Big-voiced movie legend Charlton Heston lost his long-fought battle with Alzheimer’s disease Saturday.

Heston, 84, won an Academy Award in 1959 for his iconic role in the film epic Ben-Hur and starred in more than 100 films and TV productions, including The Ten Commandments and the original Planet of The Apes.

Heston was also well known for his civil rights activism during the 1950s and went on to be an outspoken opponent of gun control in the U.S. He was president of the National Rifle Association lobby group from 1998-2003, according to CBC.ca.

“We knew him as an adoring husband, a kind and devoted father, and a gentle grandfather, with an infectious sense of humor,” Heston’s family said in a statement. “He served these far greater roles with tremendous faith, courage and dignity. He loved deeply, and he was deeply loved.”






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