--- name: "Charles Bronson" canonical: "https://film.one/person/charles-bronson" fi1m_id: "charles-bronson" imdb_id: "nm0000314" tmdb_id: 4960 wikidata_id: "Q36105" roles: ["Actor"] born: "3 November 1921" died: "30 August 2003" reviewed_on_fi1m: 2 average_fi1m_score: 86 average_as: "actor" average_over: 2 updated: "2026-10-04T17:48:41.960933+00:00" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Charles Bronson ## Identity Charles Bronson - **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/charles-bronson - **Type:** Person - **Fi1m ID:** charles-bronson - **IMDb ID:** nm0000314 - **TMDB ID:** 4960 - **Wikidata ID:** Q36105 - **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Bronson, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q36105, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000314/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/4960 Actor. Born 3 November 1921 in Ehrenfeld, Pennsylvania, USA. Died 30 August 2003. ## Details - **Work:** Actor - **Born:** 3 November 1921, Ehrenfeld, Pennsylvania, USA - **Died:** 30 August 2003 - **Active:** 1960–1982 - **Also known as:** Charles Dennis Buchinsky, Le Sacre Monstre, Karolis Bučinskis, Karolis Dionyzas Bučinskis, چارلز برانسون - **Frequently works with:** [John Sturges](https://film.one/person/john-sturges.md), [Steve McQueen](https://film.one/person/steve-mcqueen-13565.md) - **Average Fi1m score:** 86, as actor, over 2 titles - **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Bronson, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q36105, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000314/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/4960 ## Streaming the US now - **Amazon Prime Video:** [*The Great Escape*](https://film.one/film/the-great-escape.md) (82) For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country. ## Fi1m on Charles Bronson > Charles Bronson makes a small change of expression worth waiting for. We rate his work for Sergio Leone most highly; the later vigilante films too often ask him to repeat himself. In *Once Upon a Time in the West* (1968), Charles Bronson holds Harmonica so still that a small change of expression becomes something to watch for. We found that stillness unsettling, because it makes us scrutinise a face that offers little reassurance. His economical delivery works in much the same way: a short line gets attention without having to be forced. The tough-guy casting makes sense, but it can obscure how carefully he controls what we see. In *The Magnificent Seven* (1960), toughness had room for tenderness; in John Sturges's *The Great Escape* (1963), it became the practical competence of Danny, the tunnel digger. James Clavell and W.R. Burnett's screenplay makes each man's speciality immediately clear, so Bronson needs little biography to establish his place among the others. That efficiency also limits him: Danny's occupation tells us much of what the film is prepared to say about him. The performance works, but we are left wanting a little more of the man. Leone's Western helped make him an international star, and gives his restraint more time and space. Ennio Morricone's music adds dread to the violence, while Henry Fonda's composed Frank is frightening without any strenuous display of menace. These are useful surroundings for Bronson: the film gives us time to look at faces, and he rewards the attention. The plotting grows needlessly tangled, but that is no reason to rush past his performance. With *Death Wish* (1974), he became a leading American action star, and vigilante roles came to define his later career. The crime thrillers continued through the 1980s and into the 1990s, with repetitive sequels offering fewer opportunities to vary that familiar toughness. More dialogue would not necessarily have helped; a different sort of part might have. Start with Harmonica, then try Danny before committing to a long acquaintance with the vigilantes. ## Biography Charles Bronson, born Charles Dennis Buchinsky, was an American actor. He was born on 3 November 1921 in Ehrenfeld, Pennsylvania, and died on 30 August 2003. Bronson served in the United States Army Air Forces during the Second World War. He worked as a coal miner before entering acting and gained attention with supporting roles in *The Magnificent Seven* (1960) and *The Dirty Dozen* (1967). He played Danny 'Tunnel King' in *The Great Escape* (1963) and the lead role of Harmonica in *Once Upon a Time in the West* (1968). Bronson starred in numerous action, Western and war films made in Europe and the United States, including *Rider on the Rain* (1970) and the *Death Wish* series beginning in 1974. He also appeared in many television series. *Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com.* ## On Fi1m (2) - *Once Upon a Time in the West* (1968), Fi1m 91, as 'Harmonica' — [page](https://film.one/film/once-upon-a-time-in-the-west.md) - *The Great Escape* (1963), Fi1m 82, as Danny 'Tunnel King' — [page](https://film.one/film/the-great-escape.md) ## Complete filmography (152) Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page. - *Family of Cops III: Under Suspicion* (1999), as Paul Fein - *Breach of Faith: A Family of Cops II* (1997), as Commissioner Paul Fein - *Family of Cops* (1995), as Paul Fein - *Death Wish V: The Face of Death* (1994), as Paul Kersey - *La Classe américaine* (1993), as The Indian (archive footage) - *Donato and Daughter* (1993), as Sgt. Mike Donato - *The Sea Wolf* (1993), as Capt. Wolf Larsen - *Yes Virginia, There Is a Santa Claus* (1991), as Francis Church - *The Indian Runner* (1991), as Mr. Roberts - *Kinjite: Forbidden Subjects* (1989), as Lieutenant Crowe - *Messenger of Death* (1988), as Garret Smith - *Death Wish 4: The Crackdown* (1987), as Paul Kersey - *Assassination* (1987), as Jay Killion - *Act of Vengeance* (1986), as Joseph 'Jock' Yablonski - *Murphy's Law* (1986), as Jack Murphy - *Death Wish 3* (1985), as Paul Kersey - *The Evil That Men Do* (1984), as Holland - *10 to Midnight* (1983), as Leo Kessler - *Death Wish II* (1982), as Paul Kersey - *Death Hunt* (1981), as Albert Johnson - *Borderline* (1980), as Jeb Maynard - *Caboblanco* (1980), as Gifford Hoyt - *Love and Bullets* (1979), as Charlie Congers - *The Meanest Men in the West* (1978), as Harge Talbot Jr. - *Telefon* (1977), as Major Grigori Borzov - *The White Buffalo* (1977), as Wild Bill Hickok/James Otis - *Raid on Entebbe* (1976), as Brig. Gen. Dan Shomron - *From Noon Till Three* (1976), as Graham Dorsey - *St. Ives* (1976), as Raymond St. Ives - *Breakheart Pass* (1975), as John Deakin - *Hard Times* (1975), as Chaney - *Breakout* (1975), as Nick Colton - *Death Wish* (1974), as Paul Kersey - *Mr. Majestyk* (1974), as Vince Majestyk - *The Valdez Horses* (1973), as Chino Valdez - *The Stone Killer* (1973), as Lou Torrey - *The Mechanic* (1972), as Arthur Bishop - *Chato's Land* (1972), as Pardon Chato - *The Bull of the West* (1972), as Ben Justin - *The Valachi Papers* (1972), as Joe Valachi - *Red Sun* (1971), as Link - *Someone Behind the Door* (1971), as The Stranger - *Mean Justice* (1971), as Moreno - *Cold Sweat* (1970), as Joe Martin - *Violent City* (1970), as Jeff Heston - *You Can't Win 'Em All* (1970), as Josh Corey - *Rider on the Rain* (1970), as Col. Harry Dobbs - *Twinky* (1970), as Scott Wardman - *Once Upon a Time in the West* (1968), as 'Harmonica' — Fi1m 91, [page](https://film.one/film/once-upon-a-time-in-the-west.md) - *Farewell, Friend* (1968), as Franz Propp - *Villa Rides* (1968), as Rodolfo Fierro - *The Dirty Dozen* (1967), as Joseph Wladislaw - *Guns for San Sebastian* (1967), as Teclo - *This Property Is Condemned* (1966), as J.J. Nichols - *Battle of the Bulge* (1965), as Maj. Wolenski - *The F.B.I.* (1965), series, as Earl Clayton - *The Big Valley* (1965), series, as Tate - *The Legend of Jesse James* (1965), series, as Cheyney - *The Sandpiper* (1965), as Cos Erickson - *Guns of Diablo* (1964), as Linc Murdock - *4 for Texas* (1963), as Matson - *The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters* (1963), series, as Linc Murdock - *The Fugitive* (1963), series, as Ralph Schuyler — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-fugitive-1963.md) - *Vacation Playhouse* (1963), series, as John Wesley Hardin - *The Great Escape* (1963), as Danny 'Tunnel King' — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/film/the-great-escape.md) - *Kid Galahad* (1962), as Lew Nyack - *Combat!* (1962), series, as Velasquez - *Empire* (1962), series, as Paul Moreno, Moreno, Paul - *The Virginian* (1962), series, as Ben Justin, Harge Talbot - *X-15* (1961), as Lt. Col. Lee Brandon - *The New Breed* (1961), series, as Jerry Bergason - *Dr. Kildare* (1961), series, as Harry Gregg - *A Thunder of Drums* (1961), as Trooper Hanna - *Cain's Hundred* (1961), series, as Hank Conrad - *Master of the World* (1961), as John Strock - *The Magnificent Seven* (1960), as Bernardo O'Reilly - *The Islanders* (1960), series, as Dutch Malkin - *The Aquanauts* (1960), series, as Hector Morrison - *Never So Few* (1959), as Sgt. John Danforth - *Adventures in Paradise* (1959), series, as Dan Morton - *The Twilight Zone* (1959), series, as Man — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-twilight-zone.md) - *Riverboat* (1959), series, as Crowley - *Bonanza* (1959), series, as Harry Starr - *One Step Beyond* (1959), series, as Yank Dawson - *Rawhide* (1959), series, as Del Lingman - *When Hell Broke Loose* (1958), as Steve Boland - *U.S. Marshall* (1958), series, as Zenogalache a.k.a. Apache Kid - *Man with a Camera* (1958), series, as Mike Kovac - *Yancy Derringer* (1958), series, as Rogue Donovan - *Gang War* (1958), as Alan Avery - *Machine-Gun Kelly* (1958), as George R. 'Machine Gun' Kelly - *Showdown at Boot Hill* (1958), as Luke Welsh - *No Time at All* (1958), as Wolf Hagan - *Colt .45* (1957), series, as Danny Gordon - *The Walter Winchell File* (1957), series, as Eggers - *Suspicion* (1957), series, as Cal - *M Squad* (1957), series, as Eddie Loder - *Sugarfoot* (1957), series, as Sandy Randall, Cliff Raven - *Have Gun, Will Travel* (1957), series, as Manfred Holt - *Run of the Arrow* (1957), as Blue Buffolo - *Richard Diamond, Private Detective* (1957), series, as Dan Rocco - *Tales of Wells Fargo* (1957), series, as Butch Cassidy - *Playhouse 90* (1956), series, as Wolf Hagan, Andy Kovaric, Sgt Meras - *Wire Service* (1956), series, as Sam Adams - *Hey, Jeannie!* (1956), series, as Rocky Harman - *Telephone Time* (1956), series, as Guest - *Jubal* (1956), as Reb - *Target Zero* (1955), as Sgt. Vince Gaspari - *Crusader* (1955), series, as Mike Brod - *Alfred Hitchcock Presents* (1955), series, as Det. Krovitch, Frank Bramwell, Ray Bardon - *Gunsmoke* (1955), series, as Crego, Ben Tiple - *Those Whiting Girls* (1955), series, as Martin Carroll - *Big House, U.S.A* (1955), as Benny Kelly - *The Millionaire* (1955), series, as Jerry Bell - *Vera Cruz* (1954), as Pittsburgh - *Drum Beat* (1954), as Kintpuash - *Studio 57* (1954), series, as Dawson - *Medic* (1954), series, as Dr. John Bircher - *Apache* (1954), as Hondo - *Riding Shotgun* (1954), as Pinto - *Tennessee Champ* (1954), as Sixty Jubel - *The Joe Palooka Story* (1954), series, as Eddie Crane - *Torpedo Alley* (1953), as Submariner (uncredited) - *Miss Sadie Thompson* (1953), as Pvt. Edwards - *Crime Wave* (1953), as Ben Hastings - *The Pepsi-Cola Playhouse* (1953), series, as Joe Krossen - *Letter to Loretta* (1953), series, as Eugene Walters - *House of Wax* (1953), as Igor - *General Electric Theater* (1953), series, as Pike, Henry, Soldier Conlon - *The Clown* (1953), as Gambler (uncredited) - *Off Limits* (1952), as Russell (Uncredited) - *Bloodhounds of Broadway* (1952), as Phil Green, aka 'Pittsburgh Philo' (uncredited) - *Biff Baker U.S.A.* (1952), series, as Czech spy, Wilhelm - *Battle Zone* (1952), as Marine Private (uncredited) - *Cavalcade of America* (1952), series, as John Stanizewski - *Four Star Playhouse* (1952), series, as Frank Dana - *The Doctor* (1952), series, as Joe Langan - *Pat and Mike* (1952), as Henry 'Hank' Tasling - *Diplomatic Courier* (1952), as Russian Agent (uncredited) - *My Six Convicts* (1952), as Jocko - *The Marrying Kind* (1952), as Eddie - *Red Skies of Montana* (1952), as Neff (uncredited) - *Chevron Theatre* (1952), series, Actor - *Schlitz Playhouse of Stars* (1951), series, as Sgt. Roy Smith - *The Mob* (1951), as Jack (uncredited) - *The People Against O'Hara* (1951), as Angelo Korvac (uncredited) - *You're in the Navy Now* (1951), as Wascylewski - *Lux Video Theatre* (1950), series, as Sergeant Borth - *Treasury Men in Action* (1950), series, as Frankie Ames - *Studio One* (1948), series, as Cal - *Stage 7*, series, as Jerry Donn, Murray Forman - *After Death*, as Paul Kersey ## Gallery - ![Bowie theater advertisement for the double-feature crime/noir films, Machine Gun Kelly and The Bonnie Parker Story. 6 June 1958.](https://film.one/media/person/102516/gallery-cbcbf7914db1.jpg) Bowie theater advertisement for the double-feature crime/noir films, Machine Gun Kelly and The Bonnie Parker Story. 6 June 1958. — American International Pictures, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/09/Bowie_Theatre_Ad_-_6_June_1958%2C_Brownwood%2C_TX.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled) - ![Carole Mathews and Charles Bronson in the American film Showdown at Boot Hill (1958) - publicity still (cropped)](https://film.one/media/person/102516/gallery-feffdc410514.jpg) Carole Mathews and Charles Bronson in the American film Showdown at Boot Hill (1958) - publicity still (cropped) — unknown (20th Century Fox), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a9/Carole_Mathews-Charles_Bronson_in_Showdown_at_Boothill.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled) - ![Charles Bronson & May Wynn in the TV series Man with a Camera, episode The Big Squeeze (cropped screenshot) (1959)](https://film.one/media/person/102516/gallery-06d5a40910b8.jpg) Charles Bronson & May Wynn in the TV series Man with a Camera, episode The Big Squeeze (cropped screenshot) (1959) — TV episode screenshot (ABC), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e3/Charles_Bronson-May_Wynn_in_Man_with_a_Camera.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled) - ![Charles Bronson and Patricia Owens in the film X-15 (1961) - publicity still (cropped - original image : see source)](https://film.one/media/person/102516/gallery-4c234e4431a0.jpg) Charles Bronson and Patricia Owens in the film X-15 (1961) - publicity still (cropped - original image : see source) — unknown (MGM), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f6/Charles_Bronson-Patricia_Owens_in_X-15.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled) - ![Charles Bronson](https://film.one/media/person/102516/gallery-0d220674ece2.jpg) Charles Bronson — Image via TMDB - ![Charles Bronson](https://film.one/media/person/102516/gallery-cf2f73b1a7da.jpg) Charles Bronson — Image via TMDB - ![Charles Bronson](https://film.one/media/person/102516/gallery-dbcfafe4b93e.jpg) Charles Bronson — Image via TMDB - ![Charles Bronson](https://film.one/media/person/102516/gallery-5a4085f4403c.jpg) Charles Bronson — Herald American, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4d/Charles_Bronson_-_1966.JPG?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled) - ![Charles Bronson](https://film.one/media/person/102516/gallery-e78a69d0e648.jpg) Charles Bronson — Image via TMDB ## Awards ### Other awards — 3 won - Golden Boot Awards 1996: Golden Boot Awards (won) - star on Hollywood Walk of Fame 1980: star on Hollywood Walk of Fame (won) - Henrietta Award 1972: Henrietta Award (won) *From Wikidata, which records wins more completely than nominations.* --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/charles-bronson