Turner Classic Movies Celebrates Charlton Heston’s Centennial Birthday All October Long
John Charles Carter, best known under his professional name as legendary actor Charlton Heston, would have turned 100 today (he was born in Wilmette, Illinois, on Oct. 4, 1923, and passed away in Beverly Hills on April 5, 2008, at age 84). Turner Classic Movies will celebrate Heston with lineups of his films each Wednesday in October.
Everett Collection
Highlights among today’s lineup include the 1959 epic Ben-Hur, featuring Heston’s Best Actor Oscar-winning performance in the title role; the 1965 Western Major Dundee, with Heston again playing the titular character; and two films making their TCM premieres: the 1990 TV movie Treasure Island, with Heston as Long John Silver, and the 1968 World War II drama Counterpoint.
8pm Ben-Hur (1959)
12am Khartoum (1966)
2:30am The War Lord (1965)
4:45am 55 Days at Peking (1963)
Wednesday, October 11
Beginning at 8pm
Everett Collection
The lineup begins with writer/director Orson Welles’ film noir classic Touch of Evil (1958), also starring Welles and Janet Leigh. That’s followed by the lesser-known film noir Bad for Each Other (1953), costarring Lizabeth Scott; the comedy The Private War of Major Benson (1955), with Julie Adams; The Hawaiians (1970), a historical drama based on James A. Michener’s novel Hawaii; and another Hawaii-set production, the 1962 romantic drama Diamond Head, which also stars Yvette Mimieux.
8pm Touch of Evil (1958)
10pm Bad for Each Other (1954)
11pm The Private War of Major Benson (1955)
1:30am The Hawaiians (1970)
4am Diamond Head (1962)
Wednesday, October 18
Beginning at 8pm
Graham Attwood/TNT/courtesy Everett Collection
The first three titles feature Heston portraying notable historical figures. The lineup begins with the historical drama The Agony and the Ecstasy (1965), starring Heston as artist Michelangelo, followed by the 1988 TV movie A Man for All Seasons, directed by Heston and starring the actor as Sir Thomas More alongside Vanessa Redgrave as Alice More, and The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965), an account of the life of Jesus (Max von Sydow) costarring Heston as John the Baptist. Closing out the lineup in the early morning are The Mountain Men (1980), a Western adventure also starring Brian Keith, and Number One (1969), a sports drama with Heston portraying an aging pro quarterback.
8pm The Agony and the Ecstasy (1965)
10:30pm A Man For All Seasons (1988)
1:15am The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965)
4:45am The Mountain Men (1980)
6:30am Number One (1969)
Wednesday, October 25
Beginning at 8pm
Everett Collection
Turner Classic Movies’ monthlong Wednesday salute to Charlton Heston during this centennial month of his birth concludes tonight with five films. Up first are two sci-fi classics the star led in the early ’70s: Soylent Green (1973), the famed dystopian thriller costarring Edward G. Robinson in his final film role, and The Omega Man (1971), a postapocalyptic action film based on Richard Matheson’s novel I Am Legend. Following those, in late night/early morning, are The Wreck of the Mary Deare (1959), a British American thriller costarring Gary Cooper; Skyjacked (1972), yet another ’70s airplane disaster film, this one featuring James Brolin and Yvette Mimieux alongside Heston; and The Awakening (1980), a British mummy-themed horror film based on Dracula author Bram Stoker’s lesser-known novel The Jewel of Seven Stars.
8pm Soylent Green (1973)
10pm The Omega Man (1971)
12am The Wreck of the Mary Deare (1959)
2am Skyjacked (1972)
4am The Awakening (1980)
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September 2019
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