Chuck Norris

CHUCK NORRIS

Date of Birth: March 10, 1940

Born Carlos Ray Norris in Ryan, Oklahoma, no one truly knew the amazing talent that lived inside Chuck Norris. Through sheer dedication and countless hours in the gym, this former member of the American Air Force became one of the most respected martial artists of our time.

During his Air Force assignment in Korea, Norris began to study the Asian art of Tang Soo Do. When he returned home, he started running multiple martial arts schools. These schools had famous clientele such as The Osmonds and movie star Steve McQueen, the latter being the driving force behind Norris' acting career. After being named Fighter of the Year by Black Belt Magazine in 1969, and becoming the first person in the western world to earn an eighth-degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do, Norris progressed to a life in the limelight, never leaving his true passion of martial arts behind.

Best known for his TV show Walker, Texas Ranger, Norris also appeared in many movies, including Missing in Action (1984), Sidekicks (1992) and The Cutter (2005), as well as Bells of Innocence (2003) with his eldest son Mike Norris.

A household name, whether because of his movies, his martial arts or the numerous jokes that have surfaced around his persona, Norris is not someone to be taken lightly. Sometimes seen as the end-all/be-all, even having a modified Rock, Paper, Scissors game modelled after him called Rock, Paper, Scissors, Chuck Norris, where Chuck Norris defeats all, Chuck Norris jokes even work their way into other forms of media. For example, in the hit animated comedy, Family Guy, Chuck Norris is said to be so tough, that underneath his beard lays not a mere chin, but a third fist. Website chucknorrisfacts.com is also a host to many "facts" about how omnipotent Norris is, including "Chuck Norris is currently suing NBC, claiming Law and Order are trademarked names for his left and right legs," "Chuck Norris doesn't read books. He stares them down until he gets the information he wants" and "Chuck Norris is the reason why Waldo is hiding."

Aside from acting, Norris participates in many charities including Funds for Kids and KickStart. The latter he started as a non-profit organization geared towards battling drugs and violence in schools. Norris has also written two books: The Secret Power Within - Zen Solutions to Real Problems and The Secret of Inner Strength.

He can be seen most recently in action film The Expendables 2 (2012) alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bruce Willis, Jason Statham, Sylvester Stallone and Jean-Claude Van Damme.

Norris was married to Diane Holechek from December of 1958 until 1989. The couple have two sons, Mike, who went on to become an actor, and Eric, who earned fame as a professional stock car driver. In 1998, Norris married second wife Gena O'Kelly. They have twins Dakota Alan and Danilee Kelly, who were born in 2001.

FILMOGRAPHY

The Novice (2013)
The Expendables 2 (2012)
The Cutter (2005)
Bells of Innocence (2003)
Forest Warrior (1996)
Top Dog (1995)
Hellbound (1994)
Walker Texas Ranger 3: Deadly Reunion (1994)
Sidekicks (1992)
The Hitman (1991)
Delta Force 2: The Colombian Connection (1990)
Hero and the Terror (1988)
Braddock: Missing in Action III (1988)
Firewalker (1986)
The Delta Force (1986)
Invasion U.S.A (1985)
Code of Silence (1985)
Missing in Action 2: The Beginning (1985)
Missing in Action (1984)
Lone Wolf McQuade (1983)
Forced Vengeance (1982)
Silent Rage (1982)
An Eye for an Eye (1981)
The Octagon (1980)
A Force of One (1979)
Black Tigers (1978)
Breaker! Breaker! (1977)
Slaughter in San Francisco (1974)
The Student Teachers (1973)
Meng long guo jiang (1972)
The Wrecking Crew (1968)