Honestly, I haven't seen much of his work at all beyond 10 Commandments, Ben Hur, and Planet of the Apes, all too long ago to remember well, so he means more to me as a pop culture figure than an actor. Nothing against the man, certainly an icon has passed, but as you've said, he's from another generation and I can't help but see this through the surrounding culture.
If you're a fan of Shakespeare you should try the video linked above. It's a bit out of synch but it sounds terrific minimised too, just listening to the audio.