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Post by chaney on May 31, 2009 11:53:33 GMT -5
By most accounts the real-life Bronson was a private, often silent loner who sent out a definite leave-me alone vibe on movie sets. He didn't go out of his way to make new friends or create idle chit-chat. Have read plenty of stories along this line, one of my favorites from assistant director Robert Relyea in his book "Not So Quiet on the Set". In regard to Gig Young and Bronson on the set of "Kid Galahad" Relyea wrote:
In the evenings, Gig loved to crawl up on top of the bar and slowly inch his way down to where Charles Bronson was enjoying his beer.
"Charlie, flex your muscles for me," Gig would say while lying prone on the bar with his chin resting on the counter.
"I'll punch your fucking lights out if you don't get out of my face," Bronson would answer.
Classic Charlie and wonder if others have come across similar stories or anecdotes over the years. Please share.
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crego
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Post by crego on May 31, 2009 12:17:50 GMT -5
During the filming on location of "MISTER MAJESTYK", Bronson was having dinner with director Richard Fleischer. A man came at their table and invited Bronson at his golf club any time he wanted. Bronson replied : "Where I live in L.A. the back lawn of my home is part of a golf course. And you know what I do with that golf course ? I let my dog shit on it". End of conversation. This was related in Fleischer's book "JUST TELL ME WHEN TO CRY". Love it.
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Post by chaney on Jun 1, 2009 19:23:17 GMT -5
"I don't have any friends and I don't want any."
Bronson, People Magazine, 1974
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crego
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Post by crego on Jun 2, 2009 0:28:43 GMT -5
On the set of "THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN", Bronson was introduced to german actor Horst Buchholz. [glow=red,2,300]BRONSON [/glow]: "Hello, Horse". [glow=red,2,300]BUCHHOLZ [/glow]: "No, it's Horst" [glow=red,2,300]BRONSON [/glow]: "I know".
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Post by maphillips3 on Jun 2, 2009 19:30:57 GMT -5
I was about too make a topic about this subject, because I wondered what other actors have thought about Bronson, off camera. He sounded like a very quiet person, which can be difficult to be, because most people are extroverted by nature, and seem to act nasty, or pick on people that act so diffrent than them, so Bronson definitely had to be one tough man, too live that way, and I am thankful, because alot of people are afraid to be themselves, so they don't get ridiculed, or badmouthed, but Bronson came from a different era, where you didn't give a dam what people think of you, so alot of people today can seek inspiration from him, to just be YOURSELF, and if they don't like it, SCREW THEM!
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Post by chaney on Jun 3, 2009 10:52:55 GMT -5
Jim Brown, former NFL football great and Bronson's co-star in THE DIRTY DOZEN, had the following to say about Charlie in his autobiography "Out of Bounds":
I flew over to London with Charles Bronson. He was the strangest mofo I had ever met. I sat right next to him, man did not say one word to me. He stared straight ahead, appeared to be brooding. I spoke to him once, but I knew not to say too much. After that, I was surprised at how much help he gave me on the set. I like men I can't intimidate, and I liked Bronson. He was tough and forward, if you were weak you'd be scared of him. He used to be a coal miner, never pretended he hadn't. Bronson was in tremendous physical condition. He would walk to a car, stop, jump right over it. The London women were after his ass. He wasn't a face man, but they liked his body and they liked his walk - Bronson had a great walk, tight and contained. Watching Bronson, you could tell he thought he could fight. I don't know if Bronson could fight or not, but you didn't want to fuck with him. The mental thing he carried around was no joke.
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Post by arthurbishop on Jun 5, 2009 21:18:21 GMT -5
This is another example of Bronson's disposition on the set of the Mechanic:
Michael Winner: "He didn’t really like Jan Michael Vincent because Vincent was so ‘pretty’. I remember one day when Jan came in and had a cold. Charlie said: “That’s a bad cold you’ve got there, Jan.” “That’s very sweet of you. Thank you for caring about that.” said Jan. “I don’t give a damn about it,” said Charlie. “I just don’t want to catch it!”
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Post by chaney on Jun 17, 2009 18:57:58 GMT -5
British stuntman Nosher Powell was a boxing champ in the Imperial Services and fought pro as a heavyweight in the early 1950's before entering the film business. At the age of 17 he was hired to be sparring partner to Joe Louis when the Brown Bomber made a European tour. Nosher led a colorful life as a stuntman/night club bouncer and worked as one of the stuntmen in "You Can't Win 'Em All" and devoted most of an entire chapter of his autobiography to his involvement with Charles Bronson.
It seems that on location in Turkey Charlie was his typical gruff, taciturn self among cast and crew. Powell happened to buy a crate of oranges at a local market and had a fruit squeezer with which he would make fresh orange juice for cast and crew. Someone would come with a glass, Nosher would fill it up, and they would typically drop a dollar in each day as their contribution. Everyone except Charlie, who hadn't put in any money. One day Charlie arrived with a jug for Jill and the kids, and said, "Fill her up, Nosher!" Nosher obliged in front of the kids, but when Charlie returned a short time later alone for more orange juice Nosher took him to task for not putting money in. Charlie got upset and left. The next day Nosher again called Charlie a tightwad and Charlie gave the famous flat stare and said he didn't owe anyone anything, let along a good morning or a good night. He stalked off again.
That afternoon Nosher got his boxing gear out and put in a workout. Charlie hadn't realized Nosher was a boxer, and Nosher noticed Charlie had come out of his trailer to watch him. Charlie approached him and said, "I never knew you were a fighter." Nosher replied anytime Charlie wanted a workout to let him know, figuring that would be the end of it. The next day Charlie appeared in shorts and told Nosher he was ready for the workout. The two began to spar and Nosher said Charlie came at him fast and hard. Remember, Nosher was a pro heavyweight while Charlie was an amateur middleweight. Nosher slipped a punch and countered, surprising Charlie, who suddenly gained respect for the pro. Nosher in turn gained respect for Charlie daring to put the gloves on with him. Nosher showed Charlie a few more tricks and the two had a nice workout and were suddenly on friendly terms for the rest of the picture. Nosher freely poured orange juice for Charlie's kids the rest of the picture and on the last day of filming Charlie put $200 cash into the kitty.
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crego
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Post by crego on Jul 14, 2009 12:39:29 GMT -5
Michèle Mercier, her female co-star in "YOU CAN'T WIN'EM ALL" didn't like Bronson too much. First time they met, she was resting on the set, a stool under her feet. Bronson kicked the stool, picked it up, and put his own feet on it, without a smile or a word.
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Post by harmonica on Jul 18, 2009 4:05:01 GMT -5
Michèle Mercier, her female co-star in " YOU CAN'T WIN'EM ALL" didn't like Bronson too much. First time they met, she was resting on the set, a stool under her feet. Bronson kicked the stool, picked it up, and put his own feet on it, without a smile or a word. I can imagine that:Bronson kicks the stool the way he kicked the table, with the armed man on it, in the kitchen scene in "Cold Sweat" an then he picks it up the way he did with the pistol in the boat scene
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Post by maphillips3 on Jul 19, 2009 14:49:22 GMT -5
Thats an interesting story crego. I was wondering if you have anymore stories about his female co stars, because we have discussed alot about his male stars?
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crego
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Post by crego on Jul 20, 2009 12:50:26 GMT -5
Liv Ullmann wrote bad things about him in her biography, remembering Bronson never said a single word to her, during the whole shooting. Claudia Cardinale kind of liked him, but Bronson said in an interview "She's no Anne Bancroft, but she's okay". Lee Remick was afraid of him during "TELEFON" ("He's liable to bite me" she said to Don Siegel, who wanted her to kiss Bronson by surprise in one scene). Most of his other films co-starred Jill Ireland, so...
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Post by maphillips3 on Jul 21, 2009 17:14:12 GMT -5
Thanks Crego! Was Liv, the woman in "Rider On The Rain" ?
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crego
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Post by crego on Jul 22, 2009 13:20:10 GMT -5
No, that was Marlène Jobert. Liv Ullmann, Ingmar Bergman's favorite actress was with Bronson in "COLD SWEAT".
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Post by harmonica on Jul 23, 2009 2:13:40 GMT -5
Liv Ullmann wrote bad things about him in her biography, remembering Bronson never said a single word to her, during the whole shooting. Claudia Cardinale kind of liked him, but Bronson said in an interview "She's no Anne Bancroft, but she's okay". Lee Remick was afraid of him during " TELEFON" ("He's liable to bite me" she said to Don Siegel, who wanted her to kiss Bronson by surprise in one scene). Most of his other films co-starred Jill Ireland, so... So what finally happen, did she dare to try to kiss him?
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