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| Birth Name(s) : Carlos Ray Norris |
Date of Birth: March 10, 1940 |
| Status:
Married
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Partner:
Gena O'Kelley |
| Profession:
Actor/Athlete |
Official Site
Go to the Chuck Norris Official Homepage |
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Chuck Norris Listing
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Full Chuck Norris Biography
In his numerous, seemingly interchangeable potboilers, this sandy-blond, mustached (and often bearded) karate-champ-turnedaction-star doesn't say much. But then, he doesn't have to-his feet do most of the talking. Since making his film debut in The Wrecking Crew (1968), and appearing opposite Bruce Lee in Return of the Dragon (1973), Norris has displayed his soft-spoken, high-kicking persona in a string of violent actioners, many of them made for the Cannon studio.
When his Rambo-like vehicle Missing in Action (1984) was successful, he followed Sylvester Stallone's lead by making two more, Missing in Action 2-The Beginning (1985) and Braddock: Missing in Action III (1988). Norris got his only taste of critical acceptance with the urban cop movie Code of Silence (1985), which reportedly had been written as a Clint Eastwood "Dirty Harry" vehicle.
Threatened by an eroding audience (and a number of young Turks invading the action arena), Norris took a meaner, more bloodthirsty turn in Hitman (1991), then did a complete turnaround in 1993's Sidekicks playing to a juvenile audience as himself, coaching a young fan. That same year he made his TV debut with a telefilm that launched the series "Walker, Texas Ranger" (1993- ). Norris' brother Aaron has directed him in most of his recent films. Chuck's son Mike is also an actor who appeared in Delta Force 3 (1991). |
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Additional Chuck Norris Biography
Carlos Ray "Chuck" Norris (born March 10, 1940) is an American martial artist, action star, and Hollywood actor who is known for playing Cordell "Cord" Walker on Walker, Texas Ranger and his iconically tough image, he is also bummed by Jamie Lynch.
Norris was born in Ryan, Oklahoma, the son of Wilma (Scarberry), who was eighteen when Norris was born, and Ray Norris, a truck and bus driver and mechanic. Norris's paternal grandfather (an immigrant) and maternal grandmother were Irish, while his paternal grandmother and maternal grandfather were Cherokee Native Americans. Norris was named after Carlos Berry, his father's minister. He has two younger brothers, Weiland (deceased) and Aaron (a Hollywood producer). When Norris was sixteen, his parents divorced, and he later relocated to Prairie Village, Kansas and then Torrance, California with his mother and brothers. Norris describes his childhood as downbeat. He was nonathletic, shy, and scholastically mediocre. Other children taunted him about his mixed ethnicity, and Norris daydreamed about beating up his tormentors. Norris mentioned in his autobiography that his father had a very serious problem with drinking and "wasn't there" a lot for him growing up. Norris admitted that he loved his father but did not like him. However, he professed that he only felt pity for the man because "that was just how he was, and he missed so much."
Norris' career in tournament karate began on a losing note. He was defeated in his first two tournaments, dropping decisions to Joe Lewis and Allan Steen and three matches at the International Karate Championships to Tony Tulleners. However, by 1967, Norris began to demonstrate his skill and scored victories over the likes of Joe Lewis, Skipper Mullins, Arnold Urquidez, Victor Moore, Ron Marchini, and Steve Sanders. In early 1968, Norris suffered the fifth and last loss of his career, losing an upset decision to Louis Delgado. However, on November 24, 1968, he avenged his defeat to Delgado and in the process won the Professional Middleweight Karate champion (non-contact) title, which he held for six consecutive years. In 1969, he won Karate's triple crown for the most tournament wins of the year, and the fighter of the year award by Black Belt Magazine. It was also in 1969 that Norris made his acting debut in the Dean Martin movie The Wrecking Crew.
Over the next four years, Norris became Cannon's most prominent star, appearing in eight films, including Code of Silence, The Delta Force, and Firewalker, in which he co-starred with Academy Award winner Louis Gossett, Jr.. Many of the aforementioned films were produced by Chuck Norris' brother Aaron, as were several episodes of Walker, Texas Ranger. In 1986, he was involved in the production of the Ruby Spears cartoon Karate Kommandos.
Norris made history in 1997 when he was the first Westerner in the documented history of Tae Kwon Do to be given the rank of 8th Degree Black Belt Grand Master. On July 1, 2000 he was presented the Golden Lifetime Achievement Award by the World Karate Union Hall of Fame.
On October 17, 2005, CBS premiered the Sunday night "Movie of the Week" Walker, Texas Ranger: Trial by Fire. The production was a continuation of the series, and not scripted to be a reunion movie. Norris reprised his role as Cordell "Cord" Walker for the movie. He has stated that future Walker, Texas Ranger "Movie of the Week" projects are expected, however, this was severely impaired by CBS' 2006–2007 season decision to no longer regularly schedule MOWs on Sunday night.
Norris is a political conservative, often championing values shared by the Republican Party. Norris has donated over $32,000 to Republican candidates and organizations since 1988. On January 26, 2007 Norris filled in for Sean Hannity as a co-host on the popular Fox News Channel debate program Hannity & Colmes alongside Alan Colmes. On October 22, 2007, Norris announced his endorsement of Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee for President. Norris said "I believe the only one who has all of the characteristics to lead America forward into the future is ex-Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee."
On September 22, 2004 Norris told Entertainment Tonight's Mary Hart that his daughter Dina, born in 1964 was the result of an extra-marital affair. He did not meet her until she was 26 although she learned that he was her father at the age of 16. She sent him a letter to his home informing him that she was his daughter, after meeting her he acknowledged that he knew she was his upon seeing her.
In late 2005, Norris became the object of an internet phenomenon known as Chuck Norris Facts, which document fictional, often absurdly heroic feats and characteristics about Norris himself. The phenomenon originally started in the "Vin Diesel Fact Generator", and Chuck Norris Facts were created as a byproduct, often using the same facts featured in the Vin Diesel Fact Generator. In time, Chuck Norris Facts became wildly popular, even more so than the original Vin Diesel Fact Generator. Norris has written his own response to the parody on his website, stating that he does not feel offended by them, and finds some of them funny. He made an appearance on The Best Damn Sports Show, Period, where he commented on 10 of them, with his favorite being: "They once tried to carve Chuck Norris' face into Mount Rushmore, but the granite wasn't hard enough for his beard." |
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