A 40 year old interview with Charles Bronson

GatorFarmer · Dec 20, 2014

I stumbled upon this while looking for something else
Charles Bronson: "It's just that I don't like to talk very much." | Interviews | Roger Ebert

It turned out to be quite interesting. Bronson was filming "Death Wish" at the time.

He talks about life in a coal mine, wearing his sister's dress to school and how being drafted for WW2 improved his life.

We also learn that Bronson did time twice, seemed a tough guy in person, was a painter, once worked for the mob and was assumed even by those who worked closely with him to have killed people in the past.

armenius · Dec 20, 2014

Great actor.I first noticed him with Glenn Ford In Jubal and was a fan thereafter.

Triathloncoach · Dec 20, 2014

I saw him once when I was living in Manhattan walking on a side walk. I said hello, he smiled and said hello back. Seemed like a nice guy. I'm not sure he was much over 5 feet tall. Gotta love Hollywood.

the ringo kid · Dec 20, 2014

GatorFarmer said:
I stumbled upon this while looking for something else
Charles Bronson: "It's just that I don't like to talk very much." | Interviews | Roger Ebert

It turned out to be quite interesting. Bronson was filming "Death Wish" at the time.

He talks about life in a coal mine, wearing his sister's dress to school and how being drafted for WW2 improved his life.

We also learn that Bronson did time twice, seemed a tough guy in person, was a painter, once worked for the mob and was assumed even by those who worked closely with him to have killed people in the past.

Bronson was one of those hollywood Tough Guys who was actually a tough guy. Like: Kirk Douglas, Lee Marvin, Robert Mitchum and James Francis Cagney.

the ringo kid · Dec 20, 2014

Bronson was also one of my top favorites. I recently saw himplay a cowardly (backshooting) bad gun in a season 1 episodeof Gunsmoke. it was the first time a character irritated Dillon off enoiugh to want to provoke into killing. Well,he did in that ep. Some earlier and great Bronson rolls include: the Sergeant in: Target Zero, as a baddie in: Vera Cruz,and of course Machine gun Kelly in the movie of the same name.

30-30remchester · Dec 20, 2014

He was one of my favorite actors. When I was escorting elk hunters, one of our guests was a Hollywood stuntman, extra, commercial type of guy. He had spent 30 years in the business. I asked him who was the worst person he ever had to work with. Before I could finish the sentence he blurted out Charles. He said he was a very difficult man to work with. I asked who was the best, and he said Clint Eastwood and Paul Newman. He said Paul got a reputation as a grouch only because he had such a dry sense of humor. He states that any acting awards given to Dolly Pardon should be returned because she isn't acting. He said she was a hoot to work with.
Charles was filming a movie in our little town, so many of us got to watch the filming. After the scene was over and everyone was standing around, a 7ish year old girl tried to approach him. He saw her and hollered at his body guards to stop her, which they did.
Still a great actor even if he was a jerk.

finesse_r · Dec 20, 2014

His two best movies are:
Hard Times
Death Hunt

These two were excellent movies and were heads and shoulders above his others.

Of course hard times co-stars James Coburn, and
Death hunt co-stars Lee Marvin

vytoland · Dec 20, 2014

Mr. Charles Bronson...one of my all time favorites....and of course he is Lithuanian...

Malpasowildlifer · Dec 21, 2014

thanks for posting; he is one of my favorites. I've always loved The Mechanic, Death Hunt, Death Wish series, St. Ives...everything really.

walkin jack · Dec 21, 2014

A great actor. Equally effective as a good guy or a bad guy. He was a real meanie in Four for Texas with Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin. Of course he was great in the first Death Wish but I also liked him in Chato's Land and Hard Times and Mr. Majestyk.

Good guy or bad he is the consummate strong silent type.

wrhk33 · Dec 21, 2014

Great interview. I never saw Death Wish in theaters. I worked with a guy who did in NY. He said at the end everyone in the theater gave it a standing ovation because it showed someone standing up to the street punks. That first Death Wish film has become one of my favorites.

islamoradamark · Dec 21, 2014

i enjoyed all the death wish movies seen em twice over the years

Dennis The B · Dec 21, 2014

For the times, "Death Wish" was a great movie. The only thing I disliked about it was that they killed off Hope Lange.

She was one gorgeous lady!!

derek45auto · Dec 21, 2014

He signed my FL CCW permit ( probably yours too )

He was in the TWILIGHTS ZONE with bewitched too.

soFlaNative · Dec 21, 2014

Remember enjoying "noon til 3". Odd kind of farce with Bronson ending up in a bughouse. Long time ago, may not have been as good as I recall. That was the one where I fell hard for Jill Ireland.

Jack Flash · Dec 21, 2014

Charles Bronson Movies:
One that no one ever mentions is The Evil that Men Do.

Worth watching but not for the faint of heart.

the ringo kid · Dec 21, 2014

derek45auto said:
He signed my FL CCW permit ( probably yours too )

He was in the TWILIGHTS ZONE with bewitched too.

"Two"is one of my top favorite TZ episodes--the other being "The 7th is Made Up of Phantoms."

the ringo kid · Dec 21, 2014

Forgot to mention that he was great in the episode of COMBAT he made.Died trying to save stolen priceless statues. I cant think of the name but--he was with Vincent Price in a Sci-Fi movie--I THINK it was called soemthing like: Master of the World.He was greatin that too.

GatorFarmer · Dec 21, 2014

Bronson seemed to almost deflate after Jill Ireland lost her fight with cancer. He still worked pretty much right up to the end, partly to keep busy I suppose.Among his later efforts was Death Wish III, maybe the last of the watchable films. It guest stars Ed Lauter and the non Keanu part of Bill and Ted. It features a Stalingrad like massive street battle of citizens against criminal. It is also possibly one of the most violent movies of the time partially thanks to Mr. Wildey.

oneflycowboy · Dec 21, 2014

Charles Bronson is proof your life is what you make of it. He didn't come from money and had very little education.

He strived for a better life and achieved it by using his own ambition and effort.

If more people were like him, the world would be a better place.

A 40 year old interview with Charles Bronson

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