Issue date: 4/7/08 Section: Forum

Balancing fame and fervor

Charlton Heston was one of the best actors to grace the silver screen during the twentieth century, conquering countless epic roles, such as Mark Antony, Thomas Jefferson and Moses.

But the famous Northwestern graduate also left behind a legacy besides the one found in the Internet Movie Database. As President of the National Rifle Association from 1998 to 2003, Heston worked hard to promote conservative ideologies in the later part of his life.

The achievements of Heston's acting career and the controversy surrounding his work as an activist often dominate his image. Both of these qualities, however, are often overstated.

The popular perception of Heston as a rifle-yielding crusader for neo-conservatism is not a complete picture. He was also an early supporter of the civil rights movement who once protested outside a segregated movie theatre during the premiere of his own movie. Heston spoke out against the Vietnam War and marched next to Martin Luther King, Jr.

As a screen-actor, Heston was one of the most talented individuals in the movie industry's first century: His roles were timeless and his performances were powerful. But Heston also had many less impressive performances during his career, including the characters Stewart Graff in "Earthquake" and Matthew Corbeck in "The Awakening."

History has a tendency to hyperbolize individuals based on their most glorious achievements and most contentious controversies. But in Heston's case, a different approach will offer a more accurate account of his life.

Of course, Charlton Heston was a notably talented and passionate individual. But despite his ability to capture larger-than-life characters on the big screen, Heston himself was not larger than life.

Attempting to simplify his career and ideology by glossing over ambiguity will only misrepresent his complicated impact on United States culture over the last 70 years.


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