by Andrew Malcolm
They must have been really good friends.
The wife of the late President Ronald Reagan, Nancy, has issued an unusual public statement of sorrow at the death over the weekend of Moses, er, Ben-Hur, er, Charlton Heston.
Her statement and a little Googling remind us of how similar were these men, who were also good friends. Both were famous actors. Both were president of the Screen Actors Guild. Both entered politics later in life, both on the conservative side of the spectrum.
And, with their wives at their bedsides, both died in the horrible fog of Alzheimer's disease -- Heston on Saturday night at age 84 and the 40th president on June 5, 2004. Has it been that long ago already?
Here's the former first lady's statement:
"I was heartbroken to hear of the death of Charlton Heston. He was one of Ronnie's and my dearest friends.
"He shared a love of radio and acting and politics with Ronnie, and I know they had many discussions about each of their terms as president of the Screen Actors Guild. I will never forget Chuck as a hero on the big screen in the roles be played, but more importantly I considered him a hero in life for the many times that he stepped up to support Ronnie in whatever he was doing.
"We were honored to know Chuck as a friend, and my prayers go out to Lydia, Fraser and Holly Ann at this very difficult time."
Andrew Malcolm writes for Top of the Ticket, the L.A. Times political blog.
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Comments
Heros to some. Villans to others. Decide for yourself.
Posted by: Logic Prisoner | April 8, 2008 7:38 AM
They were both second-rate ham actors and heroes in their own eyes.
I just want to know whether Heston was buried with a rifle in his "cold, dead hand"?
Posted by: John Chuckman, Toronto, Canada | April 8, 2008 7:49 AM
The only movie in which Heston was a lead character that is worth anything was "Touch Of Evil". And that is only because of Orson Welle's brilliance.
Heston was also excellent in the small role of the "Player King" in Kenneth Branagh's incredible version of "Hamelt".
I find "The Ten Commandments" and "Ben-Hur" extremly overated. Not that they were "bad" movies, but they are just not as good as they are made out to be.
Cecil B Demille ("The Ten Commandments") always went way to over the top with special effects. I never particularly liked that.
Posted by: Steve34 | April 8, 2008 9:05 AM
Ah more gibberish from the worst mankind has to offer -- the losers from the Loony Left.
Hey Loons, Chuck Heston also lead Civil Rights marches. Heston a "second-rate ham actor?" OK, he did win Best Actor. He also was one of the hottest and most sought after actors in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s.
But then Chuckman and Illogic Man are two losers who wouldn't know anything about anything good in life. Two incredible wastes you and your sick cohorts are.
Both were
Posted by: John D | April 8, 2008 9:45 AM
JOHN, YOU SHOULD BE SO LUCKY TO BE ABLE TO CARRY EITHER MANS JOCK STRAP AS IT WASNT THE ACTING, BUT THE CONCERN OF OTHERS THAT MADE THEM GREAT
Posted by: CARROLLREDD1 | April 8, 2008 10:02 AM
Heroes in life? Is this what American's have to look-up too?
My children will learn who real heroes are. Acting as a hero doesn't make you one. Just makes you an actor.
Posted by: RomanB | April 8, 2008 10:03 AM
I disagree with Charleton Heston, but I don't dislike him enough to dis him at his death.
Reagan, on the other hand, I would be happy to dance on his grave. Where is it, and does the public have access?
As for Nancy, now there is a witch. Public policy determined by astrology. Unbelievable!
Posted by: Bruce Y | April 8, 2008 10:35 AM
You could always tell Heston was acting.
The expressions were mechanical, the manner strained, the personality always the same cocky guy. Boring.
The only thing he really had going for him was a rich deep voice. Many people are suckers for such voices. That's why they use them for narrations.
You never lost awareness of Heston's awareness of his own acting, as you did for a great screen actor, say, Spencer Tracy.
Academy Awards mean nothing, except as merchandising gimmicks, which is exactly what they are.
Look at some of the horrible awards made. My favorite example was Liz Taylor for Butterfield 8, an excruciatingly bad movie to sit through, then or now.
Then sometimes they award them by the shovel, as for Dances with Horses, a decent but not great movie in any respect.
One also had a sense with Heston of his own sense of self-importance. Ridiculous, actually. A man of minimal talent with a rich voice who made a lot of money being in the movies in the epic era.
Posted by: John Chuckman, Toronto, Canada | April 8, 2008 12:00 PM
Mercy.
U can apparently never go wrong in over-estimating the venom and partianship of Socialist democrats. How do humans get to be this way. Rhetorical question. Rhetorical question. Mercy.
Posted by: Scott - Houston, Tx | April 8, 2008 12:33 PM
As men, though I didn't know them, may they rest in peace!
As politicians, or heroes, they, along with John Wayne, were over-rated, if not, inept. Why is it that these guys were Republicans, duh!!! That's where you can grab all the money you want in your 15 seconds of fame. I had the thought that President Reagan was the worst, most inept President I had ever seen, but my opinion has been altered by President "Mission Accomplishment " Bush. He takes the cake, unfortunately there is only so much to go around and he doesn't care. That is the real tragedy of the present day Republicans: THEY DON'T CARE. That is why America is in the dump, at the moment.
Don't worry, though, come November, more Democrats in the House, more Democrats in the Senate and a Democratic President. America will recover with that line-up!!
SUPPORT OUR TROOPS, BRING THEM HOME, ALIVE. NOW.
Posted by: Don Fitzgerald, Chicago | April 8, 2008 12:34 PM
Heston was an excellent actor, he played Moses, Michelangelo and John The Baptist. He lived larger than life and left a wonderful legacy of film. Reagan was an actor of limited talent who played a president, poorly. His legacy belongs to history.
Posted by: Ed | April 8, 2008 12:41 PM
Second-rate actor, huh Chuckman? How many Oscars have you won? Because we just know you're qualified to make that judgement, right?
These two men were great Americans and it shows the liberal bias of the Swamp that we're only now getting a post about the unfortunate passing of Mr. Heston.
Posted by: Jeff | April 8, 2008 12:43 PM
It's "funny" how the Tribune censors let weirdos say vile things about good Americans who died, yet these same censors are too thin-skinned and arrogant to allow any criticism of them get through.
The Tribune -- what a joke!!
Posted by: John D | April 8, 2008 3:14 PM
U can apparently never go wrong in over-estimating the venom and partianship of Socialist democrats.
Posted by: Scott - Houston, Tx
-
Please direct me to republican comments about Bill Clinton that were anything but drooling epistles of HATE.
And check out John D, whose tagline is calling liberals the "worst humanity has to offer". Then go look in the mirror.
Posted by: Bruce Y | April 8, 2008 3:14 PM
Bruce Y, 3:14 p.m.
Mercy. Had to take the mirrors down. Got that disappearing hair thing going on. When my guitar and I Take It To The Limit though, there are unfailingly some pretty Latinas with me. Don't leave home without them. Secondary Reason - Nice Rhythm. Primary Covert Reason - Stunning Aesthetics. Makes for a most sublime visual distraction, at the invariable expense of global warming. Thanks, but No Mirrors. I love this Country.
Posted by: Scott - Houston, Tx | April 8, 2008 4:25 PM
Jeff,
Gee whiz, Jeff, suddenly a leftist Hollywood issued Oscar defines a great actor?
Whatever.
Anywho, Chuck made a series of cult classics late in his acting career, such as 'Soylent Green', the first 'Planet of the Apes', and 'The Omega Man', which endeared him somewhat to the younger 'hipper' folks of that day.
Then, suddenly, he is raving about his cold dead hands and waving a muzzleloader around.
And now Chuck H. is ready to fall off the front page, and it's time for a G&T.
Try prying that from MY cold dead hands!
Posted by: C.Morris | April 8, 2008 5:19 PM
John D'Mime,
Just what is it you are trying to submit?
What vile rantings and misdirected ravings are being $#!^c@nned?
See how easy it is?
Posted by: C.Morris | April 8, 2008 5:37 PM
Here are some golden oldies. A year later, "Christian"warrior JohnD continues to show us all how to lower discourse to the most childish denominator possible. The pot calling the kettle black, perhaps.
I will now label here Catherine, the Loony Lefty Thug Princess since she loves the phrase "Repukes" so much, which….
Posted by: John D | Mar 5, 2007 12:44:24 PM
Now, I'll wait for the Kool-Aid-induced Loony Left to deride any of these articles and scientists.
Posted by: John D | Mar 5, 2007 1:19:57 PM
And Janet, dear, I am far more human than you could ever hope to aspire!
Posted by: John D | Mar 6, 2007 9:08:33 AM
Paul, like the rest of the D&D Loony Lefters, you wouldn't know a balanced budget if it hit you in the face
Posted by: John D | Mar 2, 2007 6:52:42 PM
Loony Lefters hate facts.
Posted by: John D | Mar 5, 2007 9:09:17 AM
Go hide in some cave and let the normal folk live happily ever after without your drivel and nonsense.
Posted by: John D | Mar 5, 2007 8:24:55 AM
Posted by: Catherine | April 9, 2008 12:30 PM