Charles Bronson Played Two Very Different Roles On Gunsmoke

Not every actor can be one of the greats, but they make a memorable impression based on how filmmakers play to their strengths. Charles Bronson is one of those actors. He didn't exactly break the mold as an expressive actor, but there's a flexibility in his stoicism that could present a two-way mirror depending on the kind of character he was playing. Legends like Sergio Leone ("Once Upon a Time in the West") and John Sturges ("The Great Escape") knew as much.

If there's one film that defines the definitive Bronson look and feel, it's Michael Winnerman's revenge fantasy "Death Wish." Paul Kersey is an architect turned nighttime vigilante who vows to clean up the streets after his wife is murdered and his daughter is sexually assaulted during a home invasion. Not much changes when it comes to Bronson's performance across the increasingly ridiculous five film series, as the character's quiet bloodthirst remains fairly consistent. But there are instances throughout his television work that reveal a nuance beneath his rugged demeanor.

Both examples of this can be found in Bronson's two appearances on the long-running CBS western drama "Gunsmoke."

In his first guest spot, Bronson goes full bad guy. At the top of the season 1 episode "The Killer," there's some narration from Marshal Matt Dillon (James Arness) as he talks about how he doesn't mind killing if the other party is making trouble for innocent people. It sets an ominous tone for the arrival of Bronson's Crego, a psychopath who has a penchant for murdering people in cold blood.

There's a chilling moment where the gunslinger puts three bullets in a man in his sleep without even flinching and then has the nerve to go back to sleep alongside him. What makes Crego so dangerous is that he either antagonizes someone into a gunfight he knows he can win or kills someone outside the view of the law so that he can claim it was in self-defense. It's a pattern that Dillon recognizes as an issue that makes it hard to pin Crego down with some solid charges.

As Crego makes trouble in Dodge City drinking and harassing Long Branch Saloon owner Kitty (Amanda Blake), Dillon sees a weakness he can prey upon. For all of his talk, the killer doesn't have much confidence in himself when he's presented with an equal dueling opportunity. Bronson does a good job of portraying a frightened coward hiding beneath the rough disposition.

Dillon realizes the only way he can put an end to Crego's reign of terror is to meet the devil on his own terms. The killer takes off his gun belt, but the Marshal tells him that he's going to kill him outside one way one way or another. Like clockwork, Crego reaches for his pistol once he turns his back, but Dillon gets the drop on him because he's nothing, if not predictable.

When Bronson rode up to Dodge City a few seasons later, it was in the guise of a much different character, albeit one where a gun similarly leads to trouble.

In the season 4 episode "The Lost Rifle," Bronson plays Ben Tiple, an old friend of Dillon who occasionally does some work around town. He's the kind of buddy who takes care of his friend's horses free of charge. But as beloved as he is by the Marshal, Ben has some enemies of his own. A man named Will Gibbs (Tom Greenway) believes that Ben rustled his cattle years ago and is still sore about the whole thing, despite the lack of evidence. There's a small tussle in Dodge City, but nothing comes of it.

Ben finds himself in trouble, however, when Will turns up dead the next day with a bullet in his back. Will's friend Joe Spangler (Lew Gallo) pleads with Dillon to bring him to justice, but recognizes that his relationship prevents him from seeing the situation through clearer eyes. Unlike in "The Killer," here Bronson plays a man accused of murder with little reason to believe he did it. Despite his steely exterior, Ben is an affable presence who makes Dillon light up.

Joe seems like an obvious candidate as the murderer, using the callous death as a means to take Ben down. There's some precedence to his temper too. Joe's an openly abusive step-father to his step-son Andy (Paul Engle), who also happens to spend time with Ben. But it's revealed that Will's death was the result of a hunting accident revolving around Andy having borrowed his step-father's rifle when he wasn't looking. That doesn't change Joe's mind in the slightest, which prompts Dillon to take him out before he can murder an innocent man.

Bronson's hidden warmth comes across so clearly that it's not so much of a mystery of whether he killed Will and more a matter of what happens when the outside party responsible doesn't initially speak up.

Every episode of "Gunsmoke" is currently streaming on Pluto TV.