Charles Bronson
Biography
Charles Bronson was an American actor known for his roles in action films. He was born Charles Dennis Buchinsky on November 3, 1921, in Ehrenfeld, Pennsylvania. Bronson's father was a miner who died when he was young. He worked in the mines before joining the United States Army Air Forces in 1943 to fight in World War II. Bronson had notable co-starring roles in several films, including The Magnificent Seven, The Great Escape, This Property Is Condemned, and The Dirty Dozen. He is also known for his physical appearance, described as having "granite features and a brawny physique." Bronson passed away on August 30, 2003, at the age of 81.
Career overview
Charles Bronson was an American actor known for his roles in action films. He was born Charles Dennis Buchinsky on November 3, 1921, in Ehrenfeld, Pennsylvania. Bronson's early life involved working in coal mines, which he did until joining the United States Army Air Forces in 1943 to fight in World War II.
Bronson had significant co-starring roles in several notable films, including The Magnificent Seven, The Great Escape, This Property Is Condemned, and The Dirty Dozen. These roles showcased his acting abilities and physical presence, which became a hallmark of his career.
Bronson's acting career spanned a considerable number of credits, with 171 known credits to his name. He was often cast in action-oriented films, and his rugged persona and physique made him a suitable fit for these types of roles.
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Frequent co-stars
Career timeline
Full filmography
- Elvis: A Life in Music (2026) as Self (archive footage)
- Breakdown: 1975 (2025) as Self - Actor in Death Wish (archive footage)
- Rat Pack (2022) as Self (archive footage)
- Charles Bronson: The Spirit of Masculinity (2020) as Self (archive footage)
- Spanish Western (2015) as Self (archive footage)
- Electric Boogaloo: The Wild, Untold Story of Cannon Films (2014) as Self - Actor (archive footage)
- Operation Dirty Dozen (2006) as Self
- 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
- Sinatra: 80 Years My Way (1995) as Self - Audience Member (uncredited)
- Death Wish V: The Face of Death (1994) as Paul Kersey
- La Classe américaine (1993) as The Indian (archive footage)
- The Sea Wolf (1993) as Capt. Wolf Larsen
- Donato and Daughter (1993) as Sgt. Mike Donato
- The Indian Runner (1991) as Mr. Roberts
- Yes Virginia, There Is a Santa Claus (1991) as Francis Church
- 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
- Happy 100th Birthday, Hollywood (1987) as Self
- Murphy's Law (1986) as Jack Murphy
- Act of Vengeance (1986) as Joseph 'Jock' Yablonski
- All Star Party for Clint Eastwood (1986) as Self (uncredited)
- Death Wish 3 (1985) as Paul Kersey
- Night of 100 Stars II (1985) as Self
- The Evil That Men Do (1984) as Holland
- 10 to Midnight (1983) as Leo Kessler
- All-Star Party for Frank Sinatra (1983) as Self
- Death Wish II (1982) as Paul Kersey
- Death Hunt (1981) as Albert Johnson
- Borderline (1980) as Jeb Maynard
- Caboblanco (1980) as Gifford Hoyt
- Catastrophe: No Safe Place (1980) as Self - Host
- Love and Bullets (1979) as Charlie Congers
- The Meanest Men in the West (1978) as Harge Talbot Jr.
- The White Buffalo (1977) as Wild Bill Hickok/James Otis
- Telefon (1977) as Major Grigori Borzov
- Raid on Entebbe (1976) as Brig. Gen. Dan Shomron
- From Noon Till Three (1976) as Graham Dorsey
- St. Ives (1976) as Raymond St. Ives
- Hard Times (1975) as Chaney
- Breakheart Pass (1975) as John Deakin
- Breakout (1975) as Nick Colton
- Death Wish (1974) as Paul Kersey
- Mr. Majestyk (1974) as Vince Majestyk
- The American Film Institute Salute to ... (1973) as Self
- 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 Valachi Papers (1972) as Joe Valachi
- The Bull of the West (1972) as Ben Justin
- Valachi: The Violent Era (1972) as Self
- Film '72 (1971) as Self
- V.I.P. Schaukel (1971) as Self
- Red Sun (1971) as Link
- Someone Behind the Door (1971) as The Stranger
- Mean Justice (1971) as Moreno
- Cold Sweat (1970) as Joe Martin
- You Can't Win 'Em All (1970) as Josh Corey
- Rider on the Rain (1970) as Col. Harry Dobbs
- Violent City (1970) as Jeff Heston
- Twinky (1970) as Scott Wardman
- The Dick Cavett Show (1968) as Self - Guest
- Once Upon a Time in the West (1968) as 'Harmonica'
- Villa Rides (1968) as Rodolfo Fierro
- Farewell, Friend (1968) as Franz Propp
- The Dirty Dozen (1967) as Joseph Wladislaw
- Guns for San Sebastian (1967) as Teclo
- This Property Is Condemned (1966) as J.J. Nichols
- The Big Valley (1965) as Tate
- The F.B.I. (1965) as Earl Clayton
- The Legend of Jesse James (1965) as Cheyney
- Battle of the Bulge (1965) as Maj. Wolenski
- The Sandpiper (1965) as Cos Erickson
- The Big Sur (1965) as Self (uncredited)
- Guns of Diablo (1964) as Linc Murdock
- The Fugitive (1963) as Ralph Schuyler
- The Great Escape (1963) as Danny 'Tunnel King'
- Vacation Playhouse (1963) as John Wesley Hardin
- The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters (1963) as Linc Murdock
- 4 for Texas (1963) as Matson
- The Virginian (1962) as Ben Justin
- The Virginian (1962) as Harge Talbot
- Combat! (1962) as Velasquez
- Empire (1962) as Paul Moreno
- Empire (1962) as Paul
- Empire (1962) as Moreno
- Kid Galahad (1962) as Lew Nyack
- Dr. Kildare (1961) as Harry Gregg
- Cain's Hundred (1961) as Hank Conrad
- The New Breed (1961) as Jerry Bergason
- Master of the World (1961) as John Strock
- A Thunder of Drums (1961) as Trooper Hanna
- X-15 (1961) as Lt. Col. Lee Brandon
- The Magnificent Seven (1960) as Bernardo O'Reilly
- The Islanders (1960) as Dutch Malkin
- The Aquanauts (1960) as Hector Morrison
- Bonanza (1959) as Harry Starr
- The Twilight Zone (1959) as Man
- Rawhide (1959) as Del Lingman
- One Step Beyond (1959) as Yank Dawson
- Adventures in Paradise (1959) as Dan Morton
- Riverboat (1959) as Crowley
- Never So Few (1959) as Sgt. John Danforth
- Yancy Derringer (1958) as Rogue Donovan
- Man with a Camera (1958) as Mike Kovac
- Showdown at Boot Hill (1958) as Luke Welsh
- Machine-Gun Kelly (1958) as George R. 'Machine Gun' Kelly
- When Hell Broke Loose (1958) as Steve Boland
- No Time at All (1958) as Wolf Hagan
- Gang War (1958) as Alan Avery
- Have Gun, Will Travel (1957) as Manfred Holt
- Tales of Wells Fargo (1957) as Butch Cassidy
- Sugarfoot (1957) as Sandy Randall
- Sugarfoot (1957) as Cliff Raven
- M Squad (1957) as Eddie Loder
- Richard Diamond, Private Detective (1957) as Dan Rocco
- Suspicion (1957) as Cal
- The Walter Winchell File (1957) as Eggers
- Colt .45 (1957) as Danny Gordon
- Run of the Arrow (1957) as Blue Buffolo
- Telephone Time (1956) as Guest
- Playhouse 90 (1956) as Wolf Hagan
- Playhouse 90 (1956) as Andy Kovaric
- Playhouse 90 (1956) as Sgt Meras
- Wire Service (1956) as Sam Adams
- Hey, Jeannie! (1956) as Rocky Harman
- Jubal (1956) as Reb
- U.S. Marshall (1956) as Pvt. 'Guardhouse' Ravenal
- U.S. Marshall (1956) as Zenogalache a.k.a. Apache Kid
- Gunsmoke (1955) as Crego
- Gunsmoke (1955) as Ben Tiple
- The Millionaire (1955) as Jerry Bell
- Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955) as Det. Krovitch
- Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955) as Frank Bramwell
- Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955) as Ray Bardon
- Crusader (1955) as Mike Brod
- Those Whiting Girls (1955) as Martin Carroll
- Target Zero (1955) as Sgt. Vince Gaspari
- Big House, U.S.A (1955) as Benny Kelly
- Studio 57 (1954) as Dawson
- Medic (1954) as Dr. John Bircher
- Vera Cruz (1954) as Pittsburgh
- The Joe Palooka Story (1954) as Eddie Crane
- Apache (1954) as Hondo
- Riding Shotgun (1954) as Pinto
- Drum Beat (1954) as Kintpuash
- Tennessee Champ (1954) as Sixty Jubel
- The Pepsi-Cola Playhouse (1953) as Joe Krossen
- Letter to Loretta (1953) as Eugene Walters
- House of Wax (1953) as Igor
- General Electric Theater (1953) as Pike
- General Electric Theater (1953) as Henry
- General Electric Theater (1953) as Soldier Conlon
- Torpedo Alley (1953) as Submariner
- Miss Sadie Thompson (1953) as Pvt. Edwards
- Crime Wave (1953) as Ben Hastings
- The Clown (1953) as Gambler (uncredited)
- Four Star Playhouse (1952) as Frank Dana
- Cavalcade of America (1952) as John Stanizewski
- Chevron Theatre (1952) as (2 Episodes)
- Chevron Theatre (1952)
- Biff Baker U.S.A. (1952) as Czech spy
- Biff Baker U.S.A. (1952) as Wilhelm
- Red Skies of Montana (1952) as Neff (uncredited)
- Off Limits (1952) as Russell (Uncredited)
- Diplomatic Courier (1952) as Russian Agent (uncredited)
- The Doctor (1952) as Joe Langan
- My Six Convicts (1952) as Jocko
- The Marrying Kind (1952) as Eddie
- Pat and Mike (1952) as Henry 'Hank' Tasling
- Bloodhounds of Broadway (1952) as Phil Green, aka 'Pittsburgh Philo' (uncredited)
- Battle Zone (1952) as Marine Private (uncredited)
- Schlitz Playhouse of Stars (1951) as Sgt. Roy Smith
- The Mob (1951) as Jack (uncredited)
- You're in the Navy Now (1951) as Wascylewski
- The People Against O'Hara (1951) as Angelo Korvac (uncredited)
- Lux Video Theatre (1950) as Sergeant Borth
- Treasury Men in Action (1950) as Frankie Ames
- Studio One (1948) as Cal
- Golden Globe Awards (1944) as Self - Presenter
- Stage 7 as Jerry Donn
- Stage 7 as Murray Forman