Chuck Norris has died at 86. More than just an actor, Norris influenced a whole generation with his martial arts prowess and tough-guy persona. His unflinching roles in action-packed movies and TV shows made his a symbol of resilience and invincibility. The popularity of “Chuck Norris Facts”, a series of humorous, exaggerated sayings about Norris’s toughness that circulated on the internet in the mid-2000s, made him a meme before memes were even a thing.
Born in Ryan, Oklahoma, in 1940, Norris became a karate champion, winning multiple championships and holding black belts in various martial arts disciplines. His martial arts expertise became his signature on screen and would define his career. Here's a look at his decades-long career and and how it solidified his place as one of Hollywood’s most legendary action stars.
Way of the Dragon
The Wrecking Crew in 1968 was Chuck Norris's film debut. But his breakout role happened in 1972, when he was cast in Way of the Dragon, directed by and starring Bruce Lee. Norris's role as Colt, an American martial artist who faces off with Lee’s character catapulted him into the spotlight. The fight between Lee and Norris, set in the Colosseum in Rome, is still considered one of the greatest action sequences in film history.
The Delta Force
The Delta Force, in which Norris played Major Scott McCoy, a member of an elite counter-terrorism unit, was another iconic success. Inspired by real-life events, it follows the hijacking of a plane and McCoy’s mission to rescue the hostages. It was followed by a sequel in 1990, Delta Force 2: The Colombian Connection.
Code of Silence
While Norris was often typecast as the no-nonsense military or police hero,
Code of Silence in 1985 portrayed Norris as Eddie Cusack, a tough cop dealing with corruption in his department while trying to take on a drug cartel. Unlike his usual action hero characters, this film featured a grittier and more complex role.
Firewalker
In Firewalker, which released in 1986, Norris took a less trodden approach. He starred as a retired soldier teaming up with a former partner to recover hidden treasure in Central America. It was a mix of action, comedy, and adventure, a deviation from his usual tough-guy roles.
Walker, Texas Ranger
While Chuck Norris was still making movies in the 1990s, the decade saw the beginning of his iconic TV career. The most famous among them was Walker, Texas Ranger, which premiered in 1993. The series ran for a decade, spanning eight seasons and 200 episodes, and became a staple of '90s television.
Walker, Texas Ranger stars Chuck Norris as Cordell Walker, a Texas lawman, who influenced the pop culture in the '90s. It also inspired several later TV movies, including Walker, Texas Ranger: Trial by Fire (2005). In 2021, it was rebooted as Walker, with Jared Padalecki taking over the lead role as a modern-day version of Cordell Walker.
Expendables 2
In 2012, Chuck Norris made a cameo in The Expendables 2, a star-studded action film featuring an ensemble cast of Hollywood legends like Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Bruce Willis. Norris’s role as Booker, a mercenary, was a nod to his enduring legacy in the world of action films and allowed fans to see him share the screen with some of his action hero peers.
