Chuck Norris, the martial arts grandmaster and action star known for his roles in “Walker, Texas Ranger” and numerous action films, died Thursday at age 86, his family announced. The cause of death was not disclosed.
“While we would like to keep the circumstances private, please know that he was surrounded by his family and was at peace,” the family said in a statement posted on social media, as reported by the Associated Press.
Norris rose to prominence as a six-time undefeated World Professional Middleweight Karate champion before transitioning to a career in film and television. He founded Chun Kuk Do, a Korean-based American style of karate, and the United Fighting Arts Federation, which has awarded over 3,300 black belts worldwide. Black Belt magazine recognized Norris with a 10th-degree black belt, the highest honor attainable.
Born Carlos Ray Norris on March 10, 1940, in Ryan, Oklahoma, he moved to Torrance, California, with his family at age 12. He enlisted in the U.S. Air Force in 1958 and began training in martial arts, including judo and Tang Soo Do, while stationed in Korea. “I went out for gymnastics and football at North Torrance high,” he told the Associated Press in 1982. “I played some football, but I also spent a lot of time on the bench. I was never really athletic until I was in the service in Korea.”
After his honorable discharge in 1962, Norris worked as a file clerk and applied to become a police officer, but was placed on a waiting list. He opened a martial arts studio, which quickly expanded into a chain, attracting a clientele that included celebrities such as Bob Barker, Priscilla Presley, Donnie and Marie Osmond, and Steve McQueen, who encouraged him to pursue acting.
Norris made his film debut in 1968 with an uncredited role as a bodyguard in “The Wrecking Crew,” featuring a fight scene with Dean Martin. He also developed a friendship with Bruce Lee through martial arts circles, culminating in a memorable fight sequence in the 1972 film “Return of the Dragon,” where Lee’s character defeats Norris’s in the Colosseum.
He starred in over 20 films, including “Missing in Action,” “The Delta Force,” and “Sidekicks.” Norris explained in 1982, “I wanted to project a certain image on the screen of a hero. I had seen a lot of anti-hero movies in which the lead was neither excellent nor poor. There was no one to root for.”
Norris achieved widespread fame in 1993 with his role as Cordell Walker in the television series “Walker, Texas Ranger,” which ran for nine seasons. In 2010, then-Texas Governor Rick Perry appointed him an honorary Texas Ranger, and the Texas Senate later recognized him as an honorary Texan.
“It’s not violence for violence’s sake, with no moral structure,” Norris said in 1996, discussing the display. “You try to portray the proper meaning of what it’s about — fighting injustice with justice, good vs. Bad. … It’s entertaining for the whole family.”
More recently, Norris appeared in “The Expendables 2” (2012) and the sci-fi action film “Agent Recon” (2024). He is slated to appear in the upcoming film “Zombie Plane,” alongside Vanilla Ice.
In the mid-2000s, Norris became the subject of an internet phenomenon known as “Chuck Norris Facts,” hyperbolic and often absurd statements celebrating his fictional toughness. He embraced the meme, publishing “The Official Chuck Norris Fact Book” to benefit a nonprofit he co-founded with President George H.W. Bush, promoting martial arts instruction for children.
Norris was politically active, endorsing Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee during the 2008 Republican presidential primary and appearing in a campaign ad playing on the “Chuck Norris Facts” theme. He also endorsed Donald Trump in 2016 and wrote guest columns in support of him before the 2020 and 2024 elections.
Norris is survived by five children: Mike and Eric, from his marriage to Dianne Holechek; twins Dakota and Danilee, with his wife Gena Norris; and Dina, the result of a relationship in the early 1960s, as revealed in his autobiography.
Just over a week before his death, Norris posted a sparring video on Instagram, writing, “I don’t age. I level up.”
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