Chuck Norris, the world-champion martial artist who transitioned into a pop culture icon and action cinema legend, has died at the age of 86.
Norris became a legitimate force in Hollywood, bridging the gap between gritty 1970s martial arts cinema and blockbuster action. He made his feature film debut, facing off against Bruce Lee in The Way of the Dragon (1972), and in the 1980s, he ignited a cultural obsession with ninjas in The Octagon (1980).
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He starred opposite Jonathan Brandis in the coming-of-age film Sidekicks (1992), which led to his most defining mainstream role as Cordell Walker in the CBS procedural Walker, Texas Ranger (1993–2001). For eight seasons, Norris dominated Saturday night television as a Dallas-based lawman who preferred delivering justice with a signature roundhouse kick rather than a firearm.
Take a look back at his career in photos.
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THE WAY OF THE DRAGON, (aka MENG LONG GUO JIANG), 1972
Image Credit: Everett Collection Chuck Norris and Bruce Lee
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BREAKER! BREAKER!, 1977
Image Credit: Everett Collection Chuck Norris
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GOOD GUYS WEAR BLACK, Chuck Norris, 1978
Image Credit: Everett Collection Chuck Norris
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A FORCE OF ONE, Chuck Norris, 1979
Image Credit: Everett Collection Chuck Norris
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THE OCTAGON, 1980. ©American Cinema Releasing/courtesy Ever
Image Credit: Everett Collection Chuck Norris and Richard Norto
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AN EYE FOR AN EYE, 1981
Image Credit: Everett Collection Chuck Norris
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SILENT RAGE, 1982
Image Credit: Everett Collection Chuck Norris and Brian Libby
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FORCED VENGEANCE, 1982
Image Credit: Everett Collection Camila Griggs, Mary Louise Weller, and Chuck Norris
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LONE WOLF MCQUADE, 1983
Image Credit: Everett Collection From left: Leon Isaac Kennedy, Dana Kimmell, Chuck Norris, and Robert Beltran
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MISSING IN ACTION II: THE BEGINNING
Image Credit: Everett Collection Chuck Norris
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CODE OF SILENCE, 1985
Image Credit: Everett Collection Chuck Norris
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DELTA FORCE II: THE COLUMBIAN CONNECTION, 1990
Image Credit: Everett Collection Chuck Norris
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FIREWALKER, 1986
Image Credit: Everett Collection Chuck Norris (left), Louis Gossett Jr. (right), Melody Anderson (below)
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HERO AND THE TERROR, Chuck Norris (left), 1988, (c) Cannon/courtesy Everett Collection
Image Credit: Everett Collection HERO AND THE TERROR, Chuck Norris (left), 1988, (c) Cannon/courtesy Everett Collection
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THE HITMAN, 1991
Image Credit: Everett Collection Chuck Norris
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SIDEKICKS, 1992
Image Credit: Everett Collection Chuck Norris and Jonathan Brandis
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TOP DOG, 1995
Image Credit: Everett Collection Reno the dog and Chuck Norris
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LOGAN’S WAR: BOUND BY HONOR, 1998
Image Credit: Everett Collection Eddie Cibrian and Chuck Norris
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MARTIAL LAW, 1998-2000
Image Credit: Everett Collection Sammy Hung, Kevin Sorbo, and Chuck Norris
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WALKER. TEXAS RANGER, 1993-2001
Image Credit: Everett Collection Clarence Gilyard Jr., Chuck Norris, Sheree J. Wilson, and Noble Willingham
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DODGEBALL: A TRUE UNDERDOG STORY, 2004
Image Credit: Everett Collection Chuck Norris
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THE EXPENDABLES 2, 2012
Image Credit: Everett Collection Chuck Norris
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AGENT RECON, 2024
Image Credit: Everett Collection Chuck Norris