While most kids nowadays know Chuck Norris exclusively through memes on the internet, Norris is much, much more than just a very cheesy joke.
Born Carlos Ray Norris, Chuck Norris joined the United States Air Force when he was 18 years old and served in South Korea. There, he earned the nickname “Chuck” and began martial arts training. Once he returned to the United States, he opened a martial arts studio and competed in all sorts of tournaments.
During his martial arts career, Norris met and became friends with Bruce Lee, one of the greatest and most influential martial artists of all time. Their friendship helped Norris transition into acting when he played the antagonist in Lee’s Way of the Dragon. Norris, also aided by Steve McQueen, eventually became a star with Good Guys Wear Black’s release in 1978. He would go on to enjoy great success in action films like Missing in Action and The Delta Force, as well as the television series Walker, Texas Ranger.
Due to his fighting skills and overall physical prowess, Norris became a meme in the 21st century, depicting him as a superhuman that could achieve all sorts of ridiculous feats. The memes played a big part in growing the legend surrounding the man, years after his biggest Hollywood films. But just how old is Chuck Norris, and when was he born?
How old is Chuck Norris?
Chuck Norris was born on March 10, 1940, and turned 81 years old earlier this year. He was just 32 when Way of the Dragon launched him into stardom.
Norris has been retired from full-time acting for a few years now, but he has remained somewhat active with sponsorship deals, including appearing in World of Tanks as a tank commander. He also had a cameo in Hawaii Five-0 in 2020.
While we have very likely seen the last of Norris’ action films—his last film, The Expendables 2, was released in 2012—the legend that is Chuck Norris will live on forever.
