Actor Charlton Heston died Saturday at his home in Beverly Hills. His wife of 64 years, Lydia, was by his side. And a longtime friend and publicist of the star tells me, “Probably no celebrity taught me more about life than Heston.”

Heston starred in more than 100 films, often reliving the stories of great Biblical and ancient heroes. From his Oscar-winning turn in “Ben-Hur” to portraying Moses in “The Ten Commandments,” he was known for bringing epic tales to the big screen.

One of his biggest and most controversial roles was offscreen. As president of the National Rifle Association from 1998-2003, he drew fire from many in Hollywood.

His other notable leadership positions include heading up the Screen Actors Guild, and the American Film Institute.

Heston’s spokesperson of 20 years, Michael Levine, tells me Heston was known in Hollywood for his humility and kindness. In a phone interview Sunday, Levine added, “Heston would come on set and thank the crew, the cameraman, the bathroom attendant, everyone. He taught me about the importance of humility.”

Charlton Heston’s family is planning a private memorial.

I’ll be reporting more on this story on America’s Newsroom at 10:45amET.

(Photo courtesy of AP)