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Theatre, Film, and Television Biographies
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Johnny Brandon to Ric Burns
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
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CREDITS
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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
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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
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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.
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Television Appearances
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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
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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
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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.
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Specials
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The Night of 100 Stars II, ABC, 1985
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All Star Party for Clint Eastwood, CBS, 1986
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Happy Birthday, Hollywood!, ABC, 1987
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America's All-Star Tribute to Elizabeth Taylor (also known as The 2nd Annual America's Hope Award), ABC, 1989
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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
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Pilots
- John Wesley Hardin, Luke and the Tenderfoot, CBS, 1965
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Stage Appearances
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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:
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New York Times, September 22, 1974, .*
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