Chuck Norris has died at the age of 86; stream his most iconic roles
Chuck Norris has died at the age of 86; stream his most iconic roles
From ‘The Way of the Dragon’ to ‘Walker: Texas Ranger,’ here’s how you can remember the martial arts icon.
For decades, he was known as the man who didn’t do push-ups; instead, he pushed the Earth down. After a career that lasted over 50 years, martial arts and action icon Chuck Norris passed away at the age of 86 on Friday, March 20. The actor was hospitalized in Hawaii on Thursday, and his family confirmed Norris’ passing on Friday, saying, “While we would like to keep the circumstances private, please know that he was surrounded by his family and was at peace.”
His iconic fight with Bruce Lee in “The Way of the Dragon” is arguably one of the most famous and influential fight scenes in movie history, and it launched Norris as a star, with his career taking off in the 1980s as the cornerstone of the Canon Films B-Movie studio. Norris then moved into millions of Americans’ homes in the ’90s as Sergeant Ranger Cordell Walker in “Walker: Texas Ranger.” The show ran for nine seasons and birthed films and a prequel series.
If you want to spend the weekend reliving some of Norris’ greatest performances, we have rounded up where you can stream some of his best. I would also recommend checking out his animated series “Karate Kommanos” on YouTube. The cult-classic 1986 cartoon contributed heavily to the rise in Norris’ popularity.
Watch ‘Chuck Norris: Karate Kommandos’:
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The Way of the Dragon
December 30, 1972After a Chinese restaurant in Rome is threatened by the mafia, who will stop at nothing to acquire the property, the owner recruits a family friend in Hong Kong, kung fu expert Tang Lung, to help them defend their business.
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Good Guys Wear Black
June 1, 1978The former leader of a commando rescue attempt into Vietnam tries to discover why his squad members are being murdered, one-by-one, after the war is over.
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The Octagon
August 14, 1980Scott James, a veteran martial arts expert, is recruited as the protector of the wealthy and beautiful Justine after she becomes the target of a ninja clan. When Scott finds out that his ruthless arch-nemesis, McCarn , is involved with the stealthy and dangerous criminals, he is eager to settle old scores. Soon Scott is facing off against McCarn and the entire ninja horde in an effort to take them all down.
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An Eye for an Eye
August 14, 1981Sean Kane is forced to resign from the San Francisco Police Department’s Narcotics Division when he goes berserk after his partner is murdered. He decides to fight alone and follows a trail of drug traffickers into unexpected high places.
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Lone Wolf McQuade
April 15, 1983The archetypical renegade Texas Ranger wages war against a drug kingpin with automatic weapons, his wits and martial arts after a gun battle leaves his partner dead. All of this inevitably culminates in a martial arts showdown between the drug lord and the ranger, and involving the woman they both love.
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Missing in Action
November 16, 1984American servicemen are still being held captive in Vietnam and it’s up to one man to bring them home in this blistering, fast-paced action/adventure starring martial arts superstar Chuck Norris. Following a daring escape from a Vietnamese POW camp, Special Forces Colonel James Braddock (Norris) is on a mission to locate and save remaining MIAs.
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Code of Silence
May 3, 1985A Chicago cop is caught in the middle of a gang war while his own comrades shun him because he wants to take an irresponsible cop down.
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The Delta Force
February 14, 1986A 707 aircraft jetliner, en route from Athens to Rome and then to New York City, is hijacked by Lebanese terrorists, who demand that the pilot take them to Beirut. What the terrorists don’t realize is that an elite team of commandos have been called in to eliminate all terrorists on the jetliner.
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Sidekicks
December 17, 1992Asthmatic teenager Barry Gabrewski is a daydreamer. Troubled by bullying, he escapes into a fantasy world where he is the sidekick to his martial arts hero, Chuck Norris, in a series of high-octane adventures taken right out of his movies. With help from his teacher’s wise old uncle, Mr. Lee, Barry learns the finer points of martial arts and enters a karate championship.
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Walker, Texas Ranger
April 21, 1993Modern-day Texas Ranger, Cordell Walker’s independent crime-solving methods have their roots in the rugged traditions of the Old West. Walker’s closest friend is former Ranger, C.D. Parker, who retired after a knee injury, and now owns “C.D.’s,” a Country/Western saloon/restaurant. Rookie Ranger, James “Jimmy” Trivette is an ex-football player who bases his crime-solving methods on reason and uses computers and cellular phones. Alex Cahill is the Assistant DA who shares a mutual attraction with Walker, but often disagrees with his unorthodox approach to law enforcement.
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DodgeBall: A True Underdog Story
June 18, 2004When megalomaniacal White Goodman, the owner of a trendy, high-end fitness center, makes a move to take over the struggling local gym run by happy-go-lucky Pete La Fleur, there’s only one way for La Fleur to fight back: dodgeball. Aided by a dodgeball guru and Goodman’s attorney, La Fleur and his rag-tag team of underdogs launch a knock-down, drag-out battle in which the winner takes all.
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The Expendables 2
August 15, 2012Mr. Church reunites the Expendables for what should be an easy paycheck, but when one of their men is murdered on the job, their quest for revenge puts them deep in enemy territory and up against an unexpected threat.
