Who Was Charles Bronson?

American film actor Charles Bronson often played tough-guy, vigilante roles, and starred in films such as The Magnificent Seven (1960), The Great Escape (1963), The Dirty Dozen (1967), The Mechanic (1972) and Death Wish (1974). 

Early Life

Bronson was born Charles Dennis Buchinsky on November 3, 1921, in Ehrenfeld, Pennsylvania. Bronson was the 11th of 15 children born to his parents, a Lithuanian-American mother and a Lithuanian immigrant father. In his youth, Bronson worked as a coal miner until he was drafted to serve in World War II.

Movies

Bronson made his name on the big screen with roles such as Bernardo O'Reilly in The Magnificent Seven (1960) and Danny Velinski in The Great Escape (1963). He became known for playing "tough guy" characters in such violent thrillers as The Mechanic (1972) and Death Wish (1974). Other films include The Dirty Dozen (1967), Ten to Midnight (1983), The President's Assassin (1987), Death Wish V (1994) and Dead to Rights (1995).

Personal Life and Death

Bronson was married to British actress Jill Ireland from 1968 until her death in 1990. After suffering from Alzheimer's disease and battling pneumonia, Bronson died on August 30, 2003, at the age of 81.