Charles Bronson

Charles Bronson (born Charles Dennis Buchinski) was an American actor who made a name for himself playing rough and gritty "tough guy" characters in mostly crime thrillers, war movies, and westerns. Born the 11th of 15 children to an impoverished family at the height of the Great Depression in Ehrenfeld, Pennsylvania, worked in a coal mine like his father before him until World War II. In 1943, he enlisted in the United States Army Air Forces, and served as an aerial gunner on a B-29 bomber of the 61st Bombardment Squadron, 39th Bombardment Group. Bronson flew 25 missions against the Japanese home islands based on the island of Guam and in 1945, received the Purple Heart. He began his film career in 1951. Initially credited as Charles Buchinsky, he changed his last name to Bronson in 1954, fearing that having an Eastern European-sounding last name at the height of the Red Scare would impede his film career.
 
Though he is most famous for his iconic role as Paul Kersey in the Death Wish film series, Bronson was also well known for his roles in such films as The Magnificent Seven, Battle of the Bulge, The Great Escape, The Dirty Dozen, Mr. Majestyk, The Valachi Papers, Borderline, and Chato's Land, where he played a half-breed Apache. He also starred in several films with his second wife Jill Ireland, who he was married to until her death in 1990. His final theatrical film role was Death Wish V: The Face of Death, with his final acting role being in the 1999 television film Family of Cops 3. He died in 2003 at age 81.
 
== Film ==
Gun 	Character 	Title 	Note 	Date
Single Action Army 	Pittsburgh 	Vera Cruz 	"Quickdraw" and "Artillery" models 	1954
Winchester Model 1892 Saddle Ring Carbine 	Pittsburgh 	Vera Cruz 	 	1954
Single Action Army 	Kintpuash aka Captain Jack 	Drum Beat 	"Civilian" and "Artillery" models 	1954
Colt 1878 Double Action 	Kintpuash aka Captain Jack 	Drum Beat 	 	1954
Winchester Model 1892 Saddle Ring Carbine 	Kintpuash aka Captain Jack 	Drum Beat 	 	1954
Stevens Single Shot Rifle 	Kintpuash aka Captain Jack 	Drum Beat 	 	1954
Single Action Army 	Reb 	Jubal 	"Artillery" model 	1956
Single Action Army 	Luke Welsh 	Showdown at Boot Hill 	"Civilian" model 	1958
M1928 Thompson 	George "Machine Gun" Kelly 	Machine-Gun Kelly 	 	1958
Colt Detective Special 	George "Machine Gun" Kelly 	Machine-Gun Kelly 	 	1958
M1928A1 Thompson 	Sgt. John Danforth 	Never So Few 	 	1959
Single Action Army 	Bernardo O'Reilly 	The Magnificent Seven 	 	1960
Winchester Model 1873 	Bernardo O'Reilly 	The Magnificent Seven 	 	1960
Colt Model 1903/1908 	Lew Nyack 	Kid Galahad 	 	1962
M3A1 "Grease Gun" 	Maj. Wolenski 	Battle of the Bulge 	 	1965
M20 Bazooka 	Maj. Wolenski 	Battle of the Bulge 	 	1965
M3A1 "Grease Gun" 	Joseph Wladislaw 	The Dirty Dozen 	 	1967
M1 Garand 	Joseph Wladislaw 	The Dirty Dozen 	 	1967
Beretta 950 Jetfire 	Joseph Wladislaw 	The Dirty Dozen 	 	1967
Walther P38 	Joseph Wladislaw 	The Dirty Dozen 	 	1967
Luger P 08 	Joseph Wladislaw 	The Dirty Dozen 	 	1967
Single Action Army 	Rodolfo Fierro 	Villa Rides 	"Quick-Draw" model with pearl grips 	1968
Single Action Army 	Rodolfo Fierro 	Villa Rides 	Bisley model 	1968
Single Action Army 	Rodolfo Fierro 	Villa Rides 	"Buntline Special" with 12" barrel 	1968
Vickers Mk. I 	Rodolfo Fierro 	Villa Rides 	With ribbed water jacket 	1968
Single Action Army 	Harmonica 	Once Upon a Time in the West 	"Artillery" model 	1968
Smith & Wesson M1917 	Franz Propp 	Farewell, Friend 	 	1968
SAA "Quick-Draw" 	Matson 	4 for Texas 	 	1969
Luger P 08 	Col. Harry Dobbs 	Rider on the Rain (Le passager de la pluie)	 	1970
12 Gauge Double Barreled Shotgun 	Col. Harry Dobbs 	Rider on the Rain (Le passager de la pluie)	 	1970
Smith & Wesson Model 49 	Jeff Heston 	Violent City 	 	1970
ArmaLite AR-7 With sniper scope and suppressor	Jeff Heston 	Violent City 	 	1970
Remington Model 700 	Jeff Heston 	Violent City 	With sniper scope 	1970
Winchester Model 1200 	Jeff Heston 	Violent City 	 	1970
Ruger Model 44 Deerslayer 	Jeff Heston 	Violent City 	With scope 	1970
Colt New Service 	Josh Corey 	You Can't Win 'Em All 	 	1970
M1921 Thompson 	Josh Corey 	You Can't Win 'Em All 	 	1970
MAB Model D Type II 	Joe Martin 	Cold Sweat 	 	1970
LP-42 Flare Pistol 	Joe Martin 	Cold Sweat 	 	1970
MAB Model R 	Joe Martin 	Cold Sweat 	Not used in action 	1970
Single Action Army 	Link Stuart 	Red Sun 	 	1971
Winchester Model 1894 	Link Stuart 	Red Sun 	 	1971
Walther PP 	The Stranger 	Someone Behind the Door 	 	1971
Colt 1851 Navy 	Chato 	Chato's Land 	 	1972
Beretta Model 412 	Chato 	Chato's Land 	Visually modified as a percussion cap musket	1972
Winchester Model 1200 	Arthur Bishop 	The Mechanic 	 	1972
Walther PPK/S 	Arthur Bishop 	The Mechanic 	 	1972
Walther PPK 	Arthur Bishop 	The Mechanic 	 	1972
Colt Woodsman 	Arthur Bishop 	The Mechanic 	 	1972
Air Rifle 	Arthur Bishop 	The Mechanic 	 	1972
Beretta Model 70 	Joe Valachi 	The Valachi Papers 	 	1972
Colt Detective Special 	Joe Valachi 	The Valachi Papers 	 	1972
Winchester Model 1892 Saddle Ring Carbine 	Ben Justin 	The Bull of the West 	 	1972
Smith & Wesson Model 10 	Lou Torrey 	The Stone Killer 	4" barrel 	1973
Winchester Model 1912 	Lou Torrey 	The Stone Killer 	 	1973
Winchester Model 1873 carbine 	Chino Valdez 	Chino 	 	1973
Winchester Model 1892 Saddle Ring Carbine 	Chino Valdez 	Chino 	 	1973
Coach Gun 	Chino Valdez 	Chino 	 	1973
Colt Police Positive 	Paul Kersey 	Death Wish 	 	1974
Single Action Army 	Paul Kersey 	Death Wish 	 	1974
Mossberg 500 	Vince Majestyk 	Mr. Majestyk 	 	1974
Unknown Bolt-Action Rifle 	Vince Majestyk 	Mr. Majestyk 	 	1974
Single Action Army 	Harge Talbot Jr. 	The Meanest Men in the West 	"Artillery" and unknown model 	1974
Smith & Wesson .44 Double Action 	Chaney 	Hard Times 	 	1975
Colt 1860 Army 	John Deakin 	Breakheart Pass 	 	1975
Single Action Army 	John Deakin 	Breakheart Pass 	"Artillery" model 	1975
Heckler & Koch P9S 	Raymont St. Ives 	St. Ives 	 	1976
Uzi 	Brig. Gen. Dan Shomron 	Raid on Entebbe 	 	1976
Single Action Army 	Graham Dorsey 	From Noon Till Three 	"Civilian" model 	1976
Winchester Model 1892 	Graham Dorsey 	From Noon Till Three 	Rifle 	1976
Smith & Wesson Model 28 	Major Grigorij Borzov 	Telefon 	4" barrel 	1977
Single Action Army 	Wild Bill Hickok 	The White Buffalo 	"Quickdraw", with stag horn grips 	1977
Colt New Service 	Wild Bill Hickok 	The White Buffalo 	Visually modified as Single Action Army 	1977
Colt 1878 Double Action 	Wild Bill Hickok 	The White Buffalo 	 	1977
Colt 1851 Navy 	Wild Bill Hickok 	The White Buffalo 	 	1977
Sawed-Off Double Barrel Shotgun 	Wild Bill Hickok 	The White Buffalo 	 	1977
Sharps 1874 Buffalo 	Wild Bill Hickok 	The White Buffalo 	 	1977
Winchester Model 1866 "Yellow Boy" 	Wild Bill Hickok 	The White Buffalo 	 	1977
Colt Python 	Charlie Congers 	Love and Bullets 	4" barrel 	1979
12 Gauge Double Barreled Shotgun 	Charlie Congers 	Love and Bullets 	 	1979
Smith & Wesson Model 28 	U.S. Border Patrol Agent Jeb Maynard	Borderline 	 	1980
M1911 	Gifford Hoyt 	Caboblanco 	 	1980
Mosin Nagant M1891 	Gifford Hoyt 	Caboblanco 	 	1980
Single Action Army 	Albert Johnson 	Death Hunt 	 	1981
Savage 99 	Albert Johnson 	Death Hunt 	 	1981
Winchester Model 1912 	Albert Johnson 	Death Hunt 	 	1981
Single Barreled Shotgun 	Albert Johnson 	Death Hunt 	Cut down 	1981
Beretta 84 	Paul Kersey 	Death Wish 2 	 	1982
Colt Detective Special 	Lieutenant Leo Kessler 	10 to Midnight 	first generation 	1983
Smith & Wesson Model 19 	Holland 	The Evil That Men Do 	 	1984
Remington Model 870 Express 	Holland 	The Evil That Men Do 	Left-handed model, Sawed-off 	1984
Colt Cobra 	Paul Kersey 	Death Wish 3 	 	1985
Wildey Magnum 	Paul Kersey 	Death Wish 3 	 	1985
M72 LAW 	Paul Kersey 	Death Wish 3 	 	1985
Browning M1919 	Paul Kersey 	Death Wish 3 	 	1985
Ruger Security Six 	Jack Murphy 	Murphy's Law 	 	1986
Smith & Wesson Model 36 	Jack Murphy 	Murphy's Law 	 	1986
Smith & Wesson Model 10 	Jack Murphy 	Murphy's Law 	 	1986
Colt Trooper 	Jack Murphy 	Murphy's Law 	 	1986
Remington 870 Folding Stock 	Jack Murphy 	Murphy's Law 	 	1986
M16 	Jack Murphy 	Murphy's Law 	 	1986
Walther PPK 	Jay Killion 	Assassination 	 	1987
Heckler & Koch P9S 	Jay Killion 	Assassination 	 	1987
Micro Uzi 	Jay Killion 	Assassination 	 	1987
M72 LAW 	Jay Killion 	Assassination 	 	1987
LaFrance Specialties M16K 	Jay Killion 	Assassination 	 	1987
American Derringer Model 1 	Jay Killion 	Assassination 	 	1987
M16 with M203 grenade launcher 	Paul Kersey 	Death Wish 4 	 	1987
Ruger Mini-14 	Paul Kersey 	Death Wish 4 	Suppressed 	1987
Walther PPK 	Paul Kersey 	Death Wish 4 	 	1987
Walther PP 	Paul Kersey 	Death Wish 4 	 	1987
MAC-10 	Paul Kersey 	Death Wish 4 	Suppressed 	1987
Micro Uzi 	Paul Kersey 	Death Wish 4 	 	1987
Bolt-action shotgun 	Garret Smith 	Messenger of Death 	 	1988
Smith & Wesson Model 66 	Lt. Crowe 	Kinjite: Forbidden Subjects 	Snub nose 	1989
Smith & Wesson Model 15 Snub 	Sgt. Mike Donato 	Donato and Daughter 	 	1993
Smith & Wesson Model 66 	Paul Kersey 	Death Wish 5 	Snubnose 	1994
Mossberg 500 Cruiser 	Paul Kersey 	Death Wish 5 	 	1994
== Television ==
Gun 	Character 	Title 	Note 	Date
M1 Garand	Cpl. Velasquez	Combat!	"Heritage" (S03E30)	1965
Category:Actor
Category:Actor Male
Category:Deceased Actor