When Chuck Norris made his official film debut in 1972’s The Way of the Dragon, a Hong Kong comedy written, directed by, and starring Bruce Lee, he quickly left an impression despite being referred to as “the other guy” by critic Roger Ebert.
The film, released in the U.S. as Return of the Dragon, features a fight between Lee and Norris that has become iconic in martial arts cinema, meticulously choreographed while infused with comic moments, including Lee plucking a chunk of Norris’ chest hair during the fight. In 2023, Screen Rant called it the best martial arts fight scene in a movie, and actor Steve McQueen, a friend and martial arts student of Norris, encouraged him to pursue an acting career.
Beyond film, Norris’ entrepreneurial ventures included a dog food line and a water bottling company, CForce, based in Navasota, though he often emphasized that his lasting legacy was teaching Texas children martial arts.
Before acting, Norris was already a globally renowned martial artist, among the first selected for Black Belt Magazine’s Hall of Fame in 1968. In the 1970s, he developed the Chuck Norris System of karate, rooted in Korean Tang Soo Do, and reportedly taught celebrities including McQueen, Bob Barker, and Priscilla Presley. In 1997, the United Fighting Arts Federation (UFAF) recognized him as the first man in the Western Hemisphere to receive an 8th-degree Black Belt Grand Master in Tae Kwon Do.
UFAF notes that when asked how he wished to be remembered, Norris said “as a Humanitarian.” In 1990, he founded Kickstart Kids, a nonprofit providing martial arts education in Texas public schools, now operating in 58 schools across 14 districts including Houston, Fort Bend, Galveston, El Paso, Pflugerville, and Irving.
The program teaches middle schoolers character through martial arts using the Chuck Norris System as their P.E. credit, with belt ceremonies and instruction from teachers trained under Norris. Kickstart Kids reaches 8,000–10,000 students annually, and his wife, Gina, will continue the organization’s mission following his death.
Norris was also an outspoken conservative, often endorsing Republican candidates and authoring works such as Black Belt Patriotism: How to Reawaken America, advocating for Christian values, border security, and a return to American idealism. His public persona included humor and social media presence, famously generating “Chuck Norris Facts.” Greg Abbott commemorated Norris after his death on X, calling him a legend who “electrified generations of conservatives.” Other notable figures paying tribute included Ted Cruz, Benjamin Netanyahu, and Donald Trump.
While Norris filmed movies across Texas, including Lone Wolf McQuade in El Paso and Sidekicks in Houston, it was the TV series Walker, Texas Ranger that cemented his association with the state. Portraying Cordell Walker for nine seasons, Norris played a law enforcement officer who fought crime in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, often using martial arts, and became a de facto ambassador for the Texas Rangers.
According to Christine Rothenbush of the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum, Walker’s character introduced many viewers to the organization, and show props like the cowboy hat and belt are now on display in the museum. Rothenbush notes, “There is some truth and accuracy to everything, but there’s also some Hollywood glamour. The Texas Rangers do not do roundhouse kicks. That would be a lot of paperwork.”