Charlton Heston's family has just announced that the actor has died. Sources say he died in his home with his wife by his side.
Charlton Heston is known for many roles including Harry Steele in Secret of the Incas , Moses in The Ten Commandments, Colonel George Taylor in Planet of the Apes and Judah Ben-Hur in Ben-Hur.
Apart from his acting he was well known as an honorary life member of the NRA and served as the organization's president from 1998 until his resignation in 2003.
Heston has suffered many physical and health problems over the years including receiving hip replacement the same year he was diagnosed with prostate cancer (1998). In 2002 Heston's family announced that he had symptoms similar to Alzheimer's disease.
In 2005 newspapers reported that his family was shocked at his deterioration due to the progression of his illness and that he was at times unable to get out of bed. Later that year it was rumored that Heston was hospitalized for pneumonia in Los Angeles and by 2006 his family was afraid he would not live out the year.
MSNBC has reports that Heston died at his Beverly Hills home with his wife Lydia at his side. .
Heston's Wikipedia entry also reflects today, April 5th 2008 as the date of his death.
Heston was 84 years old. Cause of death has not yet been release, but will be appended to this article at the time of it's release.
