Leathery, stoical leading man, often in action pictures directed by J. Lee Thompson. For years Bronson played stony-faced henchmenn and assorted villains, as with his mute in "House of Wax" (1953), made during a period when Bronson was still known as Charles Buchinsky. His roles grew in prominence over the years; he was especially memorable as the taciturn gunslinger in Sergio Leone's epic "Once Upon a Time in the West" (1969).

As the 70s approached, Bronson rather unexpectedly became an immensely popular star internationally, at first in European-made features. He specialized in tough action