Charles Bronson

Charles Bronson, born as Charles Buchinsky in Ehrenfeld, Pennsylvania on November 3, 1921, is a notable actor. In most of his roles he starred as very brutal police detectives or mafia hitmen. His most famous films include The Great Escape in which he played an east-european prisoner of war, and The Magnificent Seven, in which he played a heroic cowboy. In 1961 Bronson made an appearance in The Twilight Zone (see Two). Today, he's best remembered for the Death Wish[?] series in which he played an architect by day, and a vigilante by night. The series also starred Vincent Gardenia[?].

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Charles Bronson is the adopted name by deed poll of Michael Peterson. A Welsh-born criminal he has been in prison for most of his life since the age of nineteen.

Initially jailed in 1974 for robbery and wounding his sentence has been repeatedly extended and he has spent only three months out of custody. He has served 22 years in solitary confinement for repeated attacks on prison staff and inmates, including a number of hostage situations and rooftop protests. His dangerous behaviour has meant that he has spent time in over 120 different prisons.

While in prison he has developed an extreme fitness regime and regularly performs 2,500 press-ups a day. In 2002 he published a book Solitary Fitness detailing a individual training process with minimal resources and space.