Chuck Norris (1940 - 2026)

[Zoneboy]

https://variety.com/2026/film/news/c...es-1236694953/

[TMC]

Chuck Norris, a martial artist and actor, has died. He was 86. His family confirmed his death on Instagram, writing, 'He was a devoted husband, a loving father and grandfather, an incredible brother and the heart of our family.'



Norris was hospitalized in Hawaii on Thursday, and his family posted a statement Friday morning announcing his death.

“He lived his life with faith, purpose, and an unwavering commitment to the people he loved. Through his work, discipline, and kindness, he inspired millions around the world and left a lasting impact on so many lives,” they said.

“While our hearts are broken, we are deeply grateful for the life he lived and for the unforgettable moments we were blessed to share with him. The love and support he received from fans around the world meant so much to him, and our family is truly thankful for it. To him, you were not just fans, you were his friends.”

They noted that they “would like to keep the circumstances private … please know that he was surrounded by his family and was at peace.”

Unlike some other actors who boasted of their fighting prowess, Norris was the real deal, a holder of black belts in such disciplines as karate, Tang Soo Do and taekwondo and a guy who trained with Bruce Lee — and battled him in The Way of the Dragon (1972). Onscreen, he often portrayed loners, and like one of his heroes, John Wayne, he would only resort to violence when there was no other choice.

Encouraged by Steve McQueen to become an actor — he had given the Bullitt star private karate lessons for several years — Norris had his breakthrough with the Sergio Leone-inspired Lone Wolf McQuade (1983), playing a Texas Ranger who faces off against an arms merchant/martial arts master (David Carradine).

Norris then signed with the Cannon Group, led by producers Menahem Golan and Yoram Globus, and became a huge money-maker for the mini-studio. He starred as Col. James Braddock, a former POW who returns to Vietnam to rescue captured soldiers, in Missing in Action (1984), and though the film was blasted by critics, it was beloved by audiences, spawning a 1985 prequel and 1988 sequel.

“Steve McQueen once said, ‘Look, the critics can praise you to the end of the world, but if your movie makes $2, you’re not going to work. So the thing is, as long as people come and see your movies, you’re going to keep working, no matter what the critics say,'” he recalled in an interview for Black Belt magazine. “So when I got crucified by the critics, I’d try to keep that in mind.”

Norris then continued his hot streak with Code of Silence (1985), Invasion U.S.A. (1985), Firewalker (1986) and The Delta Force (1986), which also led to a follow-up in 1990.

Walker, Texas Ranger, created by Al Ruddy, Leslie Greif, Paul Haggis and Christopher Canaan at Cannon Television, debuted in April 1993 and ran for nine seasons and about 200 episodes, plus a 2005 telefilm. Norris played the soft-spoken Cordell Walker, a U.S. Marine turned Texas Ranger on the series that evoked the feel of a classic Western that also aired on Saturday nights on CBS — Gunsmoke.

The CW in December 2020 unveiled a new Walkerseries, starring Jared Padalecki, and it lasted four seasons.

The oldest of three boys, Carlos Ray Norris was born on March 10, 1940, in Ryan, Oklahoma, not far from the Texas border. His father, Ray, was a mechanic and a trucker, and his mother, Wilma, did odd jobs to help his poor family get by. “Genetically speaking, I am equal parts Irish and Native American,” he wrote in his 2004 memoir, Against All Odds: My Story.

His father had a drinking problem and often left the family for long stretches, so Norris found his male role models in Wayne, Gene Autry and Roy Rogers at the movie theater.

“I determined that I would grow up one day to be like them,” he wrote. “Their behavior in their films was governed by the ‘Code of the West’ — loyalty, friendship and integrity. They were unselfish and did what was right even when the risk was great. Years later I would recall those Western heroes when I developed the kind of character I wanted to play as an actor.”

His family moved often, eventually settling in Southern California in 1950, and Norris graduated from North Torrance High School before enlisting in the U.S. Air Force. One of the guys in his barracks called him Chuck, and the nickname stuck.

Norris began to study judo and Tang Soo Do — the art of “empty-hand” fighting that uses feet and hands as weapons — while stationed as a military policeman at Osan Air Base in South Korea. As he developed his skills, he mixed in other forms to invent his own fighting style that he would call Chun Kuk Do.

After his military discharge in 1962 — he was by then a first-degree black belt in Tang Soo Do and a third-degree brown belt in judo — Norris worked as a file clerk for the defense contractor Northrop Corp. while moonlighting as a karate instructor. As he waited to take an exam to become a cop, he taught in his mom’s backyard, then took out a loan to open his first karate school, in Torrance. He also fought competitively, with a reported record of 65-5, and won six world karate championships.

Norris met Lee during a tournament at Madison Square Garden in 1967, and the two became friends. Lee, serving as an adviser on The Wrecking Crew (1968), then hired Norris to play a bodyguard in the Matt Helm movie that starred Dean Martin.

Norris opened more karate schools around Los Angeles — the Chuck Norris Karate School received a credit in the fight-filled Dolemite (1975) — and gave private lessons to the likes of Bob Barker (who broke a couple of his ribs during one workout), Priscilla Presley and McQueen.

When Norris retired from competition in 1974, McQueen urged him to go into acting: “You either have a certain presence that comes across on the screen, or you don’t. I think you may have it. I strongly suggest that you give it a try.”

He did some fighting in Slaughter in San Francisco (1974); played a trucker looking for his brother in Breaker! Breaker! (1977) while employing some of his former black-belt students in the cast; and starred as CIA commando John T. Booker in Good Guys Wear Black (1978), which also featured James Franciscus, Dana Andrews and Anne Archer and turned a surprising profit.

After showing off his skills in A Force of One (1979), The Octagon (1980) and An Eye for an Eye (1981), Norris starred as a sheriff who battles a mentally ill man with superhuman powers in Columbia Pictures’ Silent Rage (1982), his first movie released by a major studio.

Norris said he had turned down about a dozen television offers before he was approached about Walker. “I liked the idea of a modern-day Western story,” he said in an interview in the mid-1990s. “It had the action that I wanted, it had the inner relationships with the people that are necessary for a series, and it had the humor with the characters that I was involved with.”

Norris got physical in cartoon form in the syndicated series Karate Kommandos in 1986, starred as a secret agent in two President’s Man telefilms for CBS and more recently appeared in movies including Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story (2004) and Expendables 2 (2012).

His fans had fun creating “Chuck Norris Facts” about his toughness, like: “When the boogeyman goes to sleep, he checks his closet for Chuck Norris”; “When Chuck Norris crosses the street, the cars have to look both ways”; and “People wanted to add Chuck Norris to Mount Rushmore, but the granite was not tough enough for his beard.”

[Dude111]

I heard that earlier today... Very very sad......

[TMC]

This one hurts… rest in peace Chuck Norris.

Posted on March 20, 2026 by Bradley Crain



Chuck Norris was there for me at the very beginning. When I fell in love with action movies, it was primarily because of three men, first Charles Bronson, followed by Clint Eastwood and Chuck Norris. Back in the 80’s when I was too young to drive, I couldn’t just pull a movie up on my phone or TV anytime I wanted. I had to rely on certain TV channels, like Fox 16 out of Little Rock, and the occasional trip to the video store. Chuck Norris was a megastar on Fox 16 and on the shelves of the video store. Fox 16 would have movie weeks filled with movies like SILENT RAGE, LONE WOLF MCQUADE, MISSING IN ACTION, and CODE OF SILENCE. These movies are just a part of who I am, and Chuck Norris always came across as a fundamentally decent and courageous man on screen.

Chuck may not have been a critical darling, but he had a presence and charisma about him that drew me in from the very beginning. Even today, Norris has his own unique section in my massive collection of physical media. Up to this point, only the loss of my hero Charles Bronson back in 2003 has stirred up these same kinds of feelings that I’m feeling today. I remember when my son discovered the “Chuck Norris Facts” when he was about 10 years old or so. He loved them so much and would tell me his favorites constantly. It made me happy that my own son knew who Chuck Norris was, even if it was through extreme comedic myth making! I was so happy when Norris cameo’d in THE EXPENDABLES 2 and even told one of this Chuck Norris facts. We loved it and it’s definitely my favorite EXPENDABLES movie.

A little part of me is gone tonight knowing that Norris has passed away. From this point forward, anytime I think of Norris or watch his movies, it will be from a perspective that he’s know longer alive. But one of the great things about movies is that whenever I want to see a young, vibrant Norris, I just have to go to my movie shelves and I can be watching THE DELTA FORCE in a matter of moments. I had to learn how to deal with it for Charles Bronson. Now I’ll do the same with Chuck Norris.

Tonight we pay tribute to Chuck Norris, a true icon, an action star who defined the 80s and 90s with his martial arts prowess. His tough guy persona and memorable action film roles, much like the 80s hits we still love, are etched into cinema history. 🎬

[TMC]

Originally Posted by TMC

Rest In Peace, Chuck Norris

Posted on March 20, 2026 by Lisa Marie Bowman

Rest in Peace, Chuck Norris.

I honestly never thought I’d write those words. Chuck Norris has passed away at the age of 86. Chuck inspired generation of martial artists. He won the respect of Bruce Lee. He choreographed some of the best fight scenes of the early 70s. He never claimed to be a great actor but he still starred in some of the most entertaining films ever made. He is survived by five children and 13 grandchildren. By all accounts, he was a genuinely good guy who took his position as a role model seriously. He will be missed. It’s hard to know what else to say right now so I’ll let Chuck do the talking:

[JO Sweet Heart]

The family released a statement saying to not believe anything that you read online about his passing. What I want to know is why they are keeping his situation a secret. I don't mean to stomp all over their privacy of course, but keeping quiet in my opinion will not help anyone who is still here. What killed him could be something that there isn't enough awareness about for all that we know.

God bless you and his family always!!!

Holly