Lately I have been watching a lot of Charles Bronson movies, as a young man he worked in coal mines and served a gunner in the Army Air Corps in most of the movies I watched he was a tough guy and he did it wearing a suit and tie. he did have an S&W or two handy too. I recognized a 27 in Telefon and 28s carried by the Texas DPS officers. Though he did carry an H&K in St. Ives.

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Stan

Yep. Tough guy,no doubt. I'm a fan as well. Check out "Hard Times" if you haven't already.
f.t.

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South Carolina-God's country

The story goes that Bronson's family was so poor that at one point he had to walk to school wearing his sister's old dress, since the family couldn't afford and didn't have any other clothes for him to wear.

No wonder why he's tough. He's not going to take it from anybody.

Bronson fan too - check out Chato's Land if you get a chance. One of my favorite westerns.

Bruce

I liked the Death Wish series, but my favorite of his films is Death Hunt. I actually own a copy --- maybe I'll watch it tonite....

When you watch this, take note of the fake Saguaro cacti used as props here and there throughout the flick, shown in places where a Saguaro has never grown. Paying close attention, you'll see one that blows over, then springs back up again --- look as if it's made of fabric and chickenwire or etc.

Kudos on your choice of Death Hunt. Great scene where he's at
the cabin and the mounties and others come after him.
"Welcome"



chuck

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They hold no Quarter

I like him also. But he really put his part in "Magnificent Seven" as one of his greatest. When his wife Jill Ireland died of breast cancer he was never the same. He's gone but not forgotten. RIP.

The magnificent Seven and The Mechanic are two of myy favorites.

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Memory of Randy Freas-Rimfired

Remember "The Mechanic"? Good movie. I like em all.


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James

They don't make "tough guys" in Hollywood like Charles Bronson anymore. Too many pretty boys these days.

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Proud anachronism

I'm a fan of Breakheart Pass.

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Richard Gillespie
FBINA 102

I liked him in "Once Upon a Time in the West" as a vengeful cowboy out to get Henry Fonda in a rare bad guy role. I also LOVED the soundtrack to this film, especially with Bronson's harmonica.

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MARK

Charles (Buchinsky) Bronson was from a small coal mining town (Erenfeld, PA.) about five miles up the road from where I live. Just after I got out of high school, I took a job at a small local factory that built truck bodies and horse trailers. I was assigned to a guy named Walter Buchinsky who was to teach me my new job and then continue to work with him as a partner for quite some time. I never connected the two until one day Charles walked in to see Walter. That was when Walter introduced Charles Bronson to me as his brother.

The three of us went out several times while Charles was home for a few beers and it was very exciting to be in their company. Walter turned down a job offer to go to L.A. and drive his brother's personal car which really amazed me. He always said he didn't like the big cities and was happy right where he was. A few years later, my wife and our new daughter flew to California to visit her brother and the two of us drove up to L.A. for a few days. Charles was very surprised to see me knocking on his door but quickly invited us in for dinner with him and his wife Jill Ireland - WOW!

I doubt the story about Charles walking to school in a dress is true because Walter surely would have told me about it. They, like most others from these small coal mining towns, were pretty poor but managed to make ends meet. What it also did was help turn him into the tough guy you see on the silver screen.

Walter and of course Charles and Jill are all gone now. I miss Walter alot along with the not often encountered friendships I was lucky enough to have in all three of them. God Bless them and I pray the RIP!

i remember him as a boxing trainer in the movie "kid galahad" with ELVIS..both his hands were broken by mobsters

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SWCA#2208
KK4EMO

Mr. Majestic-in a truck built Ford tough. I think Bronson was a WWII vet, correct?

In hard times, "Don't forget the in betweens."

You are correct sir.

Kid Galahad. I really like Follow That Dream, mostly because it takes place in Florida, but Elvis was a boxer in a small town in Kentucky in Kid Galahad. Bad guys broke Bronson's hands, so he couldn't be in Elvis' corner, in the important fight.

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I always take precautions

I always enjoyed his work.

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NRA Pistol/Rifle Inst. RSO

One of the very few REAL tough guys that made films.

Would have loved going drinking with him.

AFS

Not only a real tough guy, but one never heard bad things about him in the tabloids. I understand that he was totally devoted to his wife and was always there for her during her illness.

PA Reb,,,Good story

Lots of Charles Bronson info HERE.

Don't forget "The Great Escape", or the "Dirty Dozen".

The guy played some good roles and played them well.

Get a chance watch "Borderline", great movie.

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Danny A.

My favorite Bronson film is Breakheart Pass too!

Because it was my father-in-laws train that was used to make that film. My father-in-law said Bronson was a real great guy and personable.

John

H eplayed in a movie titled 'Act of vengeance" about the murder of Jock Yablonsky a miner who wanted reform in the mining union he and his wife and daughter were assasinated by some corrupt union officals.

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Stan

Charles Bronson….tough, cool and Lithuanian…………just like my other heroes…dick butkus, johnny unitas and my DAD!

so true...i stand corrected

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SWCA#2208
KK4EMO

white buffalo!

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WILL WORK FOR AMMO!

Very much liked Charles Bronson in Once Upon a Time in the West. There were other very good movies, but in my opinion, OUATITW was simply outstanding.

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Here is a pic of the cast of Breakheart Pass along side of our train.

John

Attached Images

PICT0031.JPG (73.3 KB, 49 views)

I liked all of his movies. Since I like westerns his were a favorite of mine.

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Have guns...will shoot'em.

"Chatos Land" is, in my opinion, a vastly underated movie. One of my favorites. Also, "Death Hunt" is a darn good movie.

Interesting read. I thought the part about Charles Bronson having a walking stick made from Jill Ireland's ashes was pretty creepy. They also said that Charles was buried with the walking stick.

I guess one of my favorites was "From Noon to Three" with Bronson and Jill Ireland.

+1 on this movie. I really like his Savage 99. And how about the Krag Lee Marvin carries, or the Lee Enfields in use? Always glad to see vintage weapons!

Death Hunt was a great, great movie. Lee Marvin was just as big a star.

It sounds like Lithuania sure puts out great human-beings. The two greatest football players I ever saw play. Charles Bronson and the last two just confirm it.

He was bad-arse even when he didn't have a single line but appeared in a movie.



interesting note from the article:

Charles Bronson had yet to become Charles Bronson in 1956’s House of Wax. This is true both figuratively and literally, as he is credited as Charles Buchinsky in the film. (He later changed it at the height of the Red Scare for fear that studios and politicians might find him too Eastern European.)

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God Bless Our Troops.

Once Upon A Time In The West is a great film. which for one reason or another...I was unaware of for a very long time.

While I haven't seen it for many years, I recall having enjoyed another Bronson film which I rarely see being mentioned...The Evil That Men Do. I also liked Mr. Majestyk. I remember that Ford was using the footage from that movie for many, many years in their truck ads.

Tim

OK, I am open for some movie cultural enlightenment.

I have watched the movie Once upon a time in the west 3 or 4 times.
I just don't get the draw to this movie? I am asking for all opinions here. Be nice!

John

I know a lot of people that think it is slow. They'd watch it on my recommendation and come back wondering what I saw in it. I like how it exists in its own logical little universe. Stuff happens earlier in the movie that is tied together later. Great performances by Bronson, Robards, and Fonda. Need I mention Claudia Cardinale? People tell me the story doesn't make any sense. I hate to tell them it is because they weren't paying attention.

You're a better man than I am. I've TRIED to watch it, at least a half dozen times. Never have been able to get through it. It is just so - BAD.

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I always take precautions

My wife says I have a photographic memory.It may be more like a photostatic memory.

The first time I remember seeing Bronson was on an old weekly TV show that I believe came on every Tuesday night called "Suspense!"
It was a spinoff of the old radio series of the same name.
I have the full collection of the radio shows on cassette in an original package.
I remember that he drove a black 1949 Ford on that show and ran into a swamp,but I can't remember the rest.That's why I'm photostatic and not photographic.
As someone else mentioned "Hard Times" was a good one.
Oh,and I know the Ford was Black because it was black and white TV.

With Chas and Lee Marvin as real hombres the world would be a safer place.

Okay...this is a pretty difficult thing to explain. The movie is quite long, and moves rather slowly at times. There are long periods with very little dialogue, just sounds, and music. It helps to view it in a completely quiet atmosphere...no kids, barking dogs, or other distractions.

I just love the "feel" of this movie. To me, it's worth owning just for the opening scene with Bronson and the 3 gunmen. It's all very subtle...the squeaking of the windmill, the drip, drip, drip as the water falls from the water tower onto Woody Strode's hat, and then he removes his hat and drinks from the brim, the fly buzzing around Jack Elam, and him trapping it in his gun barrel, and then listening to it buzzing inside the barrel. Then suddenly, the explosive violence of the gunfight.

The cinematography is gorgeous. The first view of Sweetwater as Claudia Cardinale arrives (and Claudia Cardinale!). Henry Fonda playing a vicious cold-blooded killer, he does a great job.

There's just too much to describe. If you can get the DVD with the commentary, listen to the commentary. It helps to explain much that you might otherwise miss.

Tim