Carlos Ray "Chuck" Norris (born 1940) is an American film actor and martial artist who is best known for playing the main roles in the action films and television series "Cool Walker". Winner of black belts in Tansudo, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Judo.
There are many interesting facts in the biography of Chuck Norris, which we will tell about in this article.
So, here is a short biography of Chuck Norris.
Chuck Norris biography
Chuck Norris was born on March 10, 1940 in Ryan (Oklahoma). He grew up in a poor family that has nothing to do with the film industry and sports. Chuck has 2 brothers - Wieland and Aaron.
Childhood and youth
Norris's childhood can hardly be called happy. The head of the family, who worked as an auto mechanic, abused alcohol, as a result of which the wife and children often felt a lack of funds.
It is worth noting that Chuck's father was Irish, while his mother came from a Cherokee tribe.
The Norris family was barely making ends meet, without a permanent residence. Chuck recalls that as a child, he lived for a long time with his mother and brothers in a van.
When the future actor was 16 years old, his parents filed for divorce. His mother later remarried to a man named George Knight. It was his stepfather who prompted him to get involved in sports.
Growing up, Chuck Norris got a job as a loader, dreaming of becoming a police officer in the future. After receiving the certificate, he voluntarily joined the ranks of the Air Force and in 1959 was sent to South Korea. It was during that period of his biography that they began to call him "Chuck".
Army routine seemed like a real routine for the guy, as a result of which he decided to go in for sports. Initially, he began to attend judo, and then the Tansudo section. As a result, after the service, he already possessed a black belt.
In the period 1963-1964. Norris opened 2 karate schools. Years later, similar schools will open in many states.
Soon, 25-year-old Chuck won the All-Star Championship in Los Angeles. In 1968, he became the light heavyweight champion of the world in karate, holding this title for 7 years.
Films
Chuck Norris' creative biography is completely intertwined with action films. The famous actor Steve McQueen, whom he once taught karate, brought him to the big movie.
Norris got his first serious role in the film "The Way of the Dragon", which was released in 1972. He was privileged to play with Bruce Lee, who will die tragically a year later.
After that, Chuck starred in the second-rate Hong Kong action movie "Massacre in San Francisco". Realizing that he lacked acting, he decided to get it at Estella Harmon's school. At that time he was already 34 years old.
In 1977, Chuck Norris took part in the filming of the film The Challenge, gaining great popularity. In subsequent years, he continued to act in action films, becoming one of the most famous actors in this genre.
In the 80s, the man starred in "Eye for an Eye", "Lone Wolf McQuade", "Missing", "Squad Delta", "Walking in Fire" and other films.
In 1993, Norris played the main character in the television series Tough Walker. In this television project, his character fought against criminals, restoring justice in the city. In each series, scenes of different fights were demonstrated, which the audience watched with pleasure.
The series was so successful that it was broadcast on TV for 8 years. During this time, Chuck managed to star in other films, including "Messenger of Hell", "Supergirl" and "Forest Warrior".
After that, Norris appeared in several more action films. For a long time, the tape "The Cutter" (2005) was considered the last work of the actor.
However, in 2012, TV viewers saw him in The Expendables. Today this picture is the last in his filmography.
Chuck Norris Facts
Chuck Norris' undefeated heroes have become a great base for creating Internet memes. Today, memes like this can often be found on social networks.
By "facts about Chuck Norris" we mean ridiculous definitions showing superhuman strength, mastery of martial arts, and also the fearlessness of Norris.
It is interesting that the actor himself is ironic about "facts." Chuck admits that he is not annoyed at all by such memes. On the contrary, he believes that people who see them will be able to better familiarize themselves with his true biography.
Personal life
For about 30 years, Chuck Norris was married to Diana Holchek, with whom he studied in the same class. In this union, boys were born - Mike and Eric. The couple filed for divorce in 1989.
Almost 10 years later, the man remarried. His new chosen one was actress Gina O'Kelly, who was 23 years younger than her husband. In this union, they had twins.
It is worth noting that Norris has an illegitimate daughter named Dina. A man has a good relationship with all children.
Chuck Norris today
In 2017, Chuck Norris and his wife were vacationing in Israel. In particular, he visited various holy places, including the famous Western Wall in Jerusalem.
At the same time, the actor was awarded the title of "Honorary Texan", because for many years he lived on his ranch in Texas near Navasota, and also starred as the Texas Ranger in the movie "Lone Wolf McQuaid" and the TV series "Cool Walker".
Norris considers himself to be a believer. He is the author of several books on Christianity. Curiously, he is one of the first celebrity performers to criticize gay marriage. Chuck continues to practice martial arts.
Photo by Chuck Norris