Chuck Norris Is Tougher Than Granite—And Scandal
Chuck Norris is the kung fu champion who fought his way to the pinnacle of Hollywood. But personal scandal, a secret love child, and on-set tragedies nearly knocked him out cold. Thank goodness his beard is tougher than granite.
1. His Father Was A Jack-Of-All-Trades
Carlos Ray “Chuck” Norris didn’t exactly come out of the womb doing roundhouse kicks. In fact, his childhood was pretty low-key. He was born in Ryan, Oklahoma, in March 1940, to Wilma and Ray Dee Norris. His father was kind of a jack-of-all trades as a WWII veteran, mechanic, and driver. That left little Norris with big shoes to fill.
2. He Was The Eldest Of Three
Later on in his life, Chuck Norris would become a role model for millions of young men, teaching the values of discipline and hard work. But he started modeling good behavior early on. Norris had two younger brothers, Wieland and Aaron. One of his brothers made an ominous prediction.
3. His Brother Made A Terrible Prediction
When they were young, Norris’ younger brother, Wieland, made a terrifying prediction. He informed Norris that he wouldn’t live to see his 27th birthday. Sadly, that prediction came true in 1970 when Wieland perished in the conflict roiling Vietnam. But Norris’ family had fallen apart long before that.
4. His Father Drank For Months At A Time
For the majority of his childhood, Norris’ father found sporadic work as an automobile mechanic. But, when he wasn’t tuning up cars, he was knocking back drinks. Norris’ father would frequently go on months-long drinking binges, leaving the family to fend for themselves. But Norris hadn’t found his fighting spirit yet.
5. He Suffered From “Debilitating Introversion”
Norris’ father’s drinking binges frequently left the family in dire financial straits. The consequences for young Chuck were brutal. His situation was so precarious that he was embarrassed and developed “debilitating introversion”.
Sadly, things only went downhill from there.
6. His Family Moved To California
Eventually, Norris’ mother had had enough of the drinking and financial hardship. So, when Norris was 16 years old, his mother ended the failing marriage. She packed up Norris and his younger brothers and relocated their family, eventually settling in Torrance, California.
But it would take more than a move to get Norris out of his shell.
7. His Childhood Was Pretty “Downbeat”
It’s hard to imagine Chuck Norris as anything other than an unstoppable force of nature. But, according to Norris himself, as a child he was “downbeat”. In fact, he wasn’t even athletic, was as shy as a wallflower, and was totally unremarkable in school. In all fairness, he may have been a little distracted.
8. He Married His High School Sweetheart
Perhaps the reason that Norris wasn’t a scholar in school was that he was studying something far more interesting: Dianne Kay Holechek. The high school sweethearts tied the knot in December 1958, just as soon as they had graduated. Norris was 18 at the time, while Dianne was 17. Unsurprisingly, they didn’t exactly have a honeymoon.
9. He Enlisted And Moved Far Away
Perhaps in an effort to follow in his father’s (better) example, Chuck Norris made a bold choice. Not a moment after graduating and marrying his high school sweetheart, he enlisted in the United States Air Force. Before he had time to enjoy a honeymoon, the Air Force shipped him off to Osan Air Base in South Korea. There, destiny awaited.
10. He Adopted A New Identity
Enlistment turned out to be just the thing to bring Norris out of his shy shell. While stationed at Osan Air Base, Norris waved goodbye to the old him, ditching the name “Carlos Ray” and adopting a new identity as “Chuck”. A new name wouldn’t be the only thing he found in South Korea.
11. He Found His True Calling In Tang Soo Do
While stationed in South Korea, Chuck Norris discovered a new love: Tang Soo Do, a traditional Korean martial art. He was clearly a quick learner, because what he did next was simply astounding.
12. He Became A Double Black Belt
Norris wasn’t just good at Tang Soo Do. He was great. He went on to earn black belts and ultimately developed his own martial art, Chun Kuk Do, meaning “Universal Way”, based on what he learned from Tang Soo Do. It wouldn’t be long before the world would know what his fists could do.
13. He Rushed Back Home
In August 1962, Chuck Norris completed his service with the rank of Airman First Class and returned home to his wife. Suffice to say, as soon as he got back, he was eager to make up for lost time.
14. His Made His Son Into A Star
Shortly after he returned stateside, Chuck Norris and his wife welcomed their first child, Mike. Years later, Norris would make movies a family business, casting his son in small roles in films such as A Force of One and The Octagon.
But the whole time, Norris was hiding a wild secret.
15. He Had An Affair And A Secret Child
In 1963, Chuck Norris made one of the biggest mistakes of his life. He had a secret affair behind his wife’s back. Shockingly, that one night would have lifelong consequences. His affair partner became pregnant.
However, Norris wouldn’t find out until much, much, much later.
16. He Opened His Own Martial Arts Studio
With a wife and child to provide for, Norris’ first task when he returned to California was to find steady employment. In a little foreshadowing of his future success, Norris applied to become an officer. In the meantime, however, he couldn’t deny his true passion, so he opened a martial arts studio of his own.
But you know what they say about those who teach.
17. He Lost His First Few Fights
In an effort to hone his skills and build a client base for his studio, Chuck Norris began participating in martial arts competitions. But, suffice to say, he was no karate kid. Norris lost his first two tournaments, losing tough decisions to the likes of Joe Lewis and Allen Steen. He wasn’t knocked out cold quite yet though.
18. He Turned His Luck Around
By 1967, Norris wasn’t just participating in tournaments—he was dominating them. That year, he faced off against martial arts legends like Vic Moore and Skipper Mullins—and beat them. Then he took it to the next level. To win the 1967 Tournament of Karate, Norris defeated seven opponents in one day!
All he needed was a bigger arena.
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19. He Got Revenge In Madison Square Garden
With a big victory and new confidence under his ghi, Chuck Norris wanted redemption—or revenge. So, at S Henry Cho's All-American Karate Championship in Madison Square Garden, Norris faced off against his old foe, Joe Lewis. But, this time, Norris claimed the win. And everyone who was anyone took notice.
20. He Trained Hollywood’s Elite
Norris’ newfound notoriety enabled him to open up a series of karate schools. But, his students weren’t just any riff-raff looking to learn how to throw a decent right hook. The clientele at his karate schools was nothing short of star-studded, with students like Steve McQueen, Bob Barker, and Priscilla Presley.
Pretty soon, he’d be a star himself.
21. He Became The Undisputed Champion
Chuck Norris sought to cement his place as an undisputed karate champion. So, in late November 1968, he overcame one of his main rivals, Louis Delgado, and won the Professional Middleweight Karate champion title. A title, by the way, that he held for six years—consecutively.
22. He Retired From Karate Competitions
1968 turned out to be a big year for Norris. In addition to winning the Professional Middleweight Karate champion title, Norris clenched the All-American Karate Championship for a second time. But he clearly sensed that there was nowhere to go but down, so he made a shocking announcement.
He said that he planned to retire. However, the seeds of his next career had already been planted.
23. He Became Friends With Bruce Lee
At the All-American Karate Championship, Norris made a friend who would change the course of his life—and upend the world of action movies. Between fights, Norris had met and befriended none other than Bruce Lee, who was already famous for his role in The Green Hornet. Lee had an immediate influence on Norris.
24. He Started His Movie Career
Surrounded by Hollywood karate students and heavy-hitting action film stars, it was only a matter of time before someone turned the camera on Norris. In fact, 1968 didn’t just mark the end of Norris’ karate career—it marked the beginning of his acting career with a cameo appearance in Dean Martin’s Matt Helm spy spoof film The Wrecking Crew.
His next big screen appearance would make history.
25. He Was The Bad Guy To Lee’s Good Guy
Bruce Lee had been so impressed with Norris’ mastery of martial arts that he had a crazy idea: Chuck Norris should be an action film star. Lee, already a martial arts legend by that time, asked Norris to play the main villain in his upcoming film The Way of the Dragon.
Not surprisingly, Norris agreed—he just had no idea what he signed up for.
26. His Friend Wanted To “End” Him
When Lee asked Chuck Norris to play the villain in The Way of the Dragon, Norris was still the US Karate champion. With a wry smirk, Norris asked his friend if he “wanted to fight the champion”.
Lee’s response, however, should have sent Norris running for the hills. “No,” Lee replied, “I wanna [end] the champion”.
27. His Fight With Lee Was Basically Half A Movie
Turns out, Bruce Lee was serious when he said that he wanted to “end” Chuck Norris. The fight between Lee and Norris took nearly two days to write. In fact, the epic showdown between the fighting friends took up almost a quarter of the film’s entire script.
And it’s safe to say that neither Lee nor Norris pulled their punches.
28. He May Have Exchanged Real Blows With Lee
The choreographed fight between Norris and Lee in The Way of the Dragon was so intense that, allegedly, it could not be faked. Some sources claim that Norris and Lee exchanged real blows when filming the scene. Clearly, it was a humbling experience for Norris.
29. He Did Not Believe He Could Beat Bruce
The Way of the Dragon promised filmgoers something they would never get to see in real life: a no holds barred brawl between two of the most iconic karate figures in the world. But, according to Norris, an actual fight between the two friends was a foregone conclusion. Norris humbly admitted that he could never defeat Lee in a fair fight.
Fortunately, he wouldn’t have to.
30. His Film Career Was Just Getting Started
Off the success of The Way of the Dragon, Norris’ film career continued moving in a positive direction. Or, at least, he thought it was moving in a positive direction. But, when he accepted a role in Jonathan Kaplan's 1973 film The Student Teachers, he was in for an unpleasant surprise.
31. He Took His Family To See His Movies
Following The Way of the Dragon, Norris was eager to get more work in films. So, as he revealed in his autobiography, he agreed to star in The Student Teachers without ever having read the script. Worse yet, he accepted roles for some of his family members as well. But, when the film premiered, Norris was in for a shock.
32. He Nearly Quit Acting
Excited to see themselves on the big screen, Norris took his wife and sons to see their film The Student Teachers in theater. But what they saw nearly had them choking on their popcorn. The film contained explicit scenes that left the Christian karate champion and his family disappointed and dismayed.
The incident scarred Norris, and he contemplated giving up acting altogether. We may never have known the Texas Ranger star if fate hadn’t intervened.
33. He Took Advice From The Queen (McQueen, That Is)
Shortly after The Student Teachers, one of Norris’ students and friends gave him advice that would forever change action films. Steve McQueen saw that Norris had potential, and managed to get Norris to start taking acting classes at MGM. It turned out to be the right advice at the right time.
34. His Movies Premiered In Hong Kong First
Norris followed up on McQueen’s advice and began taking acting classes. Later that year, he starred in the little-known film Yellow-Faced Tiger. While the film screened in Hong Kong, it didn’t premiere in the United States until 1981, when Norris’ popularity was a lot higher. In the meantime, he was still inroads in Hollywood.
35. He Finally Landed A Lead Role
Despite his early role in The Way of the Dragon, it would take Chuck Norris a few more years to punch his way to top billing on a film. Then, finally, in 1978, he landed a real lead role, starring in Good Guys Wear Black. But, Hollywood’s heavyweights didn’t believe he was ready for the spotlight.
36. He Couldn’t Get Studios To Back Him
Despite Norris’ rising fame, he couldn’t find a studio to back Good Guys Wear Black in theaters. But Norris was no stranger to a fight—so he took a huge risk. Instead, he “four-walled” the film with his producers, where they rented out entire theaters and sold tickets themselves. It was a bold move—but would it work?
37. He Gambled On Himself—And Won Big!
Whether on the mat or in the theater, Norris always punched above his weight. So it should have come as no surprise when his daring strategy for Good Guys Wear Black reaped rewards. Norris and his producers had made the film for $1million—and they grossed over $18million at the box office.
38. He Was The First American Martial Arts Star
Up until Good Guys Wear Black, kung fu films in Hollywood were largely imports from Hong Kong. The only real Hollywood martial arts star was Bruce Lee—until Chuck Norris roundhouse kicked his way to the top. The stunning success of Good Guys Wear Black cemented Norris as “the first successful homegrown American martial-arts star”.
And he was already inspiring the next generation.
39. He Inspired Keanu Reeves
In 1973, a future action film star wandered into the theater to watch a Bruce Lee film, but left the theater as a Chuck Norris fan. That future action film star was none other than Keanu Reeves, who was “kung fu obsessed” in no small part thanks to Chuck Norris.
He certainly showed kids how to stand up to bullies.
40. He Had A Run-In With A Biker Gang
While filming a scene for A Force of One, a large gang of bikers kept disrupting the shoot by throwing bottles into the ring on set. But, according to one of Norris’ friends, the martial arts star quickly showed the bikers what a real tough guy looks like.
41. He Left Bikers On The (Cutting Room) Floor
Norris’ friend recalled how the burgeoning star walked over to the bikers and politely said to them, “Guys, we're doing a film. I would appreciate it if you would stop bothering people”. After offering the bikers the opportunity to be in the film, they readily complied—but Norris had a twist up his sleeve.
He then edited them out of the final cut. Norris wasn’t afraid of bikers—but he was terrified of something else.
42. He Was A Fighter, Not A Lover
Director Michael Miller who worked with Norris on Silent Rage, claimed that the tough guy martial artists withered in the face of another opponent. According to Miller, Norris struggled during his romantic scenes with leading lady Toni Kalem, confessing that he “wasn't used to doing them”.
43. He Starred In A Spaghetti Western
Norris would go on to his career-defining role in Walker, Texas Ranger. But, the popular character had an inconspicuous start in the 1983 film Lone Wolf McQuade. The “spaghetti western” style film was wildly successful, and later became the inspiration behind Walker, Texas Ranger.
But the role almost never went to Norris.
44. He Almost Missed The Role Of A Lifetime
Originally, Lone Wolf McQuade was supposed to serve as a vehicle for different action film star; Kris Kristofferson. However, for reasons that aren’t entirely clear, Kristofferson passed on the role, ultimately giving it to Norris. And he almost turned it down.
45. He Didn’t Want To Set A Bad Example
The fate of Walker, Texas Ranger could have turned out very differently. At first, Norris didn’t want to take the lead role in Lone Wolf McQuade because he believed that the character’s penchant for drink would set a bad example for his millions of young fans. Thankfully, he reconsidered—and the rest, as they say, is history.
46. He Showed Off His Luscious (Chin) Locks
Later in his career, Norris’ beard would become at least as famous as he was—and equally tough. But few cinephiles and karate black belts know that Norris didn’t premiere his luscious beard until in 1983 in Lone Wolf McQuade. He might simply have been trying to cover up some bruises.
47. He Got Into A Real Fight With Carradine
During filming of Lone Wolf McQuade, a rumor began to circulate. Allegedly, while filming the climactic fight scene, Norris and David Carradine weren’t pulling their punches—they were fighting for real! And it’s not hard to see why.
48. He Kicked Back—But Harder
According to the rumors, Norris thought that Carradine was “kicking him too hard”. The bearded-brawler then warned Carradine to stop, only for Carradine to continue throwing real kicks in the next take. That’s when Norris decided to strike back.
A real scuffle broke out. At least, that’s the unofficial version.
49. He Was Actually A Professional
Years later, Carradine tried to dispel the rumors about his “fight” with Norris. In his autobiography, he debunked the gossip and confirmed that both he and Norris had been consummate professionals. The fact that Carradine could still walk lends credence to his debunking.
That is not to say, however, that Norris didn’t fight with others on set.
50. He Had A Close Call With A Rattlesnake
Lone Wolf McQuade turned out to be a dangerous set for Norris, though because of any fight with Carradine. A contemporary magazine report revealed that Norris nearly met his end while filming a scene with Barbara Carrera when a rattlesnake slithered into the bed. Fortunately, he survived to fight another day.
51. He Dedicated Films To His Dearly Departed Brother
Even with all of his success, Chuck Norris never forgot the people who mattered most to him. He dedicated the films Missing in Action and Missing in Action 2 about the Vietnam fighters to his brother, Wieland, who had perished in the southeast Asian country. In fact, for Norris, it was almost too emotional to film.
52. He Tapped Into His Real Emotions
In Missing in Action 2, Norris had to film a scene where another character was burned alive. There was a heartbreaking twist to this scene. Years later, in his biography, Norris revealed that, in order to convey the right emotions, he had to think about his brother’s passing. Fortunately, the crew only made him film the scene once.
It wasn’t the only “method” acting technique he embraced on that set.
53. He Wanted Real Rat Props
In Missing in Action 2, Norris’ character was supposed to have a rat tied to his neck as a form of torment. However, the prop rat never arrived on set. Instead, Norris told the filmmakers to get a real rat. What happened next was almost too gruesome to put on film.
54. He Bit Into A Real Rat
Surprisingly, the Missing in Action 2 filmmakers agreed to Norris’ request for a real rat. But they might not have if they knew what he would do next. They got a lifeless rat and started filming, only for Norris to hold the lifeless rodent in his mouth while “thrashing” it around. Somehow, that is not the grossest thing he did on that set.
Not by a long shot.
55. He Ate Insects
With all of the drama on set, production on Missing in Action 2 was constantly delayed. And Norris was to blame for most of those delays. Allegedly, Norris snacked on the insects that crew members placed on him as props. Not surprisingly, no one would want to kiss that mouth. Not even his wife.
56. His Marriage Ended
From his high school graduation, to his meteoric rise to Hollywood stardom, Norris had remained married (even if not faithful) to Dianne Holechek. However, after three decades, in 1988, while Norris was filming The Delta Force 2, he and Holechek separated. The very next year, their storied romance ended in divorce.
And Norris suffered other tragedies.
57. He Lost His Friends In A Helicopter Crash
During the last days of filming Delta Force 2, Norris suffered an emotional blow that he almost couldn’t recover from. While filming a helicopter scene, the aerial vehicle “veered to the left” then “plunged into a 40-foot ravine”. Four of the cast and crew members, who were among Norris’ closest friends and frequent collaborators, perished in the wreck.
58. He Shut Down Filming To Mourn
Too devastated by the tragedy, Chuck Norris and the producers shut down production on the film for six weeks. They all returned home, but for Norris, he needed to do more to recover from the emotional hurt.
59. He Donated Blood To Save His Friends’ Lives
Several of the other crew members involved in the crash remained in the hospital, and Norris was determined not to lose another close friend. In a true sign of his fighting spirit and generous heart, Norris and his brother, Aaron, donated blood in an effort to save their friends.
Another test of his character was just around the corner.
60. He Received A Surprising Letter
In 1991, Chuck Norris was on the receiving end of a massive surprise. In his biography, he revealed that a woman named Dina sent him a letter, with some unexpected news. The note’s author, Dina, claimed that she was, in fact, his biological daughter. Norris could only think back to that one-night stand all of those years ago.
61. He Carried His Guilt With Him
In his book Against All Odds: My Story, Chuck Norris opened up about his extramarital affair. He confessed to feeling extreme guilt about the affair and revealed that he never told his affair partner, Johanna, that he was married. In fact, it sounds like it was a sordid affair.
62. His Affair Was Just A “Romp”
Norris went on to provide more detail about his infidelity. He called the whole a “brief fling” that didn’t even last days, far less weeks or months. Some sources even claim that it was nothing more than a “romp in the back of a car”.
But, as that groundbreaking letter would suggest, the implications of that one-night stand would be everlasting.
63. His Ex-Lover Kept His Secret
Believing that the truth would only cause pain, Johanna chose to withhold the details of Dina’s paternity from her. She felt it was better to shield both her daughter and Norris, particularly as his fame soared, with a growing reputation as a martial arts teacher to the stars and a star himself.
Norris may never have learned about his daughter had it not been for fate intervening.
64. His Daughter Learned The Truth About Him
Norris’ dirty little secret might have remained secret if not for one moment when the truth slipped out. Dina overheard her mother discussing Norris with a friend. Once Dina learned the truth, she was resolute in her desire to reach out to her father. Johanna pleaded with her daughter to reconsider, but Dina was every bit as determined as her father—hence the letter.
65. He Did The Honorable Thing
Chuck Norris detailed in his book that Johanna eventually relented, confirming to Dina that the martial arts star was, in fact, her father. Norris’ response to the news of his newfound daughter was nothing short of what you’d expect.
66. He Never Doubted His Daughter For A Second
“I didn't need DNA or blood tests,” Norris wrote about meeting his daughter for the first time. “I went to her, wrapped my arms around her, and we both started crying. At that moment, it was as if I had known her all my life”.
Owning up to his “mistakes” seems to have earned him good karma.
67. He Is A Real Texas Ranger
In 1993, having recovered from the scandal of his secret love child, Norris landed the biggest role of his career in the hit TV series, Walker, Texas Ranger. You might say that it was the role that Norris was born to play. In real life, even when the cameras aren’t rolling, Norris is an actual Texas Ranger.
Things were only looking up from there.
68. He Found Love Once More
Having married and divorced his high school sweetheart and fathered a secret love child, it seemed almost certain that Norris would never find love again. But, in 1998, he proved that his heart was just as strong as his fists when he married Gena O'Kelley. Together, Norris and O’Kelley had twins in 2001.
Having difficulty keeping your Chuck Norris facts straight? So too, it would seem, does the internet.
69. He Is His Own Internet Meme
In early 2005, an internet meme took over the martial arts and pop culture worlds. “Chuck Norris facts”, created by Ian Spector, are “satirical factoids” about everyone’s favorite indestructible martial artist. Although, given Norris’ life, some of these “factoids” are actually quite believable.
70. He Thinks The Memes Are Funny
The “Chuck Norris” facts usually deal in “absurd hyperbolic claims about Norris’ toughness, attitude, virility, sophistication, and masculinity”. While the factoids are all false, Norris himself has leaned into them, saying that finds many of them “funny”. And he has a few favorites.
71. His Beard Is Tougher Than Granite
Chuck Norris is no stranger to gossip and rumors. But, the “Chuck Norris facts” provide some light-hearted buzz about his larger-than-life persona. Norris’ favorite “fact” is that they wanted to carve his face into Mount Rushmore, but couldn’t—because the granite wasn’t tough enough to handle his beard.
Apparently, not even time is tough enough to keep Norris down.
72. He’s Definitely Not Expandable
After wrapping up The Cutter in 2005, Norris stepped away from acting to focus on his personal life. That didn’t stop him from making a triumphant return in 2012, however, with The Expendables 2, reminding everyone that he could still pack a punch. But there are some things he can’t fight.
73. His Faith Guided Him
Throughout his career, Norris’s Christian faith has always been a cornerstone of his life. But it was put to the ultimate test when his wife, O’Kelley, fell gravely ill. After being injected with gadolinium for an MRI scan, she experienced excruciating pain and long-term health issues, leaving Norris to face one of his toughest battles yet.
74. He Walked Away From Film Forever…For Now
O’Kelley’s illness had devastating consequences, leading the couple to sue the companies responsible for the product. More significantly, Norris made a life-altering decision.
He walked away from his career to be by her side, proving that even legends know what matters most—fighting!
75. He Is A Martial Art All To Himself
Norris’ martial arts journey came full circle with the creation of the Chuck Norris System—an updated version of the original Chun Kuk Do. Norris officially established the Chuck Norris System in 1990, blending techniques he first mastered in Tang Soo Do with the lessons learned throughout his storied career.