Chuck Norris was known for his work on the small and big screens — as well as his impressive martial arts talent — before his March 2026 death.
Born in Oklahoma, Norris discovered his passion for martial arts while overseas in Asia as a member of the United States Air Force. He trained in Tang Soo Do in South Korea and eventually earned a black belt in the art form. When he founded his own style of martial arts, Chun Kuk Do, Norris used his prior training as inspiration.
After finding international success as a fighter — winning competitions around the globe — Norris made his acting debut in 1969’s The Wrecking Crew. He continued to appear in a number of martial arts movies, even teaming up with Bruce Lee in 1972’s Way of the Dragon.
Along with his lengthy Hollywood career, Norris’ personal life has piqued fans’ interest over the years. He married Dianne Kay Holechek in December 1958 when they were 18 and 17, respectively. Their first child, son Mike, was born in 1962, followed by son Eric in 1964. The former couple called it quits in 1988 after 30 years of marriage.
The Walker, Texas Ranger alum tied the knot for a second time in 1998. He exchanged vows with Gena O’Kelley, and the twosome welcomed twins in 2001.
Three years later, Norris opened up about learning that he had a daughter named Dina from a previous affair. She was born in 1963 and reached out to her father when she was 26 years old.
Norris kept a lower profile as he aged, staying mostly out of the public eye. News broke in March 2026 that Norris died at age 86 following a medical emergency.
Keep scrolling to look back at Norris’ career and family life through the years:
