Dead American actor Chuck Norris
He was 86 years old, master of various martial arts and specialist in action films
Mourning in the world of cinema. Chuck Norris, the martial arts champion who became an action film icon and star of the famous series 'Walker, Texas Ranger', has died at the age of 86. Norris had been hospitalised in Hawaii last Thursday due to a medical emergency on the island of Kauai. This morning his family, on social media, released a statement announcing his passing. "While we wish to keep the circumstances confidential, please know that he was surrounded by his family and resting in peace," the post read. "To the world, he was a martial artist, an actor and a symbol of strength. To us, he was a devoted husband, a loving father and grandfather, an extraordinary brother and the heart of our family. He lived his life with faith, determination and an unwavering commitment to the people he loved. Through his work, discipline and kindness, he inspired millions of people around the world and left an indelible mark on the lives of so many,' the family post concludes.
From martial arts to cinema
An 8th Dan black belt in taekwondo and 5th Dan black belt in karate, Norris from the second half of the 1960s onwards won several sporting titles, first in Californian professional karate tournaments and later also at US level. He got his first film part as an extra in 'Mission Accomplished Stop. Matt Helm' in 1969, but it is 'Chen's Scream Terrorizes the West', where he fights Bruce Lee at the Colosseum, that launched his career in 1972. From the 1980s onwards, he starred in numerous action films from 'Thunderbolt' to 'Delta Force', from 'A Magnum for McQuade' to 'The Code of Silence'. In the 1990s, he peaked in stardom playing Cordell Walker in the TV series 'Walker Texas Ranger'.
In addition to being a black belt in Tang Soo Do, Hapkido and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, he created a martial discipline based on other combat forms that went by the name of Chun Kuk Do (he was black belt 10th Dan). In 1988 he made his debut as a writer, publishing his autobiography 'The Secret of Inner Strength' followed by 'The Secret Power Within: Zen Solutions to Real Problems'.
