Charlton Heston was to many movie-goers the image of Moses, from his role in The Ten Commandments. That movie is also regularly shown on television, especially during the religious holidays, and that image is also implanted in the wider public mind.
Heston was a movie icon. His strong features and rugged build suited him for many heroic roles in and around the 60’s - including Ben-Hur and El Cid. Few other actors would have played these roles as effectively.
He might not have the most fine-tuned qualities as an actor, but these roles in the movies of that time did not require them. They were of a certain genre. They were epic movies, and Charton Heston just got it, as few other actors of his time did.
He represented a certain time in the history of movies, and he had the exact qualities to play an epic figure in these epic movies. He connected to the audience, and gave them exactly what they wanted.
He was a star and an icon.
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