How to convert char to int?

What is the proper way to convert a char to int? This gives 49:

int val = Convert.ToInt32('1');
//int val = Int32.Parse("1"); // Works

I don't want to convert to string and then parse it.

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned the static method built right into System.Char...

int val = (int)Char.GetNumericValue('8');
// val == 8

how about (for char c)

int i = (int)(c - '0');

which does substraction of the char value?

Re the API question (comments), perhaps an extension method?

public static class CharExtensions {
    public static int ParseInt32(this char value) {
        int i = (int)(value - '0');
        if (i < 0 || i > 9) throw new ArgumentOutOfRangeException("value");
        return i;
    }
}

then use int x = c.ParseInt32();

What everyone is forgeting is explaining WHY this happens.

A Char, is basically an integer, but with a pointer in the ASCII table. All characters have a corresponding integer value as you can clearly see when trying to parse it.

Pranay has clearly a different character set, thats why HIS code doesnt work. the only way is

int val = '1' - '0';

because this looks up the integer value in the table of '0' which is then the 'base value' subtracting your number in char format from this will give you the original number.

int i = (int)char.GetNumericValue(c);

Yet another option:

int i = c & 0x0f;

This should accomplish this as well.