Movie star and martial arts icon, Chuck Norris, dies at 86. Nine things to remember about him

Hollywood action star Chuck Norris has died aged 86, his family says.

Here are some things to know about the late Norris.

1. Born in Oklahoma in 1940, he served in the US Air Force before rising to fame as a martial arts star and later secured his big screen break alongside Bruce Lee in 1972’s Way Of The Dragon

2. Norris was the six-time undefeated World Professional Middleweight Karate Champion from 1968 to 1974.

3. Back then, actors tended to appear either solely in movies or TV shows, but Norris conquered both, becoming a favourite with television audiences thanks to the 196 episodes of Walker, Texas Ranger he appeared in over nine seasons.

4. As he got older, Norris cut down on the number of film and TV roles he took on, although he became known to new audiences thanks to a cameo appearance in 2004’s Dodgeball starring Vince Vaughan and Ben Stiller, and 2012’s The Expendables 2.

5. Decades later, he joined fellow action stars Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Bruce Willis in 2012’s The Expendables 2, helping defeat a villain played by Belgian fighter Jean-Claude Van Damme.

6. He also became an unlikely internet phenomenon. In 2005, “Chuck Norris Facts”, a series of satirical jokes about his strength and masculinity, went viral and inspired several books.

7. The “Facts” included jokes like “Chuck Norris has a mug of nails instead of coffee in the morning” and “Chuck Norris doesn’t do push-ups; he pushes the Earth down.”

8. Over decades, Norris built a legacy that reached far beyond snappy one-liners and gripping fight scenes. His screen presence could carry a film or TV series, and his martial arts background meant his characters always felt authentic rather than manufactured.

9. When traditional cinema declined and internet culture took over, Norris remained relevant as a meme star which played up to his former tough-guy persona – something he enjoyed and encouraged.

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