Did Charlton Heston leave the Planet of the Apes?

5th April 2008 | Category: Showbiz | Tags: Alzheimer's Disease, Ben-Hur, Charlton Heston, Death of Charlton Heston, NRA, Planet of the Apes

Sadly, yes. At the age of 84, Charlton Heston died Saturday night at his Beverly Hills home.

Heston was suffering from Alzheimer’s disease which he made public in 2002. He was most known for his portrayal of Moses in Ben-Hur for which he got best actor Oscar in 1959 - Ben-Hur got 11 Oscars. But his success did not come easy: though he had the lead role of Marc Antony in Julius Caesar, he got only $50 per week. But his long carrier was filled with mega successes. Besides Ben-Hur and Planet of the Apes, other hits include The Ten Commandments, El Cid, Earthquake, The War Lord, Touch of Evil, The Big Country, and 55 Days at Peking. He also served as the president of the National Rifle Association (NRA) until 2003.