To some, he was the greatest living actor of an entire generation. To others, he was merely a "Hollywood kook with a lot of guns." To nearly all, he was an icon of American filmmaking.

Charlton Heston, who played some of the most epic roles of all-time, died in California this weekend at the age of 84. Heston announced his diagnosis with Alzheimer's in 2002; since that time, his health had steadily declined.

Heston was perhaps best-known professionally for his Oscar-winning turn in Ben-Hur, but it was his off-screen pursuits that earned him much fame, and alternately much scorn, from the filmmaking community, and the entire nation.

Heston was, above all else, an activist. After serving in World War II, he campaigned tirelessly for desegregation during the Civil Rights Movement, and marched with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. He believed in racial equality, and worked hard to bring about real change.

But not all of his accomplishments were so lauded. Heston sparked controversy wherever he went for his strong stance on gun rights. He became head of the National Rifle Association in 1998, to the great annoyance of many of his old Tinsel Town cronies, and most especially the up-and-coming younger generation of liberal-leaning (and certainly outspoken) actors.

One thing is certain though: Charlton Heston never did anything by half. Not once in his long and storied career did he waver on his political viewpoint, not once did he give in to pressure from the media, Hollywood, or Washington, D.C. to recant his opinions. He stood firm in his defense of our Second Amendment rights, ignoring those who blasted him as a stubborn conservative (in fact, he seemed quite proud of it).

Heston was no stranger to bad press; he was raked across the coals for a pro-gun speech given in the wake of the Columbine tragedy in 1999. In 2002, he appeared in Michael Moore's documentary Bowling for Columbine. The ire-inspiring filmmaker demanded Heston apologize for the speech. However, in true Heston form, he refused. He had already been diagnosed with Alzheimer's at that point, and seemed mildly confused in the interview. The segment didn't go quite as Moore had intended -- Heston evoked more sympathy than anger, and critics nailed Moore for attacking a frail, ill man. 

Whatever your personal feelings on gun control or civil rights, Heston was irrefutably one of the most politically influential Hollywood actors of this century and the last (barring, of course, Ronald Reagan and, some might say, Arnold Schwarzenegger). In an age where many celebrities think taking "political action" involves merely being a mouthpiece for whatever dissenting opinion is the current trend, Heston was almost a refreshing change. He proved that promoting an often-unpopular opinion could be done with dignity, with class, and above all, could truly make a difference.