R.I.P. Chuck Norris

S

Sarkus

Hippomonstrosesquippedalophobe
Valued Senior Member
Chuck Norris, 86. RIP.

When Chuck Norris met Death, Death introduced himself in lowercase.

Add your favourites here:

A few of mine...
When Chuck Norris left for college, he shook his dad’s hand, looked him in the eye and said, “You’re the man of the house now…”
Chuck Norris once heard that nothing can kill him. So he tracked down nothing and killed it.
Chuck Norris' tears cure cancer. Unfortunately he has never cried.
There is no Natural Selection, there are just animals Chuck Norris allows to live.
The only reason Chuck Norris has never won an academy award is because Chuck Norris isn’t acting.
 
Aside from possibly a couple of them, did not watch his movies overall. But I can't forget the clip from one used in the Chuck Norris vs Communism documentary, which was about translator Irina Nistor's universal voice dubbing of Western films smuggled into cold-war era Romania. His captors fastened a bag full of hungry rats over Chuck's head, and when it was removed he had bitten the heads off the rats.
_
 
C C said:
His captors fastened a bag full of hungry rats over Chuck's head, and when it was removed he had bitten the heads off the rats.
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Missing in Action 2: The Beginning

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www.imdb.com

None of his films were of great quality, but enjoyable 80's type stuff. He stuck to what he was good at.
And his debut was in Way of the Dragon, fighting Bruce Lee, one of the most famous martial arts fights in film history.
 
Sarkus said:
Missing in Action 2: The Beginning

Loading…

www.imdb.com

None of his films were of great quality, but enjoyable 80's type stuff. He stuck to what he was good at.
And his debut was in Way of the Dragon, fighting Bruce Lee, one of the most famous martial arts fights in film history.
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Agree, all pretty shit as were the Bruce Lee films if we are honest. "Enter the Dragon" has stood the test of time I think but that is the only one.
Bruce Lee made them watchable.
Same with Steven Segal, Jackie Chan, just formulaic follow ons.

Chuck Norris had the epic battle with Lee in "The way of the dragon?"

His list of achievements in martial arts were unparalleled at that time and that is what set him apart.
I don't think Bruce Lee entered that many competitions? Is that right?
 
Pinball1970 said:
Agree, all pretty shit as were the Bruce Lee films if we are honest. "Enter the Dragon" has stood the test of time I think but that is the only one.
Bruce Lee made them watchable.
Same with Steven Segal, Jackie Chan, just formulaic follow ons.
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Okay, I was with you until you put everything in the same bracket as Steven Segal. No you do not! Segal is not fit to tie their shoe laces.
Jackie Chan is excellent. Not every film, but enough, especially his earlier Hong Kong stuff (Drunken Master, Project A, Police Story etc). Took those sorts of films to new levels with his own stunt work. As did Bruce Lee before him. Done alright for himself in Hollywood as well - "Rush Hour" series is fun. Segal and Norris were similar-ish, but, well, Segal wasn't in any of the Expendable series ;) He was apparently initially invited but, well, friction. True, Norris isn't on the same box-office level as Stallone, Statham, Willis, etc, but, well... Segal?? Really????
;)
Pinball1970 said:
Chuck Norris had the epic battle with Lee in "The way of the dragon?"
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Yep. A classic of its time. Still holds up, film quality aside.
Pinball1970 said:
His list of achievements in martial arts were unparalleled at that time and that is what set him apart.
I don't think Bruce Lee entered that many competitions? Is that right?
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No, Lee didn't. He started his formal training in Wing Chun (of Ip Man fame) but they were a non-competition Kung Fu style. He then moved away from that as he saw it as too rigid, and any single style also being too limiting to a fighter. So he developed his own style (Jeet Kune Do) that didn't exactly limit itself to what competitions allowed, and the whole ethos of the style was contrary to such strictures. So he didn't enter any.
Norris, on the other hand, focussed on Karate, although brought in a number of other influences, and competed in the Karate tournaments, where he did very well indeed, operating inside the confines of the "sport". That's not to say he wouldn't be effective outside of the rules of those tournaments, only that he was comfortable inside.

And bear in mind, noone else garnered the same meme as Chuck Norris.

Remember: the memes don't exaggerate Chuck Norris - reality just needs time to catch up to him.

;)
 
I had to ask my brothers who Norris was, and elicited the following tributes:

"He was a towering talent: Lone Wolf McQuade was possibly the finest exposition of his dazzling versatility, although many regard his non-speaking part in Enter the Dragon as perhaps more expressive."

"He belongs to the kung foo period in the early 70s. A cardboard cutout "actor" who could fling his fists and feet about to impress his onlookers. I really have no idea why he deserves any fuss at all. I anticipate a similar encomium when porn film "actor", Ron Jeremy finally pegs out. Before you ask, he was the original washing machine mechanic in those dismal 1970s porn films..."

So now I know.
 
Sarkus said:
Okay, I was with you until you put everything in the same bracket as Steven Segal. No you do not! Segal is not fit to tie their shoe laces
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I watched one film of SS saw a little of another and realised they were all along the same lines.
Who is the Brussels guy? Van Dam? Same with him.
Bruce Lee was the first and totally watchable, he had charisma and every young lad wanted to be like him.
We did not realise he was as gifted as he was as we had no experience of martial arts.
Dying so young just added to the aura.

David Carradine played a part that Lee wrote? Or was supposed to star in? Kung Fu?
A fantastic series for a kid growing up in the 70s.

Chuck Norris was sport first, film second looking at his record. Probably not much footage of him fighting in competition. Same with Lee, just section grainy film showing a fight.

Jackie Chan is in a film called, "The foreigner." Superb, totally different to the formulaic stuff.
He was good in the remake of "The Karate kid" too.
 
He wasn't the world's greatest actor, for sure. Some enjoyable films in the 80's. He was a great martial artist, and influential, and highly regarded for it, and helped popularise martial arts in western movies (rather than Hong Kong films), reinforcing what Bruce Lee had started in the West.

Plus the memes!! :)

These days, if in his prime, he would likely only get film parts as the bad-guy's tough bodyguard, that the hero has to first get through. Or similar roles.
 
Pinball1970 said:
He was not in that one, he was in, " The way of the dragon."

He should be remembered for his ability in the sport, if he made a few bucks out of it in movies fair play to him.
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Oh right. I had thought it was Exit The Dragon. Oh well.

I've nothing against the guy but I don't understand why all the media are carrying articles about him. Perhaps we all just need distraction from Trump.
 
exchemist said:
Oh right. I had thought it was Exit The Dragon. Oh well.
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exchemist said:
I've nothing against the guy but I don't understand why all the media are carrying articles about him. Perhaps we all just need distraction from Trump.
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If it wasn't for the internet meme that humourously exaggerates his exploits (and which he very much played into), he wouldn't be garnering any more attention than, say, any other modest tv/film action star from the 80s/90s.
 
Sarkus said:

If it wasn't for the internet meme that humourously exaggerates his exploits (and which he very much played into), he wouldn't be garnering any more attention than, say, any other modest tv/film action star from the 80s/90s.
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Jesus mate that's a big risk. He may be dead but this is Chuck Norris!
 
exchemist said:
He belongs to the kung foo period in the early 70s. A cardboard cutout "actor" who could fling his fists and feet about to impress his onlookers. I really have no idea why he deserves any fuss at all
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Hafta agree with Ex's bro. But I feel much the same about the majority of celebrities who are, as Mr Muggeridge put it, "famous for being famous." That said, at least Norris held a real title as middleweight karate champion for six years, so I can respect his dedication and skill. I took judo for one year in my teens and did okay with it - it was a great fitness routine and I was reasonably quick. Mostly I absorbed the importance of knowing how to fall. o_O
 
exchemist said:
I had to ask my brothers who Norris was, and elicited the following tributes:

"He was a towering talent: Lone Wolf McQuade was possibly the finest exposition of his dazzling versatility, although many regard his non-speaking part in Enter the Dragon as perhaps more expressive."

"He belongs to the kung foo period in the early 70s. A cardboard cutout "actor" who could fling his fists and feet about to impress his onlookers. I really have no idea why he deserves any fuss at all. I anticipate a similar encomium when porn film "actor", Ron Jeremy finally pegs out. Before you ask, he was the original washing machine mechanic in those dismal 1970s porn films..."

So now I know.
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But when it came to the martial arts, he was for real.

NORRIS, CHUCK (1940- ) American karate champion, pioneer, instructor, and actor. Born in Ryan, Okla. Chuck Norris is one of the greatest champions in the history of American karate. Winner of virtually every major title in karate between 1965 and 1970, his grand championship victories include the 1967 and 1968 International Karate Championships, the 1967 and 1968 All American Championships, the 1968 National Tournament of Champions, and the 1968 World Professional Middleweight Title. He retired as the undefeated middleweight champion after his last title defense, Jan. 17, 1970.
www.backkicks.com

Chuck Norris – Martial Arts Encyclopedia

www.backkicks.com
 
Ivan Seeking said:
But when it came to the martial arts, he was for real.

NORRIS, CHUCK (1940- ) American karate champion, pioneer, instructor, and actor. Born in Ryan, Okla. Chuck Norris is one of the greatest champions in the history of American karate. Winner of virtually every major title in karate between 1965 and 1970, his grand championship victories include the 1967 and 1968 International Karate Championships, the 1967 and 1968 All American Championships, the 1968 National Tournament of Champions, and the 1968 World Professional Middleweight Title. He retired as the undefeated middleweight champion after his last title defense, Jan. 17, 1970.
www.backkicks.com

Chuck Norris – Martial Arts Encyclopedia

www.backkicks.com
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Yeah. Sport first.
 
Pinball1970 said:
Yeah. Sport first.
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How to make a Texas Ranger.

I remember when celebrities were training with Norris: Steve McQueen, and other bad asses like Priscilla Presley, Bob Barker, and the dangerous duo, Donny and Marie Osmond.

Steve McQueen is the one who suggested to Norris that he might want to consider acting.

I was never a Chuck Norris movie fan, but I was a bit of a fan back when I was in the martial arts. Norris was iconic.
 
I remember that Bob Barker trained so he could avoid or escape contestants on The Price is Right. They were sometimes so big, and would get so carried away, that he was in jeopardy of physical injury.
 
Pinball1970 said:
Yeah. Sport first.
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Definitely. But many stars have come from sports. Jason Statham was a competitive diver before turning his hand to acting. Apparently not making the '88 or '92 Olympic team is a bit of a sore point for him. Okay, that's one star coming from sports. But, still, point made, clearly! ;) (Then there's Vinnie Jones, of course!)
And, as said, a number of very successful actors have come from the Wrestling theatre. And Arnie was a world-renown body-builder, of course.

Anyhoo, this is a good article (by the BBC, naturally ;)):
www.bbc.co.uk

Chuck Norris memes were undefeated for a generation of young fans

Chuck Norris became an inadvertent source of humour for a viral online celebration of his movie tough-guy persona.
www.bbc.co.uk www.bbc.co.uk
 
Sarkus said:
And Arnie was a world-renown body-builder,
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The best example, I'm a huge Arnie fan. The guy has charisma as the bad guy and hero.
I don't think Norris had,from what I have seen.

Anyway here is a quick tribute, The Way of the Dragon cast. There is a teeny, tiny mistake there but we can push past that.

 
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