Charlton Heston

CHARLTON HESTON

Supreme Cinematic Hero of All-Time

Charlton Heston and his wife Lydia Clarke were touring in the play “Love Letters” at selected British theatres in August 1997. Oxford, Norwich, Newcastle and my home town Lincoln were the lucky cities chosen to showcase this two-character play, which was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. All four venues sold out almost immediately, testament to the Star Quality of Charlton Heston. Even though I had previously met Heston in London in 1985, this was something very special, and I could hardly contain my excitement when the local newspaper, Lincolnshire Echo, proudly proclaimed on the front page “Behold, Moses cometh to the city”. After their performance at the Theatre Royal, the Heston’s received a four-minute standing ovation, but I don’t think the rapturous reception was for their “Love Letters” performance, excellent as it was. The cheering, stomping multitude were really giving thanks to Heston for all his magnificent performances as Moses, Ben-Hur and El Cid. Bouquets were presented to them, prompting Mr. Heston to step forward and give a speech, extolling the virtues of the good people of Lincoln and how impressed he was with the beauty and history of my home town. Another standing ovation, and then hundreds lined up to get their copies of “In the Arena” signed. When he had signed hundreds of those, everybody queued up to get their programmes autographed.

The next day, the Heston’s were taken on a tour of the historic sites of Lincoln in the Mayor’s limousine. At the Guildhall he was photographed with the Richard III sword, presented to the city in 1386. After receiving a civic gift from the Mayor, Heston explained to the council chamber that he had nothing to give in return, so he just stood up and performed Prospero’s farewell speech from Shakespeare’s “The Tempest”. After that he was driven up Lindum Hill so he could have a look at our splendid Cathedral, the third largest in England after York Minister and St. Paul’s. I met Mr. Heston outside the Cathedral just as he was getting out of the limo, and was pleasantly surprised when he told me he remembered me from the theatre the night before, when we had a chat about his movies. I walked around the Cathedral with the Heston’s and he was very interested to learn that Buffalo Bill, Henry VIII and Sir Thomas More had also visited Lincoln Cathedral. Chuck had portrayed those great historical figures. I had to marvel at the graciousness of Charlton Heston and the kindness he showed to complete strangers. Excited fans kept stopping him, asking for autographs and saying the same things he must have heard at least a million times before. I lost count of the number of times people said “Loved you as Moses and Ben-Hur,” etc. and Mr. Heston reacted as if it was the first time he had heard the compliment. “Great guy”, I thought to myself, and realised what a genuinely nice person he really was, treating everyone he met with respect. Before he left the Cathedral, he popped a huge wad of money into the Restoration Box, a very generous gesture from a noble man.

Since I started this site, the great Charlton Heston has sadly died, after a long and courageous struggle with Alzheimers. The “Hollywood colossus from a bygone age” (Guardian headline) received the unusual distinction of having his death recorded on the front of The Times with a photograph framed by a black border, in the manner of a Victorian mourning card. Charlton Heston was much more than a Hollywood Superstar, in the 1950’s he actively opposed Joe McCarthy; campaigned for John F. Kennedy and marched with Martin Luther King. On the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, Heston proclaimed King as a “20th century Moses”. He was honoured by five U.S. presidents for his notable achievements, and on the screen played 3 presidents, 3 saints and 2 geniuses. Charlton Heston was a great man who played great men, and I am proud to say that I once shook his hand. Rest in peace Old Warrior.