Chuck Norris has starred in such action films as
'Return of the Dragon' and 'Missing in Action.' He also starred on the hit TV
series 'Walker, Texas Ranger.'
Who
Is Chuck Norris?
Born on March 10, 1940, Chuck Norris started
studying martial arts in Korea in the 1950s. He was serving in the U.S. Air
Force at the time. When he returned home, Norris soon opened his karate studio.
He switched to movies in the 1970s, appearing with Bruce Lee in Way of the
Dragon. Norris became a popular action-film star in the 1980s and starred in
his own television series in the 1990s.
Early
Years
The oldest of three boys, Chuck Norris once
described himself as "the shy kid who never excelled at anything in
school." His father was an alcoholic who all but disappeared from Norris'
life after his parents divorced. At the age of 10, Norris moved with his mother
and brothers to California. There, he attended North Torrance High School.
Norris married his high school sweetheart, Dianne
Holechek, in 1958 -- the same year he joined the U.S. Air Force. While
stationed at the Osan Air Base in South Korea, he began studying martial arts.
He left the service in 1962, and started working as a karate instructor.
Martial
Arts Expert
In the 1960s, Norris opened more than 30 karate
studios. He taught several celebrities, including Priscilla Presley and actor
Steve McQueen. McQueen encouraged his teacher to try acting. In addition to
being an instructor, Norris also was a fierce competitor. He participated in
numerous martial arts tournaments, and he won many of the events he competed
in.
Norris earned his first World Middleweight Karate
Championship title in 1968. Proving to be one of the greatest fighters in
martial arts, he defended this title five more times. He decided to retire
after his 1974 victory.
Film
and Television Star
While he had made one brief film appearance
previously, Norris made more of an impact on movie-goers in 1972's Way of the
Dragon (also known as Return of the Dragon in the United States). One of the
highlights of the film was a fight scene between Norris and martial arts action
star Bruce Lee, staged in the famed Roman Colosseum. In 1977, Norris had his
first starring role in the action film Breaker! Breaker!.
Movie audiences loved to watch him mete out swift
justice to bad guys in such films as Good Guys Wear Black and Forced Vengeance.
In Missing in Action (1984), Norris played a former prisoner of war who returns
to Vietnam to free other soldiers still being held. He did this film and its
sequels as a tribute to his younger brother, Wieland, who died in combat in
Vietnam.
Norris received warmer reviews for his cop movie,
Code of Silence (1985), and teamed up with the legendary tough guy Lee Marvin
for the military action film The Delta Force (1986). Norris' box-office appeal,
however, was beginning to fade by the early 1990s. No longer making hit movies,
he made the switch to the small screen with Walker, Texas Ranger. Norris played
Cordell Walker, an honorable crime fighter, for eight years. The show had a
strong following, and was still faring well in the ratings when it went off the
air in 2001. Since then, Norris has taken on few acting roles. He has also
served as a product spokesperson, appearing in infomercials for exercise
equipment.
Philanthropist
and Activist
Norris has been a longtime supporter of numerous
charities, including the Make-A-Wish Foundation and the United Way. In 1992,
Norris started his own charitable organization called Kickstart with help from
President George Bush. Kickstart provides martial arts training to
middle-school students to learn respect and discipline and to improve their
self-esteem.
Politically conservative, Norris has campaigned on
behalf of Republican candidates. He backed George Bush in the 1988 presidential
election and supported Mike Huckabee in the 2008 race for the Republican
nomination. A believer in the Constitution's Second Amendment, Norris has
worked with the National Rifle Association to oppose some legislation on
restricting gun ownership.
HISTORY
Car Week Special
Some of the most innovative and mindboggling cars
are not on the streets – they are helping the military pound the pavement and
cross terrain around the world. From an amphibious truck that can charge over
deep sea and water in a flash, to a six-wheeled Humvee with more firepower than
some tanks – Norris will take viewers on a tour through the wildest vehicles in
the history of the Armed Forces in the one-hour HISTORY Car Week special Chuck
Norris's Epic Guide to Military Vehicles. The special airs Monday, July 8 at
9/8c.
Personal
Life
Chuck Norris has been married twice. He has three
children from his first marriage to Dianne Holechek. The couple divorced in
1988. In 1998, Norris married Gena O'Kelley and they welcomed twins three years
later.
Norris loves speed, and has competed in off-shore
powerboat competitions. In 1997, he reached an important martial arts
milestone, becoming the first man in the Western Hemisphere to earn an 8th
degree Black Belt Grand Master title.
Possessing a more contemplative side, Norris has
written several books. He published his autobiography, The Secret of Inner
Strength, in 1988, which became a bestseller. A few years later, Norris penned
a self-help tome, The Secret Power Within: Zen Solutions to Real Problems. In
2007, Norris was made an honorary U.S. Marine for his years of support of the
military, in particular wounded servicemen.
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