NRA's Heston checked into rehab last spring

LOS ANGELES Actor and National Rifle Association PresidentCharlton Heston spent three weeks in an alcohol rehabilitationprogram last spring, his publicist said Monday.

"He thought he needed to take care of something that couldpossibly become a huge problem," publicist Lisa DeMatteo said. "He'sactually back at work, taking care of himself and feeling great."

Heston checked himself into a facility in Utah from late May tomid-June, DeMatteo said. She said the star of "The Ten Commandments,""Ben-Hur" and "Planet of the Apes" had never been in rehab before.

"I think it was overwork. He keeps a horrendous travel scheduleand he's 76 years old," DeMatteo said. "He's speaking, he'scampaigning, he works for the NRA, he's been doing all this stuff,and you know how it is, you go to these dinners and they give you arubber chicken and food that's not really edible and you have alittle bit too much wine."

The Evanston native is back on a hectic schedule of speakingengagements and is completing work on a film, "Town and Country," anensemble comedy with Warren Beatty and Diane Keaton, DeMatteo said.He's also finishing work on a book about his political views.