Charles Bronson

Charles Bronson (1921-2003)

Charles Bronson with Thompson Submachine Gun as Josh Corey in You Can't Win 'Em All (1970).

Charles Bronson holds a SAA revolver as Link Stuart in Red Sun (1971).

Charles Bronson pulls a Wildey Magnum as Paul Kersey in Death Wish 3 (1985).

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.

Charles Bronson can be seen using the following weapons in the following films and television series:

Film

Gun	Character	Title	Note	Date
Single Action Army	Pittsburgh	Vera Cruz	Anachronistic; "Artillery" model, "Quick-Draw" model; both with wooden grips	1954
Winchester Model 1892			Anachronistic; Saddle Ring Carbine
Single Action Army	Kintpuash/Captain Jack	Drum Beat	"Artillery" model, "Quick-Draw" model; both with wooden grips	1954
Colt 1878 Double Action			Anachronistic; with 5.5" barrel and hard rubber grips
Winchester Model 1892			Anachronistic; Saddle Ring Carbine
Stevens Single Shot Rifle			Anachronistic; with nickel-plated finish
Single Action Army	Reb	Jubal	"Artillery" model with wooden grips	1956
Single Action Army	Luke Welsh	Showdown at Boot Hill	"Artillery" model, "Quick-Draw" model; both with wooden grips	1958
Colt Detective Special	George "Machine Gun" Kelly	Machine-Gun Kelly	1st Gen model with Round Butt grips	1958
M1928 Thompson			With 30-round magazine
M1928A1 Thompson	Sgt. John Danforth	Never So Few	With 30-round magazine	1959
Single Action Army	Bernardo O'Reilly	The Magnificent Seven	"Artillery" model with wooden grips	1960
Winchester Model 1892			Saddle Ring Carbine
Colt Model 1903/1908	Lew Nyack	Kid Galahad	With hard rubber grips	1962
M3A1 "Grease Gun"	Maj. Wolenski	Battle of the Bulge		1965
M20 Bazooka
M3A1 "Grease Gun"	Joseph Wladislaw	The Dirty Dozen		1967
M1 Garand
Beretta 950 Jetfire
Walther P38
Luger P 08
Single Action Army	Rodolfo Fierro	Villa Rides	Dual-Wielded; "Quick-Draw" model with pearl grips	1968
Single Action Army			Dual-Wielded; Bisley "Quick-Draw" model with hard rubber grips
Single Action Army			"Buntline Special" with 12" barrel and hard rubber grips
Vickers Mk. I			With ribbed water jacket
Single Action Army	Harmonica	Once Upon a Time in the West	Uberti replica, "Artillery" model with iron backstrap and trigger guard, and wooden grips	1968
Smith & Wesson M1917	Franz Propp	Farewell, Friend		1968
Single Action Army	Matson	4 for Texas	"Artillery" model with wooden grips	1969
Luger P 08	Col. Harry Dobbs	Rider on the Rain (Le passager de la pluie)	With wooden grips	1970
12 Gauge Double Barreled Shotgun			With Hammerless
Smith & Wesson Model 49	Jeff Heston	Violent City		1970
ArmaLite AR-7 With sniper scope and suppressor
Remington Model 700			With sniper scope
Winchester Model 1200
Ruger Model 44 Deerslayer			With scope
Colt New Service	Josh Corey	You Can't Win 'Em All		1970
M1921 Thompson
MAB Model D Type II	Joe Martin	Cold Sweat		1970
LP-42 Flare Pistol
MAB Model R			Not used in action
Single Action Army	Link Stuart	Red Sun	Uberti replica, "Artillery" model	1971
Garate El Tigre			Anachronistic
Walther PP	The Stranger	Someone Behind the Door		1971
Colt 1851 Navy	Chato	Chato's Land	Uberti replica with cartridge conversion	1972
Single Barreled Shotgun			Beretta Model 412; visually modified as a percussion cap musket
Winchester Model 1200	Arthur Bishop	The Mechanic		1972
Walther PPK/S
Walther PPK
Colt Woodsman
Air Rifle
Beretta Model 70	Joe Valachi	The Valachi Papers		1972
Colt Detective Special
Winchester Model 1892	Ben Justin	The Bull of the West	Saddle Ring Carbine	1972
Smith & Wesson Model 10	Lou Torrey	The Stone Killer	4" barrel	1973
Winchester Model 1912
Garate El Tigre	Chino Valdez	Chino		1973
Winchester Model 1873			Saddle Ring Carbine
12 Gauge Double Barreled Shotgun			With exposed hammers
Colt Police Positive	Paul Kersey	Death Wish	With nickel-plated finish and pearl grips	1974
Remington 1858 New Army			Modern replica, with blued finish and possibly cartridge conversion
Single Action Army			"Cavalry" model with wooden grips
Mossberg 500	Vince Majestyk	Mr. Majestyk		1974
Unknown Bolt-Action Rifle
Single Action Army	Harge Talbot Jr.	The Meanest Men in the West	"Artillery" model with wooden grips; without rear sight in some scenes	1974
Smith & Wesson .44 Double Action	Chaney	Hard Times		1975
Colt 1860 Army	John Deakin	Breakheart Pass	Modern replica with cartridge conversion	1975
Single Action Army			"Artillery" model with wooden grips
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	"Quick-Draw" model with wooden grips	1976
Winchester Model 1892			Rifle
Smith & Wesson Model 28	Major Grigorij Borzov	Telefon	4" barrel	1977
Single Action Army	Wild Bill Hickok	The White Buffalo	"Quick-Draw" with wooden stag horn grips	1977
Colt New Service			Dual-Wielded; With 5" barrel and wooden stag horn grips
Colt 1878 Double Action			With 5.5" barrel, nickel-plated finish and hard rubber grips
Colt 1851 Navy			Probably a Uberti replica, with cartridge conversion
Sawed-Off Double Barrel Shotgun			With sawed-off stock
Sharps 1874 Buffalo
Winchester Model 1866 "Yellow Boy"			Rifle
Colt Python	Charlie Congers	Love and Bullets	4" barrel	1979
12 Gauge Double Barreled Shotgun
Smith & Wesson Model 28	U.S. Border Patrol Agent Jeb Maynard	Borderline		1980
M1911	Gifford Hoyt	Caboblanco		1980
Mosin Nagant M1891
Single Action Army	Albert Johnson	Death Hunt		1981
Savage 99
Winchester Model 1912
Single Barreled Shotgun			Cut down
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			Left-handed model, Sawed-off
Colt Cobra	Paul Kersey	Death Wish 3		1985
Wildey Magnum
M72 LAW
Browning M1919
Ruger Security Six	Jack Murphy	Murphy's Law		1986
Smith & Wesson Model 36
Smith & Wesson Model 10
Colt Trooper
Remington 870 Folding Stock
M16
Walther PPK	Jay Killion	Assassination		1987
Heckler & Koch P9S
Micro Uzi
M72 LAW
LaFrance Specialties M16K
American Derringer Model 1
M16 with M203 grenade launcher	Paul Kersey	Death Wish 4		1987
Ruger Mini-14			Suppressed
Walther PPK
Walther PP
MAC-10			Suppressed
Micro Uzi
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

Television

Gun	Character	Title	Note	Date
M1 Garand	Cpl. Velasquez	Combat!	"Heritage" (S03E30)	1965