Chuck was born Carlos Ray Norris in Ryan, Oklahoma on March 10, 1940. He was the eldest of three sons of Wilma and Ray D. Norris. The future “Texas Ranger”, however, did not have a very good relationship with his father. Ray D. Norris had a problem with alcohol and quite quickly made the decision to leave his family. For this reason, the eldest of his three sons had to grow up quickly. After Carlos graduated from high school, he joined the United States Air Force and became a first class pilot to support his family. It was in the army that he earned the nickname “Chuck”. Shortly after joining the army, Norris was sent to the Korean War. He spent three years there.
Through karate, he met Bruce Lee. The film “The Way of the Dragon” was the key to its success
During a visit to Korea, Chuck Norris became interested in Eastern martial arts. He trained, among others taekwondo, taekwondo and judo. Karate was his greatest passion, in which he earned a black belt.
After returning to the United States, Norris decided to start several martial arts schools. This idea gained a group of fans. The growing popularity of karate classes attracted the attention of movie personalities. Norris’ schools were attended by, among others, Steve McQueen (who suggested him an acting career), Priscilla Presley and Michael Landon. What’s more, a sports career allowed the future “Texas Ranger” to meet Bruce Lee. The men met in 1968 when Chuck Norris won the world karate championship. In later years, thanks to this acquaintance, there was an opportunity to get involved in the film. Chuck Norris starred in “The Way of the Dragon” and played the role of Bruce Lee’s opponent.
Even though Norris starred on the big screen, martial arts were still important to him. He managed to hold the title of karate champion until 1974. Norris even invented his own fighting style called chunkukdo. It can be learned in the star dojo.
While many people are aware of Chuck Norris’ love of martial arts, he is best known as an actor. The man did not immediately have many fans, and the first films with his participation were not very popular. It was “The Way of the Dragon” from 1972 that brought Norris greater publicity for the first time, and the novice actor was noticed by the film world. Although his later productions were not too loud either, soon everything was to change.
The 1980s brought Norris the greatest publicity. “Missing in Action”, “Delta Force” or the TV series “Texas Ranger” contributed to the rapid growth of the man’s recognition. In Poland, it also quickly gained popularity. From that moment on, the actor began to become a real star. At some point, however, he disappeared from the screens. The reason was frequent visits to hospitals and court battles.
Chuck Norris rarely appears on screens. He has spent the last 10 years in hospitals
In 2017, Chuck Norris suffered a heart attack. Just 45 minutes before being admitted to the hospital ward, he had another seizure. His life was in great danger, but he received adequate help. Doctors stabilized his condition and saved his life. But that wasn’t the end of Norris’ problems.
Since 2013, the actor’s wife has been seriously ill. Gena O’Kelley Norris suffers from rheumatoid arthritis. The woman was less fortunate than her husband. The treatment did not bring results, and serious kidney problems began. Norris did not leave his wife and devoted his professional life to her. Court battles soon began.
Chuck Norris decided to sue pharmaceutical companies, accusing them of misusing a certain substance. According to the suspicions of some doctors and the actor, Gena may have become ill due to poisoning with the compound gadolinium, which is used as an intravenous contrast agent in nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. In 2020, to the surprise of the public, the actor withdrew the lawsuit without giving an official reason. But that wasn’t the only court battle Chuck Norris was fighting.
Companies use the image of Chuck Norris. The actor sued the manufacturer of erection pills
In 2018, the actor decided to fight for the rights to profits from the distribution of “Texas Ranger”. He sued CBS and Sony for $30 million. Chuck Norris went to court, pointing out that the stations deliberately did not choose the best deals. , CBS was to deliberately act to the detriment of the actor by selling the broadcasting rights to its companies at an understated price. Losses from this practice have been estimated at 30 million dollars.
The actor had to face one more problem. Many companies use his image without his consent and make considerable profits from it. No wonder that Chuck Norris decided to fight for justice in this field as well. The actor sued erection pills company. It was to use his image to promote its preparations.
Source: Gazeta
Bruce is a talented author and journalist with a passion for entertainment . He currently works as a writer at the 247 News Agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the industry.
