Charlie and Roger Corman

[chaney]

In his autobiography 'How I Made a Hundred Movies in Hollywood and Never Lost a Dime", Roger Corman mentions Charlie and the making of MACHINE GUN KELLY. Here's the excerpt with Corman talking about how the character Kelly folded up in the climax:

On the set, Bronson himself showed far more swagger than weakness, though I got on well with him. During one break Charlie and I started sparring off to the side. I thought, I have no idea how I even got into something like this with a guy as massive as Charlie Bronson. I held up one hand and he pounded it with a left, knocked it right back. My hand went back up, he came in again and pounded it again. Then he punched at least twenty lefts and rights straight into my stomach - not hard shots, just strong enough to let me feel his power. I said to him, "Okay, Charlie, that's great, I think I'm going to go over there and work on the script now." That's when he mentioned that he had come out of the Pennsylvania coal mines and been a successful semipro boxer.

[harmonica]

That's really interesting Chaney, thanks...

what's the difference between semi-pro and pro?

[chaney]

I think the fighter receives money but the fight isn't sanctioned by any governing body. Recall reading Robert Mitchum bios about his "tanktown" fights in mining towns. The fight happens, money is exchanged from the gate, but it never goes into any official record book.

[harmonica]

"funny way to make a living"

I see...thank you. but the rules were the same as in the pro fights(no headgear etc...), right?

[maphillips3]

Thanks CHANEY, would like to know more about Charlie's boxing career.