Charles Bronson's last years of life. Biography
Despite all this, he did not kill a single person, while he spent more time in prison than most British serial killers. And here are some facts about his life.
40 year term
Charles Bronson is Britain's most famous prisoner. Over the course of 40 years, “thanks to” his strength, penchant for violence and growing popularity, almost the entire prison staff of the country “met” him.
It all started in 1974 when Bronson (then Michael Peterson) was arrested for robbery of £26. He was sentenced to seven years in prison, although he could be released after four years for good behavior. But due to a series of cruel and strange acts, he remains behind bars to this day, for more than 40 years.
Since 1974, he has visited more than 120 prisons across the UK, attacked more than 20 guards (and scores of prisoners), taken 11 hostages and caused more than half a million pounds in damage. If you can describe Charles Bronson in one sentence, these would be the words from his own book: “I'm not afraid of anyone. Violence makes me crazier and stronger."
Rooftop protests
In 1978, Bronson was declared insane and sent to Broadmoor Hospital, a kind of British version of Arkham Asylum - the most secure facility for the criminally insane in the United Kingdom.
However, the tough Bronson did not consider himself crazy, and during this time he cemented himself as a problem prisoner. He claimed he was mistreated, forcefully given antipsychotic drugs that caused muscle spasms, and beaten by staff. As a sign of protest, he ran to the roof and remained there." the best part weeks,” until he was returned to the ward. After which he was beaten again for violations.
In one roof incident he is estimated to have caused an incredible £750,000 worth of damage. While he was in Broadmoor he escaped to the roof twice more. He was released with a clean bill of health, but continued to protest on the rooftops of five different prisons. As he himself said, “I was on more roofs than Santa Claus."
His fitness regime
In 2007, Charles Bronson released a fitness book in which he described his usual prison workout called Solitary Fitness. It tells how you can get pumped up without special equipment, expensive sportswear or healthy food. Basically, it says how, after spending most of life in solitary confinement, he became a mountain of muscle.
These methods can produce amazing power, he says. He talks about a technique called the Single Cow Punch, which is so strong it can knock out a cow. He claims his fitness regime will also allow him to break bulletproof glass, kick down a steel door, lift a grown man over his head and throw him 30 feet without getting hurt. Despite the "fame" of the author, there is something in this book.
As you know, Charles Bronson demonstrated almost superhuman strength in prison. For example, he bent steel door bars with his bare hands and once set a world record for push-ups; he claims to do 2,000 of them daily. Among other things, his book describes another unusual technique, such as cleaning the nostrils with a string and cleaning the colon while sitting on a bowl of water by sucking up the water using the abdominal muscles. He also cleanses his stomach by swallowing strips of wet tissue and pulling them back out. You probably shouldn't try this at home.
69 days of freedom
While in prison, Charles Bronson met and became friends with Ronnie and Reggie Kray, the most brutal and dangerous gangsters in Great Britain. Bronson describes them as " best guys that I've ever met."
In 1987, Bronson was about to be released, and he was wondering what he would do when he was free. He was introduced to a friend of the Krays, who suggested he take up illegal fist fighting. During this time, Bronson began calling himself Charles Bronson, after the actor from the film Death Wish.
As a boxer he competed in at least one fight, where he fought a Rottweiler for £1,000. After being free for only 69 days, he was arrested for attempted robbery.
Hostage taking
As stated, Charles Bronson took 11 people hostage during his 40-year stay in prison.
In 1994, Bronson took a security guard hostage and demanded a helicopter and an inflatable doll. After that, no other prison wanted to take him because of his reputation. The Hull boss gave him a chance and was willing to trust that Bronson would behave this time. Instead, Bronson took him hostage.
In 1996, Bronson captured two Iraqi terrorists and a prisoner after one of them accidentally bumped into him and did not apologize. He made them tickle his feet and call him “general.” Being a hostage probably wasn't easy. At one point, he tried to force them to hit him over the head with a heavy metal tray, and when they refused, he grabbed a blade and began cutting himself. This time his list of demands included an Uzi assault rifle, ammunition, a cheese sandwich and a helicopter to Cuba. If the demands were not met, he threatened to eat one of the prisoners. He got nothing and eventually gave up.
Bronson's career in art
In prison, Bronson had a lot of time to develop his talent as an artist. He has won seven Koestler Awards for art and poetry, and his work has been hung (illegally) on the London Underground and published in several newspapers and magazines (all proceeds were donated to an orphanage). However, everything went wrong when Bronson's art teacher Phil Danielson recognized him as a talented student.
They became close, and the relationship became trusting, until one day the teacher criticized one of Bronson’s paintings. He tied Danielson up with a jump rope and then fashioned a spear from a knife and a pool cue and held the man hostage for 44 hours, during which he marched around the room for Bronson's amusement.
Bronson will most likely never be released; he received a life sentence for this incident. Danielson, traumatized by the incident, will likely never be able to work again.
Bronson spy
In 2001, Charles Bronson became close to a Muslim woman named Saira, who, after seeing his photograph in a newspaper, immediately fell in love with him. They began corresponding and soon got married. He was then 48, and she was 31. In the same year, he changed his name to Ali Charles Ahmed in honor of his father new wife and accepted Islam. According to Bronson's book Luniology, he was then visited by two men who he believes were government spies.
Two mysterious person in dark suits came to him and tried to recruit him to spy on another Muslim prisoner. When he asked who they were, they replied: “The question is not who we are, but what we are.” Bronson refused the offer by spitting in their faces and they left, threatening revenge.
According to prison officials, this never happened. The marriage lasted four years, and when the couple divorced, Ali Charles Ahmed abandoned Islam and became Charles Bronson again.
Bronson, film
In 2009, the life story of Charles Bronson was filmed, with Tom Hardy playing the role of Bronson himself. To better understand his character, Tom Hardy visited Bronson in prison several times, the actor describes him as "very articulate, kind, funny and smart person" Although Hardy condemns Bronson's actions, he emphasizes that as an actor it is his responsibility to understand his character's character, not to judge it. Bronson really liked Tom Hardy, and the actor himself hopes that the prisoners liked his performance, otherwise he might be “rolled up in a carpet and sent to the bottom of the Thames.”
During filming, the actor asked him many questions to a close friend and spent time with his family. Bronson was so interested in the idea of being immortalized in a film that he shaved off his famous mustache and sent it to Tom to wear on set.
Campaign for his release
Charles Bronson is now over 60 years old. He spent two-thirds of his life in prison, most of it in isolation under the watchful eye of five guards. Despite all the appeals he made being rejected, his case recently became the focus of a campaign for his release that attracted 10,000 signatures.
Bronson's supporters argue that he spent more time in prison than most murderers (despite the cruelty of Charles Bronson's actions, they never resulted in death), but now he has begun new life by giving up old habits. His supporters are planning a fourth appeal, and if that fails they will appeal to the European Court of Human Rights. This means that, with luck, it could be released in a few years.
But this probably won't happen.
His latest antics
Despite his age, Charles Bronson was recently involved in an attack on a prison officer. One incident was so strange and cruel that newspapers wrote about it even months later.
In May 2014, he watched the FA Cup final between Arsenal and Hull and was enraged by the former's victory. He says he saw the ghost of Ronnie Kray, who told him to start a fight with the guards. So he stripped naked and anointed himself with oil to make it harder to grab; he attacked at least ten guards in full protective gear, breaking several of his ribs in the process.
Thus, we can conclude that Charles Bronson remained just as strange and completely crazy.
"The Magnificent Seven" Great Escape", "Red Sun", "Once Upon a Time in the West", "Rain Passenger" - the films that made Bronson Charles famous. On account talented actor over 120 roles in film and television projects. He left this world in August 2003, but his name will forever go down in the history of cinema. What is known about the actor?
Bronson Charles: family, childhood
Charles Dennis Buchinski is the star's real name. American cinema. Charles Bronson is a pseudonym that the actor took during a time of heightened anti-communist sentiment in the United States. His real name was too “Slavic”, so he changed it to Anglo-Saxon.
The actor was born in Pennsylvania in November 1921. Charles grew up in a family of Polish-Lithuanian emigrants, the eleventh child of his parents. His childhood can hardly be called cloudless. The boy was barely ten years old when he lost his father. The family lost their breadwinner, so Charles was forced to start working early.
Choosing a life path
On the thought of choice acting profession Bronson Charles did not arrive immediately. In his youth, he happened to be a participant in the Second World War. The young man served as an air gunner in the Pacific Fleet. His bravery and courage were noted honorary award, the future actor was awarded the Purple Star.
Returning from the front, Charles spent some time searching for himself. He managed to change several professions until he became a member of a theater troupe in Philadelphia. The audience warmly received the first productions with his participation, and Bronson decided on his choice of profession. He graduated drama school Pasadena Playhouse and began searching for roles.
The beginning of a film career
Bronson Charles first appeared on film set in 1951. The actor made his debut in the military drama “You're in the Navy,” playing the role of a sailor. He then starred in the films “The Stagecoach Guard,” “Miss Sadie Thompson,” and “The Wax Museum.” Supporting roles did not help him become famous, but they gave him valuable experience.
Only at the end of the 50s. Bronson managed to attract public attention. He played in several famous films and TV series, for example, in the crime drama Machine Gun Kelly.
Star roles
“The Magnificent Seven” is a western that gave Charles Bronson a taste of real fame. The actor’s filmography was supplemented with this film in 1960. He coped brilliantly with the role of the shooter and received a fabulous fee for those times, which amounted to 50 thousand dollars. Surprisingly, this film gained the greatest fame in the Soviet Union. After the release of the film, Vladimir Vysotsky began to call Bronson his favorite actor.
Two years later, another successful film with the actor’s participation was released. It's about about the film “The Great Escape”, in which Charles brilliantly played a prisoner from Poland. He easily managed to embody the image of a person suffering from claustrophobia, since he himself faced a similar problem.
In the 60s, Charles Bronson was an extremely popular actor. Films with his participation were released one after another. “Once Upon a Time in the West” and “The Dirty Dozen” are the most famous films with him, presented to the audience during this period. The drama “The Dirty Dozen” won several Oscar awards, and the western “Once Upon a Time in the West” acquired the status of a cult film.
Movies from the 70s and 80s
In the 70s Bronson was still a favorite of directors and audiences. The most famous films with the actor released during this period are listed below.
- "The enemy is at the door."
- "Rain Passenger"
- "Red Sun"
- "Cold-blooded killer."
- "Death Wish."
- "Horses of Valdez."
- "Escape".
- "The Last Bullet"
- "White Buffalo"
In the eighties, the actor no longer appeared on the set so often. Main reason That's why there are health problems. However, he played several bright roles at the end of his career, for example, one cannot help but mention the film “Ten Minutes to Midnight” with his participation.
Personal life
In 1962, Bronson Charles met the love of his life. His chosen one was his colleague Jill Ireland, whom he met through his work on the film “The Great Escape.” Jill was married, but the actor was not going to give up on the lady who managed to win his heart. Six years later, Ireland became his wife.
Charles lived with Jill a lot happy years. The wife gave the actor two children. A huge misfortune for Bronson was the news that his wife had cancer. For several years he fought for her life, but the disease won. The death of the other half had a negative impact on the actor’s health.
Michael Gordon Peterson is a famous criminal whose favorite actor was Charles Bronson. The prisoner began to use the pseudonym of his idol, under which he managed to become famous. In total, this man served in prison for over 30 years and managed to change more than 120 correctional institutions. His most notorious act was the post office robbery committed in 1974.
Prisoner Charles Bronson (Michael Gordon Peterson) made history for many reasons. This man managed to attract attention to himself thanks to constant violation of prison rules, fights with guards and cellmates. However, he is also known as a poet and artist. Surprisingly, Bronson-Peterson even managed to sell his works, earning good money.
In 2013, the film “Bronson”, telling the story of Charles-Michael, was presented to the audience. Key role Actor Tom Hardy performed brilliantly in this film. It is known that in preparation for filming, he visited the prisoner in prison and made a positive impression of him.
"Fitness in solitary confinement"
Writing is one of the areas in which the criminal Charles Bronson managed to prove himself. “Fitness in Solitary Confinement” is his most famous work. The prisoner, who spent most of his life in isolation, always managed to keep himself in excellent condition. physical fitness. Michael Gordon Peterson's strength is legendary.
The author invites readers to as soon as possible get a muscular body without spending money on buying exercise equipment. The book provides a clear daily training program, and a person with any level can do it with its help. physical training. “Fitness in Solitary Confinement” is a work that has gained immense popularity.
His real name is Michael Gordon Peterson, he was born in 1952, and from the age of 26 to the present, with short breaks, he has been in prison. His unpredictable antics made him perhaps the most famous prisoner in Britain.
Childhood and youth
As they say, nothing foreshadowed a criminal “career” for young Michael. Typically, lawyers for criminals cite a lack of parental love and unfavorable life circumstances. However, Michael’s family was quite prosperous and wealthy; there were no tragic incidents in his life. He studied willingly, had many friends, and was invariably polite to others.
According to his aunt, it all started when the family moved and Michael got involved with bad company. It was then that he changed his name to Charles Bronson - his idol, the tough macho man of Hollywood, and began to participate in fist fights. He once even fought a Rottweiler for £1,000. Sports allowed him to pump up luxurious muscles, and he began performing in the circus arena.
Bronson married quite early, at the age of 19, and soon became a father. However, this did not stop him from taking part in an armed robbery, and at the age of 26 he ended up in his first prison (note that by now he has been in 120 English prisons!).
Criminal career
Bronson committed his most famous crime in 1974, when he robbed a post office of £26.18. He received 7 years and had every chance of being released early if he had not regularly violated the prison regime.
In 1988, he was again arrested for robbery, 4 years later he was released, but after 3 weeks he was again arrested for preparing a new robbery. Since then, Bronson has been sitting without a break.
It would seem that compared to serial killers and other serious criminals of his criminal career looks pretty bad, but it was not she who made Bronson famous, but his unpredictable behavior in prison. It is not surprising that after several such episodes, not a single British prison wanted to accept this prisoner.
It was in Bronson prison to the fullest showed his penchant for violence, although, oddly enough, none of the episodes ended in the death of the victims. Judge for yourself, here are just some of Bronson’s “antics”:
Having stripped naked and heavily oiled himself, he attacked the guards and inflicted several serious injuries on them. To neutralize it it was necessary whole squad special forces
In 1994, he took a prison guard hostage and demanded that he be given a helicopter and an inflatable doll(!).
In 1996, he unexpectedly took his lawyer hostage, but released him after half an hour.
In 1998, he took several imprisoned Iraqis hostage simply because one of them, having stumbled upon him, did not apologize. This time the demands were more serious: as usual, a helicopter to Cuba, and with it a machine gun with cartridges and an axe. If he refused, he threatened to eat one of the hostages.
He attempted suicide using a running washing machine.
In 2014, at the age of 62 (!), Bronson, during a televised match, became so enraged by the loss of his favorite team that he used his old trick: he stripped, oiled himself and, naked, attacked ten prison guards in full protective gear. . In doing so, he broke several of his ribs.
Captured a prison teacher, tied him up and held him for 44 hours just because he criticized one of his paintings.
However, one such incident earned Bronson £200 compensation after security guards broke Bronson's glasses in an effort to prevent another hostage-taking.
It is not surprising that Bronson spends a significant part of his sentence in solitary confinement. But even here he did not waste time.
Prison fitness
Judging by Charles Bronson's appearance, his time in prison was only good for him. And it's not just his famous mustache, which he always wears, changing his hairstyle from a regular haircut to a completely shaved head, as in recent years(there was a period when he also grew a long beard).
No, it's all about his brilliant physical form. Even in his old age, Bronson does not stop training and looks like a real mountain of muscles. He described his system in the book “Single Fitness,” published in 2007. In it, he shares his experience of how, without special equipment and healthy eating, you can pump up truly superhuman strength.
Bronson confirmed the effectiveness of his method in practice: he managed to set a world record for push-ups, which he performs up to 2000 times daily; bend the steel bars of the chamber with bare hands, etc.
"Artistic creativity"
In fact, this title could easily be left out of quotation marks, because Bronson, a prisoner, managed to gain fame as an artist and poet during his years in prison.
He has been awarded seven Koestler awards for artistic creativity and poetry; his work was published in newspapers and magazines and was even hung on the London Underground (albeit illegally). It is characteristic that he donated part of the money received for these works to an orphanage.
Film adaptation of biography
In 2009, a film about the life story of Charles Bronson was released. His role was played by Tom Hardy, who for this purpose personally met his hero several times in prison. Bronson made a big impression on Hardy; in his words, he is “a very clear, kind, funny and smart person.”
At the same time, Hardy did not try to justify Bronson’s actions, but sought to understand the character of his character. I wonder how he managed to reconcile these qualities with Bronson’s actions?
Bronson himself was so inspired by the idea of filming his life story that he cut off his famous mustache and gave it to Tom to use on the set.
"Free Charles Bronson!"
Under this slogan, more than 10 thousand signatures were collected during the campaign for the release of the prisoner. His supporters claim he served more time than many brutal killers, and now ready to start a new life.
However, numerous violations and hostage-takings in prison indicate that Charles Branson is not just an eccentric person, but absolutely unpredictable and dangerous to others, and he himself does not deny this. According to him in my own words, violence makes him “crazier and stronger.” So it looks like he will end his days in prison, where he has already spent two-thirds of his life.
Charles Bronson– iconic American actor mid-20th century; known for his roles in the films “Farewell Friend,” “The Great Escape,” “The Magnificent Seven” and “Once Upon a Time in the West.”
Biography of Charles Bronson / Charles Bronson
The actor's real name is Charles Dennis Buchinski. He was born in 1921 in Pennsylvania, one of fifteen children in a family of Polish-Lithuanian emigrants. Charles changed his last name during the activities of Senator McCarthy in the 50s - “Buchinsky” sounded “too Russian”, which did not contribute to his future career.
Charles Bronson became the first member of his family to complete his studies at high school. Although as a child he did not even know how to speak English and learned the language in the yard while communicating with local boys. When the boy was ten years old, his father died, so he had to start working - Charles went to work in a coal mine; first to the office, and therefore to the mine itself. His family was so poor that one day he even had to wear his sister’s dress to school - there was simply nothing else to wear.
During World War II Charles Bronson went to the combat zone - he served as an air gunner on the Pacific Front and even received a Purple Star for his services.
After the war, Bronson worked in many fields until he joined a theater company in Philadelphia. In the 50s, he moved to Los Angeles and began taking acting classes; Since then, he has been trusted with small roles in various films. His first film was " Now you're in the navy"(1951), where Charles played one of the sailors. Then there was the tape " Wax Museum"(1953), " Miss Sadie Thompson" (1953) and " Stagecoach Security Guard" - all supporting roles that did not bring much fame to the artist. Moreover, at that time Charles Bronson He also periodically starred in TV series.
By the end of the 50s Charles Bronson I have already managed to star in several films in leading roles. For example, in the crime drama " Heavy Kelly"(1958) and in the series " Man with camera"on ABC.
The turning point in the actor’s career was the western “ The Magnificent Seven"(1960), where Bronson played the role of one of the shooters. For this image he received a large fee for those times: $50,000. The film gained particular popularity in the Soviet Union - both the film and Charles Bronson Vladimir Vysotsky.
Two years later, another successful film with Bronson was released - “ Great Escape"; there he played a Polish prisoner who suffered from claustrophobia (the actor himself suffered from this psychological illness).
In the 60s Charles Bronson He played a lot on television, and in 1967 the film “ Dirty Dozen", a successful war drama that won several Oscars. Well, a year later the premiere of the cult film “ Once Upon a Time in the Wild West» Sergio Leone; the famous Italian director later called Bronson “one of the greatest actors with whom he had the opportunity to work.”
Of Bronson’s significant works of that time, it is worth noting “ Passenger of the rain"(1969), " Red sun" (1971) and " The enemy is at the door"(1971). Since the 70s, the actor has already acquired the status of a world celebrity and began to receive crazy fees for his roles - about a million dollars. He continued to act out the characters in Westerns and crime action films - for example, in the films " Cold-blooded killer"(1973), " Valdez half-breed" (1973) and " Death Wish"(1974). The last movie received four sequels, the last of which was released in 1994.
One of the most famous work Charles Bronson in the 80s there was a film " Ten minutes before midnight"(1983). By this time, the actor’s age was already taking its toll, so the number of roles began to decrease over time. In the 90s, nothing particularly noteworthy came out with Bronson, and in 1998, at the age of 81, the outstanding actor died. In his last years he suffered from Alzheimer's disease.
Filmography of Charles Bronson / Charles Bronson
- 1995 - Family of Cops III
- 1995 - Family of Cops II: Breach of Faith
- 1995 - Family Of Cops
- 1994 - Death Wish 5: The Face of Death Death Wish V: The Face of Death
- 1993 - Under threat of death / Donato And Daughter
- 1993 - The Sea Wolf / The Sea Wolf
- 1991 - Yes, Virginia, There Is Santa Claus / Yes Virginia, There Is Santa Claus
- 1991 - The Indian Runner
- 1989 - Forbidden topic/ Kinjite - Forbidden Subjects
- 1988 - Messenger of Death / Messenger Of Death
- 1987 - Murder / Assassination
- 1987 - Death Wish 4: The Crackdown
- 1986 - Murphy's Law
- 1985 - Death Wish 3
- 1985 - Act of Vengeance
- 1984 - The Evil That Men Do
- 1983 - 10 minutes before midnight / 10 To Midnight
- 1982 - Death Wish II
- 1981 - Deadly Hunt/ Death Hunt
- 1980 - Borderline
- 1979 - Love and Bullets / Love And Bullets
- 1977 - Telephone / Telefon
- 1977 - Raid on Entebbe / Raid On Entebbe
- 1977 - The White Buffalo
- 1976 - St. Ives / St. Ives
- 1975 - Hard times/Hard Times
- 1975 - Escape / Breakout
- 1975 - Pass Broken Hearts/ Breakheart Pass
- 1974 - Mister Majestic / Mr. Majestyk
- 1974 - Death Wish
- 1973 - Horses of Valdez / Valdez, il mezzosangue
- 1973 - The Stone Killer
- 1972 - The Mechanic / The Mechanic
- 1972 - Chato's Land
- 1972 - The Valachi Papers / Joe Valachi: I Secreti Di Cosa Nostra
- 1971 - Someone at the door / Quelqu "Un Derriere La Porte
- 1971 - Red Sun / Red Sun
- 1970 - Cold Sweat
- 1970 - Family / The Family
- 1970 - Rain Passenger / Passager de la pluie, Le
- 1970 - Violence City
- 1970 - You Can’t Win “Em All / You Can"t Win"Em All
- 1969 - Lola / Lola
- 1968 - Farewell, friend / Adieu l "ami / Honor Among Thieves
- 1968 - Once Upon a Time in the West
- 1968 - Villa Rides
- 1967 - The Dirty Dozen
- 1966 - This Property Is Condemned
- 1965 - Battle of the Bulge
- 1964 - Devil's Shooters / Guns of Diablo
- 1963 - Four from Texas / 4 for Texas - Matson
- 1963 - The Great Escape
- 1962 - Kid Galahad / Kid Galahad
- 1961 - Master of the World / Master of the World
- 1961 - X-15/X-15
- 1960 - The Magnificent Seven
- 1956 - Jubal / Jubal
- 1954 - Crime Wave / City in Darkness / The City Is Dark / Crime Wave
- 1954 - Vera Cruz Vera Cruz
- 1954 - Apache / Apache
- 1953 - House of Wax
- 1952 - Pat and Mike / Pat and Mike
- 1952 - My Six Prisoners / My Six Convicts
- 1952 - The Marrying Kind
- 1952 - Battle Zone
- 1951 - The Mob / The Mob
- 1951 - The People Against O'Hara
A cult American actor of the mid-twentieth century, he became famous for his roles in the films “The Great Escape,” “The Magnificent Seven” and “Once Upon a Time in the West.” His real name is Charles Dennis Buchinski. But viewers and an army of millions of fans know him under his stage name Charles Bronson.
Childhood and youth
He was born in Pennsylvania in 1921. The childhood of Charles Dennis, the eleventh child of 15 children of Polish-Lithuanian emigrants, was not carefree. Charles was the first Buczynski to complete his high school education. English language he learned it on his own, interacting with local yard boys.
Young Charlie Buchinski's childhood ended at age 10. Father died large family, so the boy had to go to work. At first he worked in the office of a coal mine, and soon in the mine itself. Later famous actor recalled that the poverty in their home was such that once they even had to wear their sister’s dress to go to school.
Second world war did not pass by the young man. Buczynski went to the war zone. He got on Pacific Fleet and served as an air gunner. He was awarded the Purple Star for his valor and intrepidity.
After the end of the war, a young man for many years looked for myself in different areas life until he joined a theater troupe in Philadelphia. Only when he went on stage did he realize that acting was his true calling.
Buchinsky understood that without acting education he would not be able to get to the cinema Olympus. Therefore, he entered and successfully graduated from the Pasadena Playhouse, a theater school in the Californian city of Pasadena.
Movies
A cinematic biography of Charles Bronson, the future legend of world cinema, began in 1950, when he was preparing to celebrate his 30th birthday. For the first 12 films in which he starred, the actor was listed in the credits under his real name. But during the McCarthyite “witch hunt” he decided to change his too “Slavic” surname to an Anglo-Saxon one.
Bronson's debut film was the war film “Now You're in the Navy,” where he got the role of a sailor. The film was released on big screens in 1951. Two years later, the films “Wax Museum,” “Miss Sadie Thompson” and “The Stagecoach Guard” followed. Everywhere, the artist received supporting roles, which did not bring much popularity, but played an invaluable role in acquiring acting skills.
In the late 1950s, Bronson was entrusted with a number of leading roles in films that turned out to be very successful at the box office. The most striking of them are the crime drama “Gun Gun Kelly” and the series “Man with a Camera.”
The breakthrough in his career came after the release of the brilliant western “The Magnificent Seven” in 1960. The role of the shooter in this film brought the artist his first - at that time fabulous - fee: 50 thousand dollars. It is noteworthy that this film gained the greatest popularity in the Soviet Union. Bronson became my favorite actor.
After 2 years, Charles pleased his fans with a new film - “The Great Escape.” Interestingly, the role of a Polish prisoner suffering from claustrophobia turned out to be quite close to Bronson: he himself suffered from this disease.
The peak of this actor's fame was in the 1960s and 70s of the twentieth century. The most striking and beloved films with his participation include the films “The Dirty Dozen” and “Once Upon a Time in the West.”
The drama “The Dirty Dozen” won several Oscar awards, and the cult western “Once Upon a Time in the West” by the famous Italian director Sergio Leone brought the actor to a new level of popularity. The director himself called Bronson " greatest actor, with whom he had the opportunity to work."
Among the artist’s works of the 1970s, the paintings “Passenger of the Rain”, “Red Sun” and “Enemy at the Door” should be noted. This is the time when Charles Bronson already has the status of a world cinema star. His fees were called crazy: for each of his roles he received around a million dollars.
Most often, the artist is filmed in westerns and action films. Viewers and critics are crazy about the films “Cold Blooded Killer”, “Valdez Half-Blood” and “Death Wish”. The action film “Death Wish” turned out to be so successful that the directors decided to make a sequel. It came out in 1994.
In the 1980s, the star acted less and less. One of the most remarkable films of this period is the painting “Ten Minutes to Midnight.” Old age takes its toll.
The actor has his own star on Hollywood Alley glory.
Personal life
The Hollywood star, for whom millions of fans sighed, was a monogamous man. When the beautiful Jill Ireland he adored agreed to marry him, it seemed Bronson was flying in the clouds. Their marriage turned out to be long and strong. This love and mutual understanding beautiful couple Many colleagues were jealous. It was an atypical marriage for Hollywood.
Charles Bronson's personal life with Jill was surprisingly happy: his beloved wife gave birth to beautiful children. But the light dimmed for the star when he learned that his wife had cancer.
Bronson fought for her life for 6 long years. He was ready to give up everything he had and throw all his money at saving his beloved, just to bring her back to life. During this difficult period, he refused to film and did not leave his sick wife. Dying, the woman whispered that she would remain with him, like a guardian angel, forever. But Jill asked her husband to definitely find a life partner and try to be happy.
For several years after the death of his wife, Bronson led a reclusive life. When he finally began to go out into the world, Kim Weeks, Jill's former personal secretary, was seen next to him. It seemed that a smile began to flicker on the face of the gloomy Charles, and in December 1998, Charles and Kim got married.
Soon he discovered mental disorder. Bronson told his doctor that he was in regular contact with deceased wife. According to him, once she even saved his life. The man dreamed that Jill asked him to take a taxi. The next morning he did just that, instructing the driver to check the car. It turned out that the car in which the actor went to filming every morning had a serious malfunction.
Death
In the last years of life famous artist suffered from . After the death of his wife in 1990, his health deteriorated significantly.
He lived another 13 years and died in August 2003 at Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles. He came here with pneumonia, which he was treated for for several weeks without success.
Filmography
- 1958 - “Machine Gunner Kelly”
- 1960 - “The Magnificent Seven”
- 1963 - “The Great Escape”
- 1967 - “The Dirty Dozen”
- 1968 - “Once Upon a Time in the West”
- 1970 - “Rain Passenger”
- 1971 - “Red Sun”
- 1974 - “Death Wish”
- 1983 - “Ten Minutes to Midnight”
- 1987 - “Murder”
- 1993 - “Under Threat of Death”
- 1995-1999 - “Family of Policemen”