Charles Bronson did not reach box office stardom in the United States until his early 50s, which was exceptionally late for an actor. He also wasn’t nominated by a major awards committee for any of his film roles, though he was considered for a television Emmy Award in 1961 and received a Golden Globe Award for ‘most popular actor in the world’ in 1972.
Bronson’s rugged style earned jeers from critics, but enjoyed a large following by the general public. Producers realized this, signing Bronson to films for around one million dollars and a cut of the gross before such contracts were typical.
He was an impressive figure in cinemas worldwide, called 'Le Monstre Sacré' by the French and 'Il Brutto' by the Italians. Yet Bronson lacked confidence in his weather-beaten features and a voice that reflected years of using English as a second language. Several acquaintances of Bronson claim that he was embarrassed by his presence on-screen.