Chuck Norris was for many, his family explained it very well in the message with which they announced his death this Friday at the age of 86, “a martial artist, actor and symbol of strength.” During more than half a century of his film career, he managed to become the prototype of the quintessential American action hero, a kind of incarnation of Adam with huge weapons, muscular torsos and a gift for avoiding death. Norris saved the world dozens of times: he rescued American soldiers held captive in Vietnam in Missing in action; was a loner ranger of Texas that dismantled the gang of a very dangerous criminal in McQuade, the lone wolf; or he faced, also alone, of course, a group of terrorists who were planning a series of attacks on US territory in USA Invasion. An extensive filmography (more than 30 films and some series) that was never applauded by specialized critics, but that captivated millions of viewers who enjoyed a type of cinema that served to personify the values of a conservative, tough and always triumphant United States.
His arrival in Hollywood and the fight with Bruce Lee: ‘The Dragon’s Fury’ (1972)
Norris arrived in Hollywood established as a martial artist. He was a world karate champion – a title he held and defended for six years – and an expert in various fighting styles, such as tang soo do, taekwondo, judo and jiu-jitsu. He had also served in the US Army — that’s where his nickname came from. Chuck (his real name was Carlos Ray Norris)—and he had a chain of karate schools, with clients like Chad McQueen, Bob Barker, Priscilla Presley, or Steve McQueen, who encouraged him to become an actor.
But if there is an encounter that marked his career, it was at a martial arts demonstration in Long Beach (California, United States) where he met Bruce Lee, who became his friend, and who later invited him to participate in The rage of the dragon (1972), Norris’s first major film appearance. He became the nemesis of the heroic and always light Lee, and from there came one of the most famous fights in the history of cinema, with the Roman Colosseum in the background, in which they beat each other on screen for 10 minutes. Lee had to win, of course, and Norris died, for the first and only time, on screen. The immortal man was born with a death.
His first leading role: ‘The Power of Force’ (1977)
Five years later came the first of his many leading roles, in The Power of the Force (1977), a curious film in which he played a truck driver looking for his missing brother in a corrupt town. Of course, he doesn’t encounter common criminals, but rather an evil public official, Judge Joshua Trimmings (George Murdock) and his henchmen whom he fights with martial arts. The film was particularly successful on the American drive-in cinema circuit.
The taste of commercial success: ‘The Brave Wear Black’ (1983)
His first commercial success came with The brave wear black (1983), in which he played a former commander of the United States Army who must discover why the members of the command he led in Vietnam are being murdered one after another when the peace process is already underway. For the first time he put himself in the shoes of a war veteran who defended his country. Distribute all colors to the health of national security.
The film grossed $18 million, but critics did not like it. “They said it was the worst in 50 years,” he said in an interview with New York Times. “Well, it wasn’t good, but I was offended. I said, ‘I’m not trying to be Dustin Hoffman; I just want to project a strong, positive hero image on the screen.’ I went to talk to Steve (McQueen, his friend) and he said, ‘You talk too much in the movie. Too much dialogue. Let the supporting actors develop the plot. Then, when there’s something important to say, you say it, and people will listen.” And boy did he listen to him.
Find the character: ‘McQuade, the lone wolf’ (1983)
To this western full of martial arts he owes one of the nicknames that accompanied him the rest of his life, “the lone wolf”, and that defines the type of characters he would most embody. Following the advice of his friend McQueen, he also gave the character a style that would accompany him for the rest of his career as a hallmark: short answers, monosyllables that began to create a guy full of mystery and surrounded by urban legends. Norris played ranger from Texas JJ McQuade, who fights against a dangerous arms dealer and his gang. Here was the action hero on par with Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger or Charles Bronson.
The consolidation of the American hero: the ‘Missing in Action’ trilogy (1984-1988) and ‘USA Invasion’ (1985)
A year later he began with the first film of his famous trilogy: Missing in action. In the first installment, as subtle as he usually was, Norris attempted diplomatic means to free American prisoners of war who, after the conflict, were still in Vietnam. When he failed to do so, he decided to break off the negotiations unilaterally and solve all the population problems of Southeast Asia by shooting: he killed everyone who crossed his path and the discussions ended. United States ahead.
In between, he recorded USA Ivasionwhere his country is ravaged by uniformed troops from the Soviet Union, Cuba, and some unnamed Arab state. They are dedicated to sowing chaos with terrorist acts that pit neighbors against neighbors, civilians against police, and police against civilians. Matt Hunter, a former intelligence agent played by Norris, is the only one who realizes what is happening. He saves his country, of course.
The consecration will be televised: ‘Walker, Texas Ranger’ (1993-2001)
His definitive consecration did not come with a movie, but with a series that ran for eight seasons from 1993 to 2001. Chuck Norris was Cordell Walker, a ranger of our days that was presented like this: “The most deadly weapon in the fight against crime.” That was already a demonstration of the actor turned character, who was fighting—yes, again, what does it matter—against political corruption or undesirable drug traffickers. Always impassive, he dealt out blows at will. We could see him with a tie and in a helicopter, involved in campaigns throughout James Bondor on a horse and driving cattle as if he had never done anything else. Chuck Norris playing Chuck Norris.
Self-parody: ‘The Mercenaries 2’ (2012)
Then his career had a small major downturn, he spent nearly seven years without filming anything. But in 2005 the famous Chuck Norris Facts emerged that would change his life. It was not his films, but what crowned him as the “strongest man in the world”, a truly invincible machine. The actor did not deny the jokes and memes that surrounded him, rather he took advantage of it to resurface. In The Mercenaries 2 —which like the first installment, brought together a cast of notable action stars, many of them notably in the twilight of their careers (Sylvester Stallone, Bruce Willis, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jean-Claude Van Damme)—returned seven years after his last work with an impassive self-parody, playing a highly trained veteran soldier and the subject of urban legends. At some point in the film, Stallone told him: “I heard you were bitten by a king cobra.” Norris replied: “Yes, that’s how it was. But after five days of unbearable pain… the cobra died.” Surely few phrases have caused so much laughter in the rooms.