Movies, martial arts, memes: Norris’ fame was far-reachingpublished at 17:53 GMT
17:53 GMT
Steven McIntosh
Entertainment reporter
Image source, Getty Images
Whether you know him for memes, movies or martial arts, Chuck Norris’ fame spanned several genres and generations.
If you were a movie-goer in the 1970s, 80s or 90s, there’s a good chance you would’ve seen Chuck Norris on the silver screen in one of his many action film roles.
Back then, actors tended to appear either solely in movies or TV shows, but Norris conquered both, becoming a favourite with television audiences thanks to the 196 episodes of Walker, Texas Ranger he appeared in over nine seasons.
As he got older, Norris cut down on the number of film and TV roles he took on, although he became known to new audiences thanks to a cameo appearance in 2004’s Dodgeball starring Vince Vaughan and Ben Stiller, and 2012’s The Expendables 2.
Over decades, Norris built a legacy that reached far beyond snappy one-liners and gripping fight scenes. His screen presence could carry a film or TV series, and his martial arts background meant his characters always felt authentic rather than manufactured.
When traditional cinema declined and internet culture took over, Norris remained relevant as a meme star which played up to his former tough-guy persona – something he enjoyed and encouraged.
We’re now ending our live coverage, but we have more on Chuck Norris in this story from our culture editor.