RIP Charles Bronson

[moneyp]

Action Star Charles Bronson Dies at 81

By BOB THOMAS, Associated Press Writer

LOS ANGELES - Charles Bronson (news), the Pennsylvania coal miner who drifted into films as a villain and became a hard-faced action star, notably in the popular "Death Wish" vengeance movies, has died. He was 81.

Bronson died Saturday of pneumonia at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center with his wife at his bedside, publicist Lori Jonas said. He had been in the hospital for weeks, Jonas said.

During the height of his career, Bronson was hugely popular in Europe; the French knew him as "le sacre monstre" (the sacred monster), the Italians as "Il Brutto" (the ugly man). In 1971, he was presented a Golden Globe as "the most popular actor in the world."

Like Clint Eastwood (news), whose spaghetti westerns won him stardom, Bronson had to make European films to prove his worth as a star. He left a featured-role career in Hollywood to play leads in films made in France, Italy and Spain. His blunt manner, powerful build and air of danger made him the most popular actor in those countries.

At age 50, he returned to Hollywood a star.

In a 1971 interview, he theorized on why the journey had taken him so long:

"Maybe I'm too masculine. Casting directors cast in their own, or an idealized image. Maybe I don't look like anybody's ideal."

His early life gave no indication of his later fame. He was born Charles Buchinsky on Nov. 3, 1921 — not 1922, as studio biographies claimed — in Ehrenfeld, Pa. He was the 11th of 15 children of a coal miner and his wife, both Lithuanian immigrants.

Young Charles learned the art of survival in the tough district of Scooptown, "where you had nothing to lose because you lost it already." The Buchinskys lived crowded in a shack, the children wearing hand-me-downs from older siblings. At the age of 6, Charles was embarrassed to attend school in his sister's dress.

Charles' father died when he was 10, and at 16 Charles followed his brothers into the mines. He was paid $1 per ton of coal and volunteered for perilous jobs because the pay was better. Like other toughs in Scooptown, he raised some hell and landed in jail for assault and robbery.

He might have stayed in the mines for the rest of his life except for World War II.

Drafted in 1943, he served with the Air Force in the Pacific, reportedly as a tail gunner on a B29. Having seen the outside world, he vowed not to return to the squalor of Scooptown.

He was attracted to acting not, he claimed, because of any artistic urge; he was impressed by the money movie stars could earn. He joined the Philadelphia Play and Players Troupe, painting scenery and acting in a few minor roles.

At the Pasadena Playhouse school, Bronson improved his diction, supporting himself by selling Christmas cards and toys on street corners. Studio scouts saw him at the Playhouse and he was cast as a sailor in the 1951 service comedy "You're in the Navy Now" starring Gary Cooper (news).

As Charles Buchinsky or Buchinski, he played supporting roles in "Red Skies of Montana," "The Marrying Kind," "Pat and Mike" (in which he fell victim to Katharine Hepburn (news)'s judo), "The House of Wax," "Jubal" and other films. In 1954 he changed his last name, fearing reaction in the McCarthy era to Russian-sounding names.

Bronson's first starring role came in 1958 with "Machine-Gun Kelly," an exploitation film made in eight days. He also appeared in two brief TV series, "Man with a Camera" (1958) and "The Travels of Jamie McPheeters" (1963).

His status grew with impressive performances in "The Magnificent Seven," "The Great Escape," "The Battle of the Bulge," "The Sandpiper" and "The Dirty Dozen." But real stardom eluded him, his rough-hewn face and brusque manner not fitting the Hollywood tradition for leading men.

Alain Delon (news), like many French, had admired "Machine-Gun Kelly," and he invited Bronson to co-star with him in a British-French film, "Adieu, L'Ami" ("Farewell, Friend"). It made Bronson a European favorite.

Among his films abroad was a hit spaghetti western, "Once Upon a Time in the West." Finally Hollywood took notice.

Among his starring films: "The Valachi Papers," "Chato's Land," "The Mechanic," "Valdez," "The Stone Killer," "Mr. Majestyk," "Breakout," "Hard Times," "Breakout Pass," "White Buffalo," "Telefon," "Love and Bullets," "Death Hunt," "Assassination," "Messenger of Death."

The titles indicate the nature of the films: lots of action, shooting, dead bodies. They were made on medium-size budgets, but Bronson was earning $1 million a picture before it was fashionable.

His most controversial film came in 1974 with "Death Wish." As an affluent, liberal architect, Bronson's life is shattered when young thugs kill his wife and rape his daughter. He vows to rid the city of such vermin, and his executions brought cheers from crime-weary audiences.

The character's vigilantism brought widespread criticism, but "Death Wish" became one of the big moneymakers of the year. The controversy accelerated when Bernard Goetz shot youths he thought were threatening him in a New York subway.

Bronson made three more "Death Wish" films, and in 1987 he defended them:

"I think they provide satisfaction for people who are victimized by crime and look in vain for authorities to protect them. But I don't think people try to imitate that kind of thing."

Bronson could be as taciturn in interviews as he appeared on the screen. He remained aloof from the Hollywood scene, once observing, "I have lots of friends and yet I don't have any."

His first marriage was to Harriet Tendler, whom he met when both were fledgling actors in Philadelphia. They had two children before divorcing.

In 1966, Bronson fell in love with the lovely blonde British actress Jill Ireland, who happened to be married to British actor David McCallum (news). Bronson reportedly told McCallum bluntly: "I'm going to marry your wife."

The McCallums divorced in 1967, and Bronson and Ireland married the following year. She costarred in several of his films.

The Bronsons lived in a grand Bel Air mansion with seven children: two by his previous marriage, three by hers and two of their own. They also spent time in a colonial farmhouse on 260 acres in West Windsor, Vt.

Ireland lost a breast to cancer in 1984. She became a spokesperson for the American Cancer Society (news - web sites) and wrote a best-selling book, "Life Wish." She followed with "Life Lines," in which she told of her struggle to rescue her 27-year-old son, Jason McCallum Bronson, from drug addiction. He died of an overdose in 1989, and she died of cancer a year later.

Bronson is survived by his wife, Kim, six children and two grandchildren. Funeral services will be private.

[Squaredancecalling Steve]

Very interesting personal story! The last movie I saw of his was "The Man From Elysian Fields," an unusual role for him in a fairly bizarre movie that I liked a lot despite the fact that it didn't entirely work. But I think my most enduring memory of him is from "The Magnificent Seven." (I never saw any of the Death Wishes.) R.I.P.

[Valerie]

(Just lost a long post I typed here - here is an abbreviated version)

Because of Herbie Hancock's scoring of the first Death Wish, I became a fan of Mr. Bronson's very strong, unique screen presence. I always thought it also worked especially well with lovely actresses (including his beautiful former wife, Jill Ireland). Her first book touched me very much and gave me, what I felt was, a more personal glimpse of Mr. Bronson's complex personality and character. I'm very glad that he found love again after she passed. He certainly knew enough about personal suffering in his life.

R.I.P., Mr. Bronson.

[patricia]

Originally posted by Squaredancecalling Steve
Very interesting personal story! The last movie I saw of his was "The Man From Elysian Fields," an unusual role for him in a fairly bizarre movie that I liked a lot despite the fact that it didn't entirely work. But I think my most enduring memory of him is from "The Magnificent Seven." (I never saw any of the Death Wishes.) R.I.P.

Steve, "The Man From Elysian Fields" wasn't Charles Bronson's last film. It was James Coburn's last film. The big star in it was Andy Garcia and Mick Jagger played an interesting role as the owner of an escort service.

Bronson's vigilante films are one of my guilty pleasures and I always thought that he was a very attractive man. He took the lemons he was issued and made lemonade with them.

RIP Mr Bronson.

[Alastair]

In a moment of synchronicity, BBC2 showed "Once Upon A Time In The West" last night.

Mmm...Claudia Cardinale...

[Alastair]

[Squaredancecalling Steve]

Originally posted by patricia
Steve, "The Man From Elysian Fields" wasn't Charles Bronson's last film.

Thanks, Pat, I'm afraid I've confused the two of them since The Magnificent Seven!

Once Upon a Time in the West is one of my all-time favorite films.

Bronson was unfortunately typecast into action flick roles, but his reputation could rest on this film alone.

[Bill Barton]

Well, his films don't interest me nearly as much as his persona... I still vividly recall the one and only time I met him, shopping at a funky local grocery/general store in Hartland, VT. Just another guy, shorter than you might expect from the cinematic perspective, buying supplies just like you and me. We nodded in that cool but somehow essentially warm Northern New England fashion, our eyes connecting. 20 seconds at the check-out. I didn't ask for an autograph. Just dug on the vibes. R.I.P.

[Monte Smith]

The wife and I learned the sad news of Bronson's passing as we spent a weekend in Portland. I had no idea Charles Bronson was in his eighties. What a tough old nut.

RIP and it's too bad. Portland has a surfeit of young white homeless on her streets these days who look like they could use a cinematic retrospective of Bronsonalia.

[patricia]

Originally posted by Squaredancecalling Steve
Thanks, Pat, I'm afraid I've confused the two of them since The Magnificent Seven!

That's OK. I was saddened by both Coburn and Bronson's deaths. They were both part of my teen-agery.
So, as each actor, musician and artist from my youth dies, it reminds me of my own mortality.

[S.Eden]

I'm getting all of that pop culture death action already, Pat. Is my mortality an issue? You know, 30 isn't as far away as it used to be...

I too had no clue Charles Bronson was that old. Wow.

[patricia]

Originally posted by S.Eden
I'm getting all of that pop culture death action already, Pat. Is my mortality an issue? You know, 30 isn't as far away as it used to be...

I too had no clue Charles Bronson was that old. Wow.

No Scott, your mortality is not an issue.
The thing is that I think that on your side of thirty, everything seems possible, with many roads from which to choose. As time passes, the roads become fewer. Happens to everbody, even famous people. I tend to think of them as frozen in time, maybe even immortal, but clearly they're not, as the almost daily obits for jazz musicians show us.
I've adopted the philosophy, "Do it now", because there may not be a later, no matter how old I assume I'm going to get.

[S.Eden]

My post was mostly tongue-in-cheek Patricia, but I see where you're coming from. My mom is going to be laid off from the job she's had for the past 20 years, and she's still roughly 10 years from retirement. There isn't really any work around that will accomodate the skills she's acquired at this job, and early retirement isn't an option as her retirement fund has taken the tank with the economy. But she'll have to make due with what she has because her path isn't worn just yet.

[gonzo]

like monte i was really surprised to see that bronson was in his 80s. without question my all time favorite bronson film was "the mechanic" w/ jan michael vincent. the "deathwish" movies were good too.

[Enforcer]

It seemed like Charles Bronson would always be around. I hadn't seen in him in a feature film in many years. Incredible that he was 81. The Mechanic, Death Wish and the Magnificent Seven are all favorites of mine.

RIP.

Larry

[S.Eden]

Well if you like incredible Larry, The Sun is now claiming that Bronson was actually 89, not 81.

I didn't realize Vaughn was the only one of the seven left, apparently Buchholz kicked off in March of this year.

[Alastair]

Yeah, I always go to The Sun for accurate, quality news coverage.

Pfff.

[patricia]

Originally posted by Alastair
Yeah, I always go to The Sun for accurate, quality news coverage.

Pfff.

Alistair, I share your distain for the tabloid press, but remember that The National Enquirer was the publication which focussed attention on the pictures of O.J. Simpson's shoes. That ultimately led to a Civil Trial victory after the fiasco of the Criminal one. The evidence they had temperarely gave that rag some "real news" cred, although they sank back into the swamp of tacky tacky not long after that.
But, getting back to the question of just how old Bronson was, it's not unusual for actors to shave a few years off their age, given the youth culture which still seems to defy common sense.
Eighty-one......Eighty-nine. Doesn't matter now. Bronson still had an amazing career and found his niche.