Chuck Norris

Carlos Ray “Chuck” Norris was born on March 10, 1940, in Ryan, Oklahoma. He was a martial artist, actor, screenwriter, and author who earned black belts in karate, taekwondo, Tang Soo Do, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, and judo. After his time in the United States Air Force, he won multiple martial arts championships and created his own style, Chun Kuk Do. Norris got his start in Hollywood teaching martial arts to celebrities, then appeared in a small role in *The Wrecking Crew* (1968). Bruce Lee, a friend and fellow martial artist, asked him to play a main villain in *The Way of the Dragon* (1972). Though he kept acting, it was friend and student Steve McQueen who urged him to take it seriously. Norris then starred in *Breaker! Breaker!* (1977), which made a profit, and his next lead, *Good Guys Wear Black* (1978), was a hit, launching him as a popular action star.

He went on to headline a string of successful independent action and martial arts films, including *A Force of One* (1979), *The Octagon* (1980), and *An Eye for an Eye* (1981), which brought him international fame. Later studio films like *Silent Rage* (1982), *Forced Vengeance* (1982), and *Lone Wolf McQuade* (1983) followed. Cannon Films signed him to a multi-picture deal starting with *Missing in Action* (1984), which spawned a trilogy and made him the company’s top star in the 1980s. Other Cannon films included *Invasion U.S.A.* (1985), *The Delta Force* (1986), and *Firewalker* (1986). Outside that deal, he starred in *Code of Silence* (1985), often considered one of his best films. In the 1990s, he played the lead in the long-running CBS series *Walker, Texas Ranger* (1993–2001). He continued acting in action films until 2006, with his last major movie role in *The Expendables 2* (2012).

Beyond acting, Norris became a bestselling author of books on martial arts, exercise, philosophy, conservative politics, Christian western fiction, self-help, and biography, and wrote a regular column for WorldNetDaily. He appeared in many commercials, most notably as a longtime spokesperson for Total Gym. In 2005, the “Chuck Norris facts” internet meme began, humorously exaggerating his toughness. He endorsed products tied to the meme, and it led to two video games, multiple books, and several talk-show appearances.

Norris was the oldest of three brothers, born to Wilma Lee Scarberry and Ray Dee Norris, a World War II veteran who worked as a mechanic, bus driver, and truck driver. His mother was of Irish ancestry; his father had German and British descent. He was named after his father’s minister, Carlos Berry. His parents divorced when he was 16, and he moved with his mother and brothers to Prairie Village, Kansas, then to Torrance, California. His younger brother Wieland predicted his own death before age 27, which came true when he was killed in the Vietnam War in 1970. Norris described his childhood as downbeat—he was non-athletic, shy, and a mediocre student. His father worked sporadically and went on drinking binges, and Norris felt embarrassed by his father’s behavior and the family’s money troubles, leading to a lasting introversion.

In 1958, Norris joined the Air Force as an Air Policeman, stationed at Osan Air Base in South Korea. There he got the nickname “Chuck” and started training in Tang Soo Do. After returning to the U.S., he served at March Air Force Base in California and was discharged in August 1962 as an airman first class. While applying to be a policeman in Torrance, he opened a martial arts studio and began competing. He lost his first two matches to Joe Lewis and Allen Steen, then lost three rounds to Tony Tulleners at the International Karate Championships. He improved, beating Vic Moore and winning the 1967 karate tournament after defeating seven opponents, including a final win over Skipper Mullins. On June 24, 1967, he won S. Henry Cho’s All-American Karate Championship at Madison Square Garden, taking the title from Julio LaSalle and beating Joe Lewis. During this time, he worked for Northrop Corporation and opened a chain of karate schools; his celebrity students included Steve and Chad McQueen, Bob Barker, Priscilla Presley, and Donny and Marie Osmond. In early 1968, he lost a decision to Louis Delgado but avenged it on November 24, winning the Professional Middleweight Karate Championship. On April 1, 1968, he defended his All-American title in a round-robin tournament at the Karate Tournament of Champions of North America. He won the All-American Championship again later that year and retired undefeated. While competing, he met Bruce Lee, then known for *The Green Hornet*, and they became friends, training and working together. In August 1969, he defended his world championship at the International Karate Championship, which drew competitors from most U.S. states and several countries. He kept the title and won Karate’s triple crown.