Charles Bronson was born Nov. 3, 1921, in rural Pennsylvania, one of 15 children of a Lithuanian coal miner. After World War II service, he enrolled at the Pasadena Playhouse and began appearing in small roles in television and movies as Charles Buchinski. He played many henchman, soldier and Indian roles, including Ygor in House of Wax (1953).Renamed Bronson after 1954, he starred in The Magnificent Seven, The Dirty Dozen and many other notable films. Filling in for Clint Eastwood in 1968's Once Upon a Time in the West made Bronson a superstar in Europe, where he worked for several years (he was known as "Il Bruto" in Italy). In 1972, he nabbed a special Golden Globe Award as "The World's Most Popular Actor."
Back in the United States, Bronson scored again as the vigilante hero of Death Wish (1974) and continued in the same vein well into his 70s. He died Aug. 30, 2003.
AddDeath WishWhile New York City architect Paul Kersey (Charles Bronson) is away from home, drug addicts break into his house and brutally murder his wife, Joanna (Hope Lange), and rape his daughter until she's comatose. Once wary of guns, Kersey takes matters into his own hands, seeking vigilante justice... Read More
AddThe MechanicCharles Bronson (looking gnarled as ever) works alone as a hit man for "The Organization." But when willing acolyte Jan-Michael Vincent proves he has the stuff aspiring killers are made of, Bronson agrees to train him. Looks like it might be a case of the pupil overtaking the master, though, when... Read More
AddThe Indian RunnerSean Penn wrote and directs this poignant drama inspired by Bruce Springsteen's song "Highway Patrolman." When small-town deputy sheriff Joe Roberts (David Morse) takes in his troubled Vietnam vet brother, Frank (Viggo Mortensen), things get very rocky. Joe is determined to help Frank make a new... Read More
AddMr. MajestykScripted by novelist Elmore Leonard and directed by Richard Fleischer, this action thriller stars the iconic Charles Bronson as Vietnam vet Vince Majestyk. Now retired to a Colorado melon farm, Majestyk finds his peaceful existence shattered when racketeers threaten him after he refuses their demand... Read More
AddRed SunThis 1971 Western from director Terence Young stars Charles Bronson as an outlaw named Link who teams up with Kuroda (Toshirô Mifune), a noble samurai warrior, to track down a jeweled sword that the Japanese ambassador gifted to the U.S. president. The unlikely pair travels across the American... Read More
