Chuck Norris, martial arts master and actor whose toughness became internet lore, dies at 86

Chuck Norris, the martial arts grandmaster and enactment prima whose roles successful “Walker, Texas Ranger” and different tv shows and movies made him an iconic pugnacious feline — sparking net parodies and adoration from presidents — has died astatine 86.

Norris died Thursday, successful what his household described arsenic a “sudden passing.”

“While we would similar to support the circumstances private, delight cognize that helium was surrounded by his household and was astatine peace,” the household said successful a connection posted to societal media.

Before helium would go a prima successful movies and connected TV, Norris was wildly palmy successful competitory martial arts. He became a six-time undefeated World Professional Middleweight Karate champion. He besides founded his ain Korean-based American hard benignant of karate known sometimes arsenic Chun Kuk Do and the United Fighting Arts Federation, which has awarded much than 3,300 Chuck Norris System achromatic belts worldwide. Black Belt mag yet credited Norris successful its hallway of fame with holding a 10th grade achromatic belt, the highest imaginable honor.

Born Carlos Ray Norris successful Ryan, Oklahoma, connected March 10, 1940, helium grew up poor. At property 12, helium moved with his household to Torrance, California, and joined the U.S. Air Force aft precocious school, successful 1958. It was during a deployment to Korea that helium started grooming successful martial arts, including judo and Tang Soo Do.

“I went retired for gymnastics and shot astatine North Torrance high,” helium told The Associated Press successful 1982. “I played immoderate football, but I besides spent a batch of clip connected the bench. I was ne'er truly diversion until I was successful the work successful Korea.”

After helium was honorably discharged successful 1962, helium worked arsenic a record clerk for Northrop Aircraft and applied to beryllium a constabulary officer, but was enactment connected a waitlist. Meanwhile, helium opened a martial arts studio, which expanded to a chain, with students including specified stars arsenic Bob Barker, Priscilla Presley, Donnie and Marie Osmond, and Steve McQueen, whom helium aboriginal credited with encouraging him to get into acting.

From 1 workplace to another

Norris made his movie debut arsenic an uncredited bodyguard successful the 1968 movie “The Wrecking Crew,” which included a combat with Dean Martin. He had besides crossed paths with Bruce Lee successful martial arts circles. Their relationship — sometimes, arsenic sparring partners — led to an iconic faceoff successful the 1972 movie “Return of the Dragon,” successful which Lee fights and kills Norris’ quality successful Rome’s Colosseum.

He went connected to enactment successful much than 20 movies, specified arsenic “Missing successful Action,” “The Delta Force” and “Sidekicks.”

“I wanted to task a definite representation connected the surface of a hero. I had seen a batch of anti-hero movies successful which the pb was neither bully nor bad. There was nary 1 to basal for,” Norris said successful 1982.

In 1993, helium took connected his astir famed role, arsenic a crime-fighting lawman successful TV’s “Walker, Texas Ranger.” The amusement ran for 9 seasons, and successful 2010, then-Gov. Rick Perry awarded him the rubric of honorary Texas Ranger. The Texas Senate aboriginal named him an honorary Texan.

“It’s not unit for violence’s sake, with nary motivation structure,” Norris told the AP successful 1996, speaking astir the show. “You effort to represent the due meaning of what it’s astir — warring injustice with justice, bully vs. bad. … It’s entertaining for the full family.”

Norris besides made a astonishment comedic quality arsenic a decisive justice successful the last lucifer of the 2004 movie “Dodgeball.” He lone connected juncture has taken acting roles successful caller years, including 2012’s “The Expendables 2” and the 2024 sci-fi enactment movie “Agent Recon.”

Chuck Norris: the man, the meme, the legend

It was astir the clip of “Dodgeball” that his toughman representation became the worldly of legend, literally: “Chuck Norris Facts” went viral online with specified wildly hyperbolic statements as, “Chuck Norris had a staring contention with the prima -- and won,” and, “They wanted to enactment Chuck Norris connected Mt. Rushmore, but the granite wasn’t pugnacious capable for his beard.”

Norris yet embraced the absurdity of the meme craze, putting unneurotic “The Official Chuck Norris Fact Book,” which combined his favorites with supposedly existent stories and the codes helium aimed to unrecorded by. He would besides constitute books connected martial arts instruction, a memoir, governmental takes, Civil War-era humanities fabrication and more.

“To immoderate who cognize small of my martial arts oregon movie careers but possibly grew up with ‘Walker, Texas Ranger,’ it seems that I person go a somewhat mythical superhero icon,” Norris wrote successful the guardant to the information book. “I americium flattered and humbled.”

That publication raised wealth for a nonprofit helium founded with President George H.W. Bush that promoted martial arts acquisition for kids.

The intentionally outlandish statements featured successful the 2008 Republican statesmanlike primary, erstwhile Norris endorsed Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee and changeable an advertisement playing connected the “Chuck Norris facts.”

President Donald Trump’s supporters aboriginal promoted Trump Facts successful the aforesaid vein, and governmental pundits tried it arsenic well, describing the commander-in-chief’s determination to prehend Venezuela’s sitting president, Nicolas Maduro, arsenic a “Chuck Norris Moment,” and its archetypal effect connected lipid prices a “Chuck Norris Premium.”

Norris was outspoken astir his Christian beliefs and his enactment for weapon rights, and backed governmental candidates for years — helium adjacent went skydiving with Bush for the erstwhile president’s 80th birthday. As for Trump, Norris endorsed him successful the 2016 wide predetermination and wrote impermanent columns praising him without explicitly endorsing him the successful the days earlier the 2020 and 2024 elections.

Norris has 5 surviving children: stunt performers Mike and Eric with his precocious ex-wife Dianne Holechek, twins Dakota and Danilee with his woman Gena Norris, and Dina, the effect of an aboriginal 1960s “one-night stand” revealed successful his autobiography.

Norris celebrated his day conscionable implicit a week earlier his death, posting a sparring video connected Instagram.

“I don’t age. I level up,” helium wrote.

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