About Charles Bronson
Charles Bronson was a rugged American actor, known for his tough-guy persona and his roles in action, western, and war films. He began his career playing supporting roles and villains, but his breakthrough came in the late 1960s with starring roles in European films, such as the Spaghetti Western, "Once Upon a Time in the West". In the United States, he became an international star for his role as the vigilante Paul Kersey in "Death Wish" and its sequels. Bronson continued to act into the 1990s, with his final role being in a trilogy of made-for-television movies, "Family of Cops". Despite his success with audiences and critics, Bronson was not given top-billed roles in major Hollywood productions. However, his popularity among European filmmakers led to him being cast in leading roles in successful European films. In recognition of his contributions to the film industry, Bronson was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1980. Bronson died at age 81 on August 30, 2003, at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.
Charles Bronson Early Life & Family
Charles Bronson, born Charles Dennis Buchinsky, was an American-Lithuanian actor born on November 3, 1921, in Pennsylvania, USA. He was American when it comes to his nationality while his ethnicity was mixed. He was the eleventh child in a family of fifteen children. One of his brothers' names was Roy Buchinsky. He was the son of Valteris P. Bučinskis and Mary. His father was a Lipka Tatar from southern Lithuania, and his mother's parents were from Lithuania. He grew up in a coal-mining town and started working in the mine at the age of 10, earning one dollar for each ton of coal he mined. He was the first member of his family to graduate from high school, and after graduation from South Fork High School, he went to Pasadena Playhouse. Charles lastly celebrated his 81st birthday. As per his birthdate, his zodiac sign falls under Scorpio.
During World War II, Bronson enlisted in the United States Army Air Forces in 1943 and served in the 760th Flexible Gunnery Training Squadron. He later became a Boeing B-29 Superfortress aerial gunner with the 61st Bombardment Squadron, which conducted combat missions against the Japanese home islands. He flew 25 missions and received a Purple Heart for wounds received in battle. After the war, Bronson pursued his passion for acting and went on to star in numerous films, including "The Magnificent Seven," "The Great Escape," and "Death Wish."
Charles Bronson's Acting Career
- Charles Bronson worked odd jobs before joining a theatrical group in Philadelphia and later shared an apartment in New York City with Jack Klugman while both pursued their acting careers. In 1950, Bronson moved to Hollywood, where he began taking acting classes and landing small roles in films.
- Charles Bronson's early film career began in 1951 when he landed an uncredited role as a sailor in "You're in the Navy Now," directed by Henry Hathaway. He went on to appear in several other films during this time, including "The Mob," "The People Against O'Hara," and "Bloodhounds of Broadway" in 1951 and "Battle Zone," "Pat and Mike," "Diplomatic Courier," "My Six Convicts," "The Marrying Kind," and "Red Skies of Montana" in 1952. Many of these early roles were minor, but they helped establish Bronson as a reliable character actor.
- In 1952, Charles showcased his boxing skills in a ring with Roy Rogers on Rogers' show "Knockout." He also made appearances on "The Red Skelton Show" and "Biff Baker, U.S.A." alongside Lee Marvin. In 1953, he landed small roles in several films, including "Miss Sadie Thompson," "House of Wax," "The Clown," "Torpedo Alley," and "Riding Shotgun."
- In 1954, during the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) proceedings, Bronson changed his surname from Buchinsky to Bronson. That same year, he landed a notable supporting role as an Apache in Robert Aldrich's film "Apache." He went on to appear in several more films that year, including "Tennessee Champ" for MGM and "Crime Wave."
- His first film as Charles Bronson was "Vera Cruz" (1954). He started to gain recognition in Hollywood in the mid-1950s with his role as the main villain in the western "Drum Beat" (1954) and in the film "Jubal" (1956), in which he co-starred with Glenn Ford. He also made several appearances on various TV shows, including "The Sheriff of Cochise" and "Colt .45". In addition, he had guest appearances on Alfred Hitchcock Presents and starred in the short-lived sitcom "Hey, Jeannie!" in the late 1950s. In 1958, he played the infamous outlaw Butch Cassidy on the TV western "Tales of Wells Fargo".
- The actor rose to prominence with his lead role as Mike Kovac in the ABC detective series "Man with a Camera" from 1958 to 1960. He then went on to star in several films, including "Machine-Gun Kelly", "Gang War", "When Hell Broke Loose", and "Showdown at Boot Hill". Additionally, he made notable television appearances in shows such as "Hennesey", "Yancy Derringer", "Have Gun - Will Travel", and "The Twilight Zone". He also had supporting roles in films such as "Never So Few" and "Riverboat". In 1960, his role in "The Magnificent Seven" cemented his status as a rising star in Hollywood.
- In 1961, the actor took on a variety of roles, including playing a boxer in an episode of "One Step Beyond" titled "The Last Round". He also appeared in the romantic lead in "Master of the World", supporting Vincent Price. Though he had a supporting role in MGM's "A Thunder of Drums", he had a larger part in "X-15". In the same year, he played a supporting role in an episode of CBS's "General Electric Theater" titled "Memory in White".
- His career continued to thrive, and he went on to appear alongside Elvis Presley in "Kid Galahad" in 1962, followed by a co-starring role in the series "Empire" a year later. He played the villain in "4 for Texas" and appeared in "The Great Escape" in 1963. From 1963 to 1967, he had a role in a number of television series, including "The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters", "The Legend of Jesse James" and "Combat!". In 1967, he delivered an excellent performance in "The Dirty Dozen" alongside Lee Marvin and Ernest Borgnine.
- He then moved to Europe, where he landed roles in films such as "Once Upon a Time in the West", "Guns for San Sebastian", and "Cold Sweat". He also appeared in the French film "Rider on the Rain" before starring in "The Valachi Papers", "The Mechanic", and "The Stone Killer".
- At the age of 52, he achieved his iconic status by playing the role of Paul Kersey in the successful 1974 movie "Death Wish," which led to four sequels released in the following two decades. In 1975, he appeared in two films directed by Tom Gries, "Breakout," and "Breakheart Pass." The same year, he starred in Walter Hill's "Hard Times," which garnered positive reviews and established him as an action hero.
- Charles went on to star in average-performing movies such as "From Noon Till Three," "Telefon," and "Love and Bullets." He then played increasingly violent roles in films, including "The Evil That Men Do," "Assassination," and "Kinjite: Forbidden Subjects." After giving a remarkable performance in "The Indian Runner," he took on a compassionate role in "Yes Virginia, there is a Santa Claus." His final starring role in a theatrically released film was in 1994's "Death Wish V: The Face of Death." He later appeared in a trilogy of TV movies, "Family of Cops" (1995), "Breach of Faith: A Family of Cops 2" (1997), and "Family of Cops 3" (1999).
Charles Bronson Awards and Achievements
- In 1961, Charles Bronson received an Emmy Award nomination for his supporting role in an episode titled "Memory in White" of CBS's General Electric Theater, hosted by Ronald Reagan.
- He played the lead in the French thriller Rider on the Rain (1970), which was a commercial success in France, and earned a Hollywood Golden Globe Award for Best Foreign Language Film.
- Bronson received a special Golden Globe Henrietta Award for "World Film Favorite – Male" along with Sean Connery.
- He was awarded the Purple Heart for the injuries he sustained during his service in the military.
- In 1996, Bronson won his first-ever award, the Golden Boot Award.
- He won the Henrietta Award for "World Film Favorite" at the Golden Globes in 1972.
- Bronson was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in the Motion Picture category in 1980.
Charles Bronson Wife & Children
Charles Bronson had a colorful personal life with a total of three marriages. His first marriage was to Harriet Tendler, whom he met in Philadelphia when they were both fledgling actors. They tied the knot in 1949 and had two children together, Tony and Suzanne. However, their marriage ended in divorce in 1965 after 16 years. In 1968, Charles married his second wife, Jill Ireland, whom he met in 1962 when she was married to Scottish actor David McCallum. Bronson and Ireland had two children together, Zuleika Bronson and Katrina Holden Bronson. Their marriage lasted until Ireland's death in 1990 due to breast cancer. Charles Bronson went on to marry for the third time to Kim Weeks, a former employee of Dove Audio, in December 1998. They remained married for five years until Charles Bronson's death in 2003. Despite his three marriages, Charles Bronson was straight and not gay.
Charles Bronson Cause of Death
In his later years, Charles Bronson's health declined, and he retired from acting after having hip-replacement surgery in 1998. He passed away at the age of 81 on August 30, 2003, at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. Although pneumonia and Alzheimer's disease have been cited as his cause of death, his death certificate attributes "respiratory failure," "metastatic lung cancer," "chronic obstructive pulmonary disease," and "congestive cardiomyopathy" as the reasons for his passing. He was laid to rest at Brownsville Cemetery in West Windsor, Vermont.
Charles Bronson Net Worth
Charles Bronson was not only a talented actor but also one of the highest-earning actors of his time. At the height of his career, he was paid a whopping $1 million for each of the movies "The Stone Killer", "Chino", "Death Wish", and "St. Ives". He continued to earn big bucks with movies like "Death Wish II" which earned him $1.5 million, and "10 To Midnight" in 1982 which earned him $2 million. He also received a percentage of gross receipts from movie ticket sales and film rentals from Warner Brothers, further adding to his wealth. With an estimated net worth of $13 million at the time of his death, Charles Bronson lived a luxurious lifestyle and had various brand deals with big companies. His success in the film industry was largely due to his exceptional acting skills and dedication to his craft. He was a highly sought-after actor, and his income reflected his immense popularity and success. Although the exact details of his income, salary, and career earnings have not been disclosed, it is clear that his source of wealth was his acting career. Despite his passing, his legacy as a talented actor and one of the highest-earning actors of his time continues to live on.
Charles Bronson Height & Weight
Charles Bronson was not only known for his good looks but also for his remarkable acting skills. He was a prominent actor during his time who starred in various movies and television series. He was able to captivate his audience with his great personality, charming smile, and undeniable talent. Standing at a height of 5 ft 8 in or 1.74 m and weighing 75 Kg or 165 lbs, he had an athletic body build which added to his appeal. His hair color was Salt and Pepper, and he had a pair of dark brown eyes that could mesmerize anyone who looked into them.
