Chuck Norris, the American martial artist, actor and author known for Walker, Texas Ranger, Missing in Action and The Way of the Dragon, died on March 19, 2026, at the age of 86.
Born Carlos Ray Norris on March 10, 1940, in Ryan, Oklahoma, he served in the United States Air Force before winning numerous martial arts championships and later founding his own discipline, Chun Kuk Do. He held black belts in karate, taekwondo, Tang Soo Do, Brazilian jiu-jitsu and judo.
Norris began his film career as a martial arts instructor and made his screen debut in The Wrecking Crew in 1968. Invited by Bruce Lee to appear in The Way of the Dragon, he went on to become a popular action star in film and television.
Carlos Ray “Chuck” Norris (March 10, 1940 – March 19, 2026) was an American martial artist, actor, screenwriter, and author. He held black belts in karate, taekwondo, Tang Soo Do, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, and judo. After serving in the United States Air Force, he won numerous martial arts championships and later founded his own discipline, Chun Kuk Do. Norris began working in the American film industry as a martial arts instructor for celebrities before making his screen debut with a minor role in The Wrecking Crew (1968). Friend and fellow martial artist Bruce Lee invited him to play one of the main villains in The Way of the Dragon (1972). While Norris continued acting, friend and student Steve McQueen suggested he take it seriously. Norris took the starring role in the action film Breaker! Breaker! (1977), which turned a profit. His second lead, Good Guys Wear Black (1978), became a hit, and he soon became a popular action film star.