Legendary screen actor Charlton Heston passed away this evening at his Beverly Hills home.  Heston was 84.

Since his film debut in the 1940’s, the Academy Award winner eventually took on many legendary characters during his long career.  Perhaps his two most notable roles were in 1956’s The Ten Commandments (still played every Easter on television) and 1959’s Ben Hur.  It was for the latter film that he received his Oscar for Best Actor.

Charlton may also be remembered for two organizations he helped lead.  In addition to being a former president of the Screen Actors Guild, he was widely known for his years as president of the National Rifle Association.

Although no cause of death has been released, Heston did reveal back in 2002 that he was starting to display symptoms similar to those seen from Alzheimers patients.  At the time of his death, his spouse of 64 years, Lydia, was by his side.