Actor Chuck Norris of "Walker, Texas Ranger" dies at 86

NEW YORK,— Chuck Norris, the former martial arts champion and 1980s action film star known for movies such as Code of Silence, Missing in Action, and The Delta Force, as well as the TV series Walker, Texas Ranger, died Thursday at 86, his family said in an Instagram statement, Reuters reported.

The statement said Norris was surrounded by family at the time of his passing and was at peace. “He passed away in the presence of his family and in peace,” the statement said, without providing additional details.

Norris, six-time undefeated World Professional Middleweight Karate Champion, became an Internet phenomenon for his tough-guy persona, inspiring countless satirical “Chuck Norris Facts,” according to Variety. He had been hospitalized in Hawaii on Thursday.

Over his career, Norris starred in more than two dozen films, playing soldiers, lawmen, veterans, and heroic figures who captured criminals, rescued hostages, freed prisoners of war, and battled terrorists.

Chuck Norris with Bruce Lee, The Way of the Dragon 1973 — Chuck Norris’ first major film role came in 1973 in “The Way of the Dragon”, where he fought martial arts legend Bruce Lee in Rome’s Colosseum. Photo: Screengrab/YT video/iKurd.net

His first major film role came in 1973 in The Way of the Dragon, where he fought martial arts legend Bruce Lee in Rome’s Colosseum.

He later joined actors Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Bruce Willis in The Expendables 2 in 2012, taking on villain Jean-Claude Van Damme.

Time magazine described him in 1985 as “the ultimate tough guy,” noting that Norris became a superstar in the B-movie genre, known for dodging bullets, landing precise kicks, and defeating multiple villains at once.

From 1993 to 2001, he starred as Sergeant Cordell Walker, a Marine-turned-lawman and martial arts expert, in Walker, Texas Ranger.

Norris’ online fame surged in 2005 when a college student created “Chuck Norris Facts,” a series of jokes highlighting his strength and toughness.

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

Born Carlos Ray Norris on March 10, 1940, in Ryan, Oklahoma, he was the oldest of three brothers. After his parents divorced, the family moved to California.

He described himself as quiet and introverted in his 2004 memoir Against All Odds: My Story, attributing it to his father’s alcoholism and financial hardships.

Norris was not naturally athletic and trained intensely to excel in martial arts. He enlisted in the U.S. Air Force in 1958, where he learned Tang Soo Do and other martial arts while stationed in South Korea. After leaving the military, he taught martial arts in California and competed in major tournaments.

Actor Steve McQueen, one of his students, encouraged him to pursue acting, advising him to focus on visual presence rather than dialogue, according to a 1985 New York Times interview.

Norris’ films earned millions and made him a respected figure among U.S. military personnel. He visited Iraq in 2006 and 2007 to support American troops.

In 1990, he founded his own martial arts style, Chun Kuk Do, and launched Kickstart Kids, a nonprofit teaching children martial arts and self-confidence.

A devout Christian and conservative, Norris contributed to WorldNetDaily and supported the National Rifle Association.

He wrote multiple books, including his memoirs, guides on fitness and martial arts, and two novels: The Justice Riders (2006) and A Threat to Justice.

He married twice and had five children. Norris often responded to critics who said his films promoted violence, telling the Los Angeles Times in 1994, “It’s how it’s done. I don’t support violence just for its own sake. What matters is that the hero comes out on top in the end.”

(With files from Reuters)