The Ten Commandments (1956) and in the title role of Ben-Hur (1959), which won him the Academy Award for Best Actor. Other notable credits included Touch of Evil (1958), The Big Country (1958), El Cid (1961), Planet of the Apes (1968), The Omega Man (1971), Soylent Green (1973), The Three Musketeers (1973), Earthquake (1974), Tombstone (1993), and True Lies (1994). He directed Antony and Cleopatra (1972) and Mother Lode (1982), was president of the Screen Actors Guild between 1965 and 1971, and provided narration for Disney's Hercules (1997). He died in 2008.
84years old at death
- Born Evanston
- Died Beverly Hills
- Star sign: LibraThe sign runs September 23 to October 22
- John Charles Carter (birth name)Also credited as Charlton John Carter, John Carter, Charlton Carter and John Heston
Movie Career
- Films
- 58
- Career span
- 69 years1950 to 2019
Genres
First and latest
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First role
Heston made his first professional movie appearance at 26, playing the leading role in Dark City, a 1950 film noir that Hal Wallis produced.
A role that slipped away
In 1953, Billy Wilder picked Heston first to play Sefton in Stalag 17, but William Holden got the part and took home an Oscar for it.
A role that slipped away
Heston chose Benn W. Levy's play The Tumbler, directed by Laurence Olivier, over the lead opposite Marilyn Monroe in Let's Make Love. After a troubled out-of-town tryout in Boston, it closed after five Broadway performances in February 1960.
Early training
Heston earned a drama scholarship to Northwestern University from his work at the Winnetka Community Theatre, where he was active.
Behind the camera
Heston directed for the first time in 1972 and played Mark Antony in a film version of Shakespeare's Antony and Cleopatra. Reviews were scathing, so it never opened in theaters and is rarely shown on television.
Charlton Heston movies on Netflix
Hail Satan?as Self - Actor
Cameraman: The Life and Work of Jack Cardiffas Himself - Interviewee
Bowling for Columbineas Self - NRA President
The Orderas Professor Finley
Any Given Sundayas AFFA Football Commissioner
Behind the Planet of the Apesas Himself
Herculesas Narrator (voice)
Alaskaas Perry
In the Mouth of Madnessas Jackson Harglow
True Liesas Spencer Trilby
Tombstoneas Henry Hooker
The Crucifer of Bloodas Sherlock Holmes
Almost an Angelas God
Solar Crisisas Adm. "Skeet" Kelso
Treasure Islandas Long John Silver
Mother Lodeas Silas McGee / Ian McGee
The Awakeningas Matthew Corbeck
The Mountain Menas Bill Tyler
Gray Lady Downas Capt. Paul Blanchard
Crossed Swordsas Henry VIII
Midwayas Capt. Matt Garth
The Last Hard Menas Sam Burgade
Two-Minute Warningas Capt. Peter Holly
Airport 1975as Alan Murdock
Earthquakeas Graff
The Four Musketeersas Cardinal Richelieu
Soylent Greenas Detective Thorn
The Three Musketeersas Cardinal Richelieu
Antony and Cleopatraas Marc Antony
Skyjackedas Capt. Henry 'Hank' O'Hara
The Call of the Wildas John Thornton
The Omega Manas Neville
Beneath the Planet of the Apesas Taylor
Julius Caesaras Marc Antony
The Hawaiiansas Whip Hoxworth
Will Pennyas Will Penny
Khartoumas Gen. Charles 'Chinese' Gordon
Major Dundeeas Major Amos Charles Dundee
The Agony and the Ecstasyas Michelangelo
The Greatest Story Ever Toldas John the Baptist
The War Lordas Chrysagon
55 Days at Pekingas Maj. Matt Lewis
El Cidas El Cid Rodrigo de Vivar
Ben-Huras Judah Ben-Hur
The Wreck of the Mary Deareas John Sands
The Big Countryas Steve Leech
The Buccaneeras Gen. Andrew Jackson
Touch of Evilas Mike Vargas
The Ten Commandmentsas Moses
Three Violent Peopleas Colt Saunders
The Far Horizonsas Lt. William Clark
Secret of the Incasas Harry Steel
The Naked Jungleas Christopher Leiningen
Arrowheadas Ed Bannon
Pony Expressas Captain William Frank 'Buffalo Bill' Cody
Ruby Gentryas Boake Tackman
The Greatest Show on Earthas Brad Braden
Dark Cityas Danny Haley
Best known for
The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.
Most often with
William Wyler directed two of these films, Cecil B. DeMille two and Richard Fleischer two. Three actors appear in four of them each. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.










Films together
Christopher Lee4 films together, 1970 to 1990
Christopher Lee's page Treasure Island1990IMDb rating 7.0Heston as Long John SilverLee as Blind Pew
The Four Musketeers1974IMDb rating 6.9Heston as Cardinal RichelieuLee as Rochefort
The Three Musketeers1973IMDb rating 7.1Heston as Cardinal RichelieuLee as Rochefort
Julius Caesar1970IMDb rating 6.1Heston as Marc AntonyLee as Artemidorus
Oliver Reed4 films together, 1973 to 1990
Oliver Reed's page Treasure Island1990IMDb rating 7.0Heston as Long John SilverReed as Billy Bones
Crossed Swords1977IMDb rating 6.3Heston as Henry VIIIReed as Miles Hendon
The Four Musketeers1974IMDb rating 6.9Heston as Cardinal RichelieuReed as Athos
The Three Musketeers1973IMDb rating 7.1Heston as Cardinal RichelieuReed as Athos
Richard Johnson4 films together, 1966 to 1991
Richard Johnson's page The Crucifer of Blood1991IMDb rating 5.6Heston as Sherlock HolmesJohnson as Dr. Watson
Treasure Island1990IMDb rating 7.0Heston as Long John SilverJohnson as Squire Trelawney
Julius Caesar1970IMDb rating 6.1Heston as Marc AntonyJohnson as Cassius
Khartoum1966IMDb rating 6.8Heston as Gen. Charles 'Chinese' GordonJohnson as Col. J.D.H. Stewart
Roddy McDowall3 films together, 1958 to 1998
Roddy McDowall's page Behind the Planet of the Apes1998IMDb rating 7.4Heston as HimselfMcDowall as Himself - Host
The Greatest Story Ever Told1965IMDb rating 6.6Heston as John the BaptistMcDowall as Matthew
The Big Country1958IMDb rating 7.9Heston as Steve LeechMcDowall as Hannassey Watchman
Edward G. Robinson3 films together, 1956 to 1998
Edward G. Robinson's page Behind the Planet of the Apes1998IMDb rating 7.4Heston as HimselfRobinson as Dr. Zaius
Soylent Green1973IMDb rating 7.0Heston as Detective ThornRobinson as Sol Roth
The Ten Commandments1956IMDb rating 7.9Heston as MosesRobinson as Dathan
James Coburn3 films together, 1965 to 1976
James Coburn's page Midway1976IMDb rating 6.8Heston as Capt. Matt GarthCoburn as Capt. Vinton Maddox
The Last Hard Men1976IMDb rating 6.2Heston as Sam BurgadeCoburn as Provo
Major Dundee1965IMDb rating 6.7Heston as Major Amos Charles DundeeCoburn as Samuel Potts
William WylerDirector, 2 films, 1958 to 1959
All films by William Wyler Ben-Hur1959IMDb rating 8.1Heston as Judah Ben-Hur
The Big Country1958IMDb rating 7.9Heston as Steve Leech
Cecil B. DeMilleDirector, 2 films, 1952 to 1956
All films by Cecil B. DeMille The Ten Commandments1956IMDb rating 7.9Heston as Moses
The Greatest Show on Earth1952IMDb rating 6.5Heston as Brad Braden
Richard FleischerDirector, 2 films, 1973 to 1977
All films by Richard Fleischer Crossed Swords1977IMDb rating 6.3Heston as Henry VIII
Soylent Green1973IMDb rating 7.0Heston as Detective Thorn
Also three films together11 more actors
- Geraldine ChaplinThe Four Musketeers (1974), The Three Musketeers (1973) and The Hawaiians (1970)
- Harry AndrewsCrossed Swords (1977), The Agony and the Ecstasy (1965) and 55 Days at Peking (1963)
- Raquel WelchCrossed Swords (1977), The Four Musketeers (1974) and The Three Musketeers (1973)
- Richard ChamberlainThe Four Musketeers (1974), The Three Musketeers (1973) and Julius Caesar (1970)
- Frank WilcoxPony Express (1953), Ruby Gentry (1952) and The Greatest Show on Earth (1952)
- John DierkesThe Omega Man (1971), The Buccaneer (1958) and The Naked Jungle (1954)
- Brock PetersTwo-Minute Warning (1976), Soylent Green (1973) and Major Dundee (1965)
- Kim HunterCameraman: The Life and Work of Jack Cardiff (2010), Behind the Planet of the Apes (1998) and Beneath the Planet of the Apes (1970)
- Martha ScottAirport 1975 (1974), Ben-Hur (1959) and The Ten Commandments (1956)
- Maurice EvansBehind the Planet of the Apes (1998), Beneath the Planet of the Apes (1970) and The War Lord (1965)
- Linda HarrisonBehind the Planet of the Apes (1998), Airport 1975 (1974) and Beneath the Planet of the Apes (1970)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.
Box office
What Charlton Heston's films earned in cinemas worldwide.
Combined worldwide box office
$1.6 billion
31 of the 58 films have a worldwide figure.
Of the 58 films: 31 worldwide figure; 8 us gross only; 3 never in cinemas; 16 figure not found.
- 31Worldwide figure
- 8US gross only
- 3Never in cinemas
- 16Figure not found
Top grosser

Highest grossing
The eight biggest films earned 80% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.
- 1$379M23.3% of the total
- 2$253M15.5% of the total
- 3$164M10.1% of the total
- 4$123M7.5% of the total
- 5$103M6.3% of the total
- 6$100M6.2% of the total
- 7$100M6.1% of the total
- 8$80M4.9% of the total
Awards
Nine awards and honors from 1950 to 2003, three of them major.
| Year | Award | Film | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Academy Awards | |||
| 1960 | Best Actor | Ben-Hur | Won |
| Golden Globes | |||
| 1966 | Cecil B. DeMille Award | Won | |
| SAG Awards | |||
| Life Achievement Award | Won | ||
| Other honors | |||
| 2003 | Presidential Medal of Freedom | Won | |
| 1997 | Commandeur des Arts et des Lettres | Won | |
| 1978 | Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award | Won | |
| 1950 | Theatre World Award | Won | |
| Kennedy Center Honors | Won | ||
| Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame | Honored | ||
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.












