# Charles Bronson **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 13, 2016, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charles-bronson/774584 "2016-12-13T03:16:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2016, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charles-bronson/774584/1 "2016-12-13T03:16:13Z")
I’ve enjoyed his films, and bought a DVD of his 1950s TV series, \*Man With a Camera. \* I came to realize that his smile looks like he has just gotten out of bed with your Wife. ---
**Author:** ![Enter\_the\_Flagon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Enter\_the\_Flagon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enter_the_Flagon)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2016, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charles-bronson/774584/2 "2016-12-13T03:26:14Z")
Charles Bronson smiled? ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2016, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charles-bronson/774584/3 "2016-12-13T03:33:24Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > I came to realize that his smile looks like he has just gotten out of bed with your Wife. I’ll just have to take your word on what that looks like. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2016, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charles-bronson/774584/4 "2016-12-13T03:50:01Z")
> [@Enter\_the\_Flagon](#): > > Charles Bronson smiled? You may [wish he hadn’t.](https://derricklferguson.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/deathwish-still1.jpg)😃 > [@carniverousplant](#): > > his smile looks like he has just gotten out of bed with your Wife. And [here](https://randall120.files.wordpress.com/2010/07/from_noon_til_three_19761.jpg) you go! ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2016, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charles-bronson/774584/5 "2016-12-13T05:25:33Z")
I was never a real big Bronson fan. But I liked him in “Two”, a 1961 episode of \*The Twilight Zone \*. I also thought he did a good job coming apart at the seams as the claustrophobic tunnel king in \*The Great Escape \*. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2016, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charles-bronson/774584/6 "2016-12-13T05:31:47Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > I came to realize that his smile looks like he has just gotten out of bed with your Wife. … or just wasted some [punk rock creeps](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1zBsbAk7Q8). ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2016, 8:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charles-bronson/774584/7 "2016-12-13T08:06:56Z")
Wasn’t his first film role as a heavy opposite Tracy and Hepburn? ---
**Author:** ![toast\_pakora](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3ec8ea/32.png) [@toast\_pakora](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/toast_pakora)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2016, 8:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charles-bronson/774584/8 "2016-12-13T08:26:07Z")
I was lucky enough to see **Rider on the Rain** in an indy theatre, one of his European suspense films. This one was French. I was late and missed the first ten minutes or so (when something crucial happens) and so it was doubly mystifying when Charles Bronson showed up. It was one of the best movie-going experiences I’ve ever had. Not your typical Bronson film. I don’t think it’s been released on DVD but I did buy a copy at a truck stop once. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Angel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d26b3c/32.png) [@Johnny\_Angel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Angel)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2016, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charles-bronson/774584/9 "2016-12-13T13:16:21Z")
The only Bronson movie I’ve seen in the theater was Telefon. I was quite young and found it baffling at the time. Eventually, I stopped associating Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening with the film. Thanks to the internet, I have witnessed [Bronson’s greatest performance](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmQTmFizuFY). ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2016, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charles-bronson/774584/10 "2016-12-13T13:40:00Z")
> [@Johnny\_Angel](#): > > The only Bronson movie I’ve seen in the theater was Telefon. I was quite young and found it baffling at the time. Eventually, I stopped associating Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening with the film. > > Thanks to the internet, I have witnessed [Bronson’s greatest performance](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmQTmFizuFY). Mandom! Oddly enough, my strongest impression of Mr. Bronson has always been that he probably didn’t smell very good. ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2016, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charles-bronson/774584/11 "2016-12-13T13:47:44Z")
> [@WOOKINPANUB](#): > > Oddly enough, my strongest impression of Mr. Bronson has always been that he probably didn’t smell very good. I’m guessing Hai Karate. But he was awesome in HOUSE OF WAX. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2016, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charles-bronson/774584/12 "2016-12-13T13:51:09Z")
> [@Derleth](#): > > … or just wasted some [punk rock creeps](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1zBsbAk7Q8). Oh yeah! I thought Bronson was a little gun, from seeing him in movies with Lee Marvin. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2016, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charles-bronson/774584/13 "2016-12-13T14:03:48Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > Wasn’t his first film role as a heavy opposite Tracy and Hepburn? _ **Pat and Mike** _ (1952), credited as Charles Buchinski: > **[Pat and Mike (1952) - IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0045012/fullcredits)** > > Pat and Mike (1952) cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. First gig: \*\*\*Fireside Theatre \*\*\*(TV series, 1949). Such a career! > **[Charles Bronson | Actor](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000314/?ref_=ttfc_fc_cl_t17)** > > Known for: Death Wish, Once Upon a Time in the West, The Great Escape ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2016, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charles-bronson/774584/14 "2016-12-13T14:28:17Z")
I just watched _The Great Escape_ for the first time since childhood, probably. It came out in 1963, and in addition to lead roles by Richard Attenborough, Steve McQueen, and James Garner who were already stars, Bronson had a fairly big supporting role as Danny, the Tunnel King. David McCallum, who would become majorly famous as Illya Kuryakin a few years later, also had a pretty good supporting part. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2016, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charles-bronson/774584/15 "2016-12-13T14:39:01Z")
An interesting actor but overly cast as the tough as nails heavy. I do think his best performance was as the Tunnel King in the great escape. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2016, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charles-bronson/774584/16 "2016-12-13T14:42:56Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > I just watched _The Great Escape_ for the first time since childhood, probably. It came out in 1963, and in addition to lead roles by Richard Attenborough, Steve McQueen, and James Garner who were already stars, Bronson had a fairly big supporting role as Danny, the Tunnel King. > > David McCallum, who would become majorly famous as Illya Kuryakin a few years later, also had a pretty good supporting part. Just one year later; _ **The Man from UNCLE** _ debuted in 1964. _ **The Great Escape** _ is an amazing movie; all of the actors in it were beyond memorable. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2016, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charles-bronson/774584/17 "2016-12-13T14:47:50Z")
You do know that Charles Bronson had an affair with Jill Ireland when she was married to David McCallum and he was still married to his first wife Harriet? Bronson would divorce his wife, but David would finally, after seven years, get sick of the whole situation, fall in love with model Kathy Carpenter, divorce Jill, and pretty much abandon her and their three sons. Bronson and Ireland would marry, raise his two children and her three, have a daughter together and take in another girl whose mother died. Jill Ireland’s books Life Wish and Life Lines are highly recommended. ---
**Author:** ![Personal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Personal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Personal)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2016, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charles-bronson/774584/18 "2016-12-13T14:53:54Z")
I watched an interview a couple of weeks ago with him and Jill Ireland on Dick Cavett from around 1971. He always gave me the impression that he was a mean guy even outside of acting, but he came across as a genuinely warm person in the interview. The Great Escape is one of my favorite movies. I don’t think that there was a bad performance in that film. Bronson was stellar. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2016, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charles-bronson/774584/19 "2016-12-13T15:06:32Z")
> [@Personal](#): > > I watched an interview a couple of weeks ago with him and Jill Ireland on Dick Cavett from around 1971. He always gave me the impression that he was a mean guy even outside of acting, but he came across as a genuinely warm person in the interview. There’s a pretty good bio of him at the IMDB link I posted above. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2016, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charles-bronson/774584/20 "2016-12-13T15:12:52Z")
> [@Johnny\_Angel](#): > > Thanks to the internet, I have witnessed [Bronson’s greatest performance](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmQTmFizuFY). With Percy Helton as The Doorman. What brilliant casting! LMFAO! 😛 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charles-bronson/774584.md?page=2)