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Charles Bronson Biography (1921?-)

Original name, Charles Buchinsky (surname is sometimes spelled Buchinski); born November 3, 1921 (some sources say 1920), in Ehrenfeld, PA; son of a coalminer; married Harriet Tendler, 1949 (divorced, 1967); married Jill Ireland (an actress), 1969 (died, 1990); children: (first marriage) two; (second marriage) Zuleika (daughter), two stepchildren. Career: Actor, best known for his film roles as tough, uncompromising action/adventure heroes. Military service: Served in armed forces, 1943-46; some sources say U.S. Army,some say Air Force (as tail gunner). Awards, Honors: Emmy Award nomination, best supporting actor in a single program, 1961, for General Electric Theatre; Golden Globe Award, world film favorite-male, 1972; Gold StarAward, film industry's top international star, 1979. Addresses: Agent:William Morris Agency, 151 South El Camino Dr., Beverly Hills, CA 90212-2704.

Nationality

American

Gender

Male

Occupation

Actor

Birth Details

November 3, 1921?

Ehrenfeld, Pennsylvania, United States

Famous Works

• CREDITS
• Film Appearances
• (Uncredited) Jack, The Mob (also known as Remember That Face), Columbia, 1951
• (As Charles Buchinski) Wascylewski, You're in the Navy Now (also known as U.S.S. Teakettle), Twentieth Century-Fox, 1951
• (Uncredited) Angelo Korvac, The People against O'Hara, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1951
• (As Charles Buchinsky) Neff, Red Skies of Montana (also known as Smoke Jumpers), Twentieth Century-Fox, 1952
• (As Charles Buchinski) Hank Taslins, Pat and Mike, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1952
• (As Charles Buchinsky) Jocko, My Six Convicts, Columbia, 1952
• (Uncredited) The Russian, Diplomatic Courier, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1952
• (Uncredited) Eddie, The Clown, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1952
• (As Charles Buchinski) Pittsburgh Phil, Bloodhounds of Broadway, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1952
• (As Charles Buchinski) Eddie, The Marrying Kind, Columbia, 1952
• (As Charles Buchinsky) Private Edwards, Miss Sadie Thompson, Columbia, 1953
• (As Charles Buchinsky) Igor, House of Wax, Warner Bros., 1953
• (As Charles Buchinsky) Sixty Jubel, Tennessee Champ, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1954
• (As Charles Buchinsky) Pinto, Riding Shotgun, Warner Bros., 1954
• (First listing as Charles Bronson) Captain Jack, Drum Beat, WarnerBros., 1954
• (As Charles Buchinskky) Hondo, Apache, 1954
• (As Charles Buchinsky) Ben Hastings, Crime Wave (also known as The City Is Dark), Warner Bros., 1954
• (As Charles Buchinsky) Pittsburgh, Vera Cruz, United Artists, 1954
• Vince Gaspari, Target Zero, Warner Bros., 1955
• Benny Kelly, Big House, U.S.A., United Artists, 1955
• Reb Haislipp, Jubal, Columbia, 1956
• Blue Buffalo, Run of the Arrows (also known as Hot Lead), Universal, 1957
• George "Machine Gun" Kelly, Machine Gun Kelly, American International Pictures, 1957
• Steve Boland, When Hell Broke Loose, Paramount, 1958
• Luke Welsh, Showdown at Boot Hill (also known as Shadow of BootHill), 1958
• Alan Avery, Gang War, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1958
• Sergeant John Danforth, Never So Few, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1959
• Bernardo O'Reilly, The Magnificent Seven, United Artists, 1960
• Trooper Hanna, A Thunder of Drums, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1961
• Lieutenant Colonel Lee Brandon, X-15, 1961
• John Strock, Master of the World, American International Pictures,1961
• Lew Nyack, Kid Galahad, United Artists, 1962
• Lonely Are the Brave, Universal, 1962
• Paul Moreno, This Rugged Land, 1962
• Danny Velinski (the "tunnel king"), The Great Escape, United Artists, 1963
• Matson, Four for Texas, Warner Bros., 1963
• (Uncredited) Himself, The Big Sur, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1965
• Major Wolenski, The Battle of the Bulge, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1965
• Cos Erickson, The Sandpiper, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1965
• J. J. Nichols, This Property Is Condemned, Paramount, 1966
• Joseph Wladislaw, The Dirty Dozen, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1967
• Teclo, Guns for San Sebastian (also known as La Bataille de SanSebastian, I Cannoni di San Sebastian, and Los Canones de SanSebastian), Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1967
• Major Rudolfe Fierro, Villa Rides, Paramount, 1968
• Franz Propp, Adieu l'Ami (also known as Farewell, Friend, Honor among Thieves, Due Sporche Carogne, and Tecnica di UnaRapina), 1968
• The man ("Harmonica"), Once Upon a Time in the West (also known asC'era Una Volta il West), Paramount, 1969
• Scott Wardman, Lola (also known as Statutory Affair and Twinky), World Film Services, 1969
• Colonel Harry Dobbs, Rider in the Rain (also known as Le Passager de la Pluie), Avco Embassy, 1970
• Josh Corey, You Can't Win Them All (also known as The Dubious Patriots and Soldiers of Fortune), Columbia, 1970
• Jeff, Citta Violenta (also known as The Family and Violent City), United Artists, 1970
• The stranger, Someone behind the Door (also known as Two Mindsfor Murder and Quelqu'un Derriere la Porte), Cinerama, 1971
• Pardon Chato, Chato's Land, United Artists, 1971
• Ben Justin, The Bull of the West (also known as Hot Lead),1971
• Joe Martin, De la Part des Copains (also known as Cold Sweat and L'Uomo dalle Due Ombre), 1971
• Link, Red Sun (also known as Soleil Rouge), National General, 1972
• Joseph Valachi, The Valachi Papers (also known as Joe Valachi, Carteggio Valachi, Le Dossier Valachi, and I Segreti diCosa Nostra), Columbia, 1972
• Arthur Bishop, The Mechanic (also known as Killer of Killers), United Artists, 1972
• Detective Lieutenant Lou Torrey, The Stone Killer, Columbia, 1973
• Pancho Villa, 1973
• Chino Valdez, Valdez, il Mezzosangue (also known as Chino, The Valdez Horses, Valdez the Halfbreed, Wild Horses, and Caballos Salvajes), 1973
• Vince Majestyk, Mr. Majestyk, United Artists, 1974
• Paul Kersey, Death Wish, Paramount, 1974
• Chaney, Hard Times (also known as The Streetfighter), Columbia, 1975
• Nick Colton, Breakout, Columbia, 1975
• John Deakin, Breakheart Pass, United Artists, 1976
• Raymond St. Ives, St. Ives, Warner Bros., 1976
• Graham Dorsey, From Noon Till Three, United Artists, 1976
• Grigori Borzov, Telefon, United Artists, 1977
• James Otis ("Wild Bill Hickok"), The White Buffalo (also known asHunt to Kill), de Laurentiis, 1977
• Charlie Congers, Love and Bullets, Sir Lew Grade, 1979
• Giff Hoyt, Cabo blanco, 1979
• Jeb Maynard, Borderline, Associated Film Distributors, 1980
• Albert Johnson, Death Hunt, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1981
• Paul Kersey, Death Wish II, Filmways, 1982
• Leo Kessler, Ten to Midnight, Cannon, 1983
• Holland, The Evil That Men Do, TriStar, 1984
• Paul Kersey, Death Wish 3, Cannon, 1985
• Jack Murphy, Murphy's Law, Cannon, 1986
• Jay Killian, Assassination, Cannon, 1987
• Paul Kersey, Death Wish 4: The Crackdown, Cannon, 1987
• Garret Smith, Messenger of Death, Cannon, 1988
• Lieutenant Crowe, Kinjite: Forbidden Subjects, Cannon, 1989
• Father (Mr. Roberts), The Indian Runner, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer/Pathe, 1991
• Paul Kersey, Death Wish V: The Face of Death, Trimark, 1994
• Also appeared in 10 North Frederick.
• Television Appearances
• Series
• Mike Kovac, Man with a Camera, ABC, 1958-60
• Paul Moreno, Empire, NBC, 1963
• Linc Murdock, The Travels of Jamie McPheeters, ABC, 1963-64
• Burton Badman, The Sheriff of Hollywood Hills, Israel EducationalTelevision, 1971
• Movies
• Linc Murdock, Guns of Diablo, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1964
• Harge Talbot, Jr., The Meanest Men in the West, 1967
• General Dan Shamron, Raid on Entebbe, NBC, 1977
• Jock Yablonsky, Act of Vengeance, HBO, 1986
• Francis P. Church, Yes, Virginia, There Is a Santa Claus, ABC, 1991
• Captain Wolf Larsen, The Sea Wolf, TNT, 1993
• Sergeant Mike Donato, Donato and Daughter (also known as Dead to Rights), Multimedia Motion Pictures, 1993
• Paul Fein, Family of Cops, Trimark, 1995
• Paul Fein, Breach of Faith: Family of Cops II, Trimark, 1997
• Paul Fein, Family of Cops III, CBS, 1999
• Episodic
• "Knockout," The Roy Rogers Show, CBS, 1952
• "Take the Odds," The Doctor, NBC, 1953
• "The Witness," Four Star Playhouse, CBS, 1953
• "The Neutral Corner," The Joe Palooka Story, syndicated, 1954
• "Adventure in Java," Philco Television Playhouse, NBC, 1954
• "My Brother Joe," Medic, NBC, 1954
• "Case of the Escaped Convict," Treasury Men in Action, ABC, 1954
• "A Bell for Adano," Lux Video Theatre, NBC, 1955
• "The Case of the Invisible Mark," Man behind the Badge, NBC, 1955
• "Debt of Honor," Stage 7, CBS, 1955
• "Cornered," Public Defender, CBS, 1955
• "The Case of the Deadly Dilemma," Treasury Men in Action, ABC, 1955
• "The Time of Day," Stage 7, CBS, 1955
• "The Case of the Shot in the Dark," Treasury Men in Action, ABC, 1955
• "Woman in the Mine," Pepsi Cola Playhouse, ABC, 1955
• Mike Brod, "A Boxing Match," Crusader, CBS, 1955
• "Chain of Hearts," Cavalcade Theatre, ABC, 1955
• "Prosper's Old Mother," General Electric Theatre, CBS, 1955
• Frank Bramwell, "There Was an Old Woman," Alfred Hitchcock Presents, CBS, 1956
• "Explosion," Warner Brothers Presents, ABC, 1956
• "Deep Freeze," Warner Brothers Presents, ABC, 1956
• Crego, "The Killer," Gunsmoke, CBS, 1956
• Detective Krovitch, "And So Died Riabouchinska," Alfred Hitchcock Presents, CBS, 1956
• "The Story of Jerry Bell," The Millionaire, CBS, 1957
• "Jeannie the Police Woman," Hey Jeannie, CBS, 1957
• "Chester's Mother," Gunsmoke, CBS, 1957
• "Outpost," Studio '57, syndicated, 1957
• "The Peter Rocco Case," Richard Diamond, Private Detective, CBS, 1957
• "The Outlaw," Have Gun-Will Travel, CBS, 1957
• "Young Gun," Colt .45, ABC, 1957
• "Doomsday," Suspicion, NBC, 1957
• "The Steve Hardlika Case," Court of Last Resort, NBC, 1958
• "Man Wanted," Sugarfoot, ABC, 1958
• "Fight," M Squad, NBC, 1958
• "The Bullet and the Cross," Sugarfoot, ABC, 1958
• "The Gentleman," Have Gun-Will Travel, CBS, 1958
• "Butch Cassidy," Tales of Wells Fargo, NBC, 1958
• Ben Tiple, "The Long Rifle," Gunsmoke, CBS, 1958
• "Hell on High Water," Yancy Derringer, CBS, 1959
• "Pursuit," U.S. Marshal, syndicated, 1959
• "Rank and File," Playhouse 90, CBS, 1959
• "The Cruel Day," Playhouse 90, CBS, 1960
• "Street of Hate," Laramie, NBC, 1960
• "Ala Gun," Hennessey, CBS, 1960
• "The Cave Divers," The Aquanauts, CBS, 1960
• "Zigzag," Riverboat, NBC, 1960
• "Memory in White," General Electric Theatre, CBS, 1961
• "The Last Round," Alcoa Presents, ABC, 1961
• "The Generous Politician," Islanders, ABC, 1961
• "Wood Lot," The Loretta Young Show, NBC, 1961
• "Run of the Hunted," Laramie, NBC, 1961
• "The No-Good-Nik," Hennessey, CBS, 1961
• The man, "Two," Twilight Zone, CBS, 1961
• "A Proof of Love," Have Gun-Will Travel, CBS, 1961
• "Ben Jalisco," Have Gun-Will Travel, CBS, 1961
• "The Valley of Three Charlies," The New Breed, ABC, 1961
• "Dead Load," Cain's Hundred, NBC, 1961
• "Survival," Adventures in Paradise, ABC, 1961
• Ray, "The Woman Who Wanted to Live," Alfred Hitchcock Presents, NBC, 1962
• Yonish Kolesko, "The Death Tree," The Untouchables, ABC, 1962
• "The Day the Empire Stood Still," Empire, NBC, 1962
• "Brotherhood," Have Gun-Will Travel, CBS, 1963
• "Who Ever Heard of a Two-Headed Doll?," Dr. Kildare, NBC, 1963
• Harry Starr, "The Underdog," Bonanza, NBC, 1964
• "Heritage," Combat, ABC, 1965
• Tate, "Earthquake," The Big Valley, ABC, 1965
• "Nobility of Kings," The Virginian, NBC, 1965
• "Duel at Daybreak," Rawhide, CBS, 1965
• "The Chase," The Legend of Jesse James, ABC, 1966
• "The Animal," The FBI, ABC, 1966
• Ralph Schuyler, "The One That Got Away," The Fugitive, ABC, 1967
• "The Cat in the Brief Bag," Dundee and the Culhane, CBS, 1967
• "The Reckoning," The Virginian, NBC, 1967
• Appeared as Eddie, "Two Rings for Eddie," The Joe Palooka Story, syndicated; also appeared in episodes of Meet McGraw, Redigo, The Line-Up, and Sheriff of Cochise.
• Appeared in numerous television shows in the early 1950s under the name Charles Buchinsky.
• Specials
• The Night of 100 Stars II, ABC, 1985
• All Star Party for Clint Eastwood, CBS, 1986
• Happy Birthday, Hollywood!, ABC, 1987
• America's All-Star Tribute to Elizabeth Taylor (also known as The 2nd Annual America's Hope Award), ABC, 1989
• Sinatra 75: The Best Is Yet to Come (also known as Frank Sinatra: 75th Birthday Celebration), CBS, 1990
• Host, 100 Years of the Hollywood Western, 1994
• Presenter, Blockbuster Entertainment Awards, 1997
• Pilots
• John Wesley Hardin, Luke and the Tenderfoot, CBS, 1965
• Stage Appearances
• Night of 100 Stars II, Radio City Music Hall, New York City, 1985

Further Reference

Adaptations:

• Bronson's life was featured in the television movie Reason for Living:The Jill Ireland Story, 1991.

OTHER SOURCES

Books:

• Vermilye, Jerry, The Films of Charles Bronson, Citadel (Secaucus,NJ), 1980.

Periodicals:

• New York Times, September 22, 1974, .*