From Villain to Ranger: 6 Cool Action Movies Featuring Chuck Norris

Carlos Ney Norris was born on 10 March 1940 in the town of Ryan, Oklahoma. The future star’s mother was of Cherokee descent, which led to Norris being teased by his classmates. The actor’s family lived in extreme poverty, and after his father abandoned the family, they found themselves on the brink of destitution.

Carlos lived in a caravan with his brothers; for a time, it became their home. Norris helped his mother as best he could – working as a porter and a handyman. Everything changed when she got married. It was his stepfather, George Knight, who instilled a love of sport in the boy. Surprisingly, Norris did not perform well in sports at school; he wasn’t even accepted into the local football team.

‘The Way of the Dragon’, Hong Kong, 1972

Chuck played the main villain – the tough American Colt, whom Bruce Lee’s hero, Tan, fights. Bruce himself chose Norris for the role of his on-screen rival and even told him to put on weight so that Chuck would look more imposing on screen.

The final battle in the Colosseum was filmed almost in secret. The Italian authorities had banned filming on the ruins of the country’s historical heritage. So the film crew quietly set up their equipment at night and got to work. However, they only managed to shoot a few shots, and the fight itself took place on a studio set.

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Bruce Lee mapped out the fighting technique and choreography in great detail. As a result, the fight between Lee and Norris ranks among the most spectacular fights in cinema.

‘Black Tigers’, USA, 1978

The film’s original title is ‘Good Guys Wear Black’. The main character is Booker, a former special forces soldier and member of the secret ‘Black Tigers’ unit. Someone begins killing off the organisation’s agents, and Booker must find the culprits. And, whilst he’s at it, save his surviving comrades.

‘The Power of One’, USA, 1979

Norris invested his savings in this film and acted as producer. And Chuck’s gamble paid off – the box office took in five times the budget. The plot involves a gang operating in the city, skilled in martial arts. When two police officers fall victim to the criminals, the officers turn to karate champion Matt Logan for help. He must teach the officers the basics of hand-to-hand combat.

“Silent Rage”, USA, 1982

Sheriff Dan Stevens mortally wounds a dangerous psychopathic killer whilst apprehending him. But the criminal survives – in a secret laboratory, experiments are carried out on him, rendering him virtually invulnerable. The maniac escapes from the doctors and begins wreaking havoc in a small Texas town. But Sheriff Stevens is not resting on his laurels.

Chuck worked on the film alongside his brother – the renowned stuntman and stunt coordinator Aaron Norris.

‘Shadows of the Past’, USA, 2005

John is a former police officer and now a private detective. He is approached by jeweller Isaac Teller, a former concentration camp prisoner. He possesses a unique artefact that a former Nazi colonel is hunting for. The criminal sends a hitman to kidnap Isaac’s niece. But John knows all his plans in advance.

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