Working at the coal mine as a kid, Charles Bronson was convinced he was ‘the lowliest of all forms of a man’

Even as an adult, Bronson was plagued by the memories of this time in his life. He would never forget the arduous labor or the overpowering coal odor that filled his nostrils. Bronson had the impression that he was inhaling black dust while living on his hands and knees.

He frequently remembered the numerous headaches and how hard and filthy his hands were when working as a miner. According to Bronson, he was born with a shovel in his mouth rather than a spoon.

Above the bodily effects, however, was a psychological effect that was much more severe: his time spent working as a coal miner left him with a severe inferiority complex.

“During my years as a miner, I was just a kid, but I was convinced that I was the lowliest of all forms of man,” he said.

In reality, according to Bronson, all of the coal miners in his area shared the same complex; they believed that steelworkers and railroad workers were the ‘elite’ and that they were the lowest class of human beings.

“Very few people know what it is like to live down there underneath the surface of the world, in that total blackness.”

He was overjoyed when he was eventually enlisted into the army. Finally, he could leave behind his gloomy surroundings and count on being fed and clothed. This time in his life would finally pave the way for Bronson to establish himself as one of Hollywood’s most recognizable figures.

Bronson returned to the United States after serving in World War II, started studying art, and then enrolled at the Pasadena Playhouse in California.