Winner's tribute to 'top star' Bronson

Michael Winner said Bronson "took me to Hollywood"

Film director Michael Winner has paid tribute to "great actor" Charles Bronson, who has died aged 81.

British director Winner directed Bronson in six films, including the first three of the Death Wish series, which became global hits.

"He was a top, top star," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

Bronson died from pneumonia at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles on Saturday.

He used to wear his sister's hand-me-down clothing, because the one above him was a girl Michael Winner

The actor had been "scarred" by his experience as a young coal miner and became "a very underrated actor", Winner told the show.

Winner added that the actor "hated his voice, and was very shy, indeed as many actors are".

The director said he had Bronson to thank for launching his own Hollywood career.

'Great professional'

"I made the first all-American film he starred in... and he took me to Hollywood by asking me to direct his first Hollywood film where he starred."

The director said the fact Bronson had never been Oscar-nominated in his long career did not mean he was not a fine actor.

Bronson "hated his voice" and was shy off screen, Winner said

"A lot of great actors don't win Oscars... he was a popular actor, he was a very, very good actor. He restricted himself to roles which were not dissimilar, but that's not to say he wasn't a wonderful screen actor, which he most certainly was."

Winner said Bronson was "a great professional, knew exactly what he was doing, didn't mess about [and was] an interesting character beneath that".

Winner related Bronson's tale of being a miner, when he had to lie on his back, chipping away at a rock seam and was only paid for as many buckets of coal he could take out.

He also told Today about the star's early life as one of 15 children of a poor Pennsylvania family.

"He used to wear his sister's hand-me-down clothing because the one above him was a girl," Winner said.