Charlton Heston, 1923-2008

One of my favorite movies as a child and still a favorite today, is The Ten Commandments. It is the story of how Moses successfully challenged -- with alot of help from God -- the Egyptians, which was arguably the greatest empire in the world at the time.

I love the movie and the role made famous by Charlton Heston, because the principle acted like a man who believed in what he said (he did). Not only was that message about Biblical beliefs and principles that were associated with the great actor all the remaining days of his life, but also the many lines pervasive in the movie about "freedom" and the opposition of "tyranny," which are American values as well. He embraced all of this principles.

Heston was old fashioned, not only by Hollywood standards, but by modern ones in general. He met his future wife in 1944 and was with her until his death this past weekend. There were never scandals about him in the tabloids or on TV, because he was known as operating with integrity in all things. He stood for what he believed in, be it equal rights for all Americans regardless of race or the right to bear and own guns as sanctioned in the Constitution. He held his beliefs, regardless of how politically unpopular. He was a man of enormous conviction.

I recently watched The Ten Commandments again over the Easter holidays with my oldest son. I thought about Heston during that time. I have seen that movie, I'm sure, more than any other and will likely do so again at every opportunity. It is a great story about an event in history, greatly conveyed by a person who understood it.

God Bless Charlton Heston.

Kevin Price is Host of the Houston Business Show (M-F at 11 AM on CNN 650) and Publisher of the Houston Business Review. Hear the show live and online at HoustonBusinessShow.com. Visit the archive of past shows here.