What is Chuck Norris' Net Worth and Salary?
Chuck Norris is an American martial artist, actor, screenwriter, and producer who has a net worth of $70 million. Chuck Norris gained fame as a martial artist in the 1960s, winning multiple championships. Norris began his acting career in the 1970s, with his breakout role coming in the 1972 film "Way of the Dragon" alongside Bruce Lee.
Throughout the 1980s and early 1990s, Norris became a prominent action movie star, headlining films such as "Lone Wolf McQuade," "Missing in Action," and "The Delta Force." His tough-guy persona and martial arts skills became his trademark in these action-packed movies.
Norris achieved further popularity with his leading role in the television series "Walker, Texas Ranger," which ran from 1993 to 2001. The show solidified his status as a pop culture icon.
Beyond his entertainment career, Norris is known for his conservative political views and philanthropic efforts. He has authored several books on martial arts, fitness, and philosophy.
In recent years, Norris has become the subject of numerous internet memes and jokes celebrating his legendary toughness and invincibility, further cementing his place in popular culture.
Early Life
Carlos Ray "Chuck" Norris was born on March 10, 1940, in Ryan, Oklahoma. Norris is the oldest of three brothers. When Norris was 16, his parents divorced, and he later relocated to Prairie Village, Kansas, and then to Torrance, California with his mother and two younger brothers. Norris wasn't an athletic kid. He was shy and an average student. His father went on alcohol-drinking binges that lasted for months at a time.
Martial Arts Career
In 1958, Chuck Norris joined the Air Force as an Air Policeman stationed at Osan Air Base in South Korea. While there, he began training in martial arts. When he returned to the U.S., he was stationed at March Air Force Base in California. Norris was discharged from the Air Force in late summer 1962. He applied to be a police officer in Torrance, California, and opened a martial arts studio. Norris started competing in martial arts tournaments. He lost his first two tournaments. He also lost three matches at the International Karate Championships. By 1967, Norris was adept enough in the martial arts to win some matches. Then, on June 3, 1967, Norris defeated seven opponents. By this time, Norris owned a chain of karate schools with celebrity clients, including Steve McQueen, Priscilla Presley, Donny, and Marie Osmond. In early 1968, Norris lost the 10th and final match of his career. Later that year, he won the first of six consecutive Professional Middleweight Karate championships. It was at this time that Norris met and became friends with actor Bruce Lee.
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Film and TV Career
In 1969, Norris won Karate's Triple Crown –the most tournament wins of the entire year. He was also named Fighter of the Year and made his acting debut in "The Wrecking Crew," opposite Dean Martin. In 1972, he appeared opposite his friend Bruce Lee in "Way of the Dragon"/"Return of the Dragon." The producer of the film told 5'10" Norris to gain 20 pounds for the role so that he would look larger than Bruce Lee on film. In a 2007 interview, Norris said: "That's why I don't do jump kicks [in the movie]. I couldn't get off the ground!"
In the early 1980s, Norris was a spokesperson for "Action Jeans." Originally called Karate Jeans, the pants had flexible fabric sewn into the crotch that would allow the wearer to execute perfect kicks while wearing fashionable jeans. Norris promoted the pants for years.
He had his own cartoon show in the 1980s. "Chuck Norris: Karate Kommandos," which featured Norris and characters like Superninja and The Claw. The show was ultimately deemed too violent and canceled.
From 1993 to 2001, Chuck Norris starred in the starring role on the popular and long-running television series "Walker, Texas Ranger." Norris played a mercenary in the 2012 film "The Expendables 2," which grossed over $310 million worldwide. He appeared in the series finale of "Hawaii Five-O" in 2020.
Walker, Texas Ranger Lawsuit
In 2018, Chuck and his Top Kick Productions company filed a lawsuit against CBS and Sony Pictures Television related to profits from Walker, Texas Ranger, seeking more than $30 million in damages. The suit alleged that Norris and CBS entered into an agreement back in the early 90s when the network originally signed on to distribute the show. The agreement had Norris getting 23% of all profits "earned from any, and all, exploitation of Walker."
According to the suit, that agreement was not held up by CBS and the company. Instead, the suit says they "have continually sought to market, sell and distribute Walker in ways that are designed to collect significant fees and revenues from the ongoing exploitation of Walker but without having to honor or pay Top Kick, and to instead materially breach the 23 Percent Profit Clause."
In addition, CBS and Sony are alleged to "have also concealed information about their efforts to exploit Walker on streaming video on demand (SVOD) services." Walker, Texas Ranger came to an end in 2001 after an eight-year run on CBS, but Norris' lawsuit claims that it's continued to be popular thanks to "the well-known internet phenomenon through which generations of younger fans have bonded around the humor and anecdotes widely known as 'Chuck Norris Facts,'" plus his appearances in films like Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story and The Expendables 2.
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Other Ventures
Throughout the 2010s and into the 2020s, Chuck Norris has appeared in ads for World of Warcraft, T-Mobile, Hoegaarden, United Healthcare, Cerveza Poker, Toyota, and QuikTrip. In 2012, Norris and his wife founded the drinking water company CForce Bottling Co. after an aquifer was discovered on his ranch. Chuck Norris became the ambassador for Fiat in 2017, and his likeness has been used in mobile device video games such as World of Tanks.
Personal Life
In December 1958, 18-year-old Chuck Norris married 17-year-old Dianne Holechek. They met two years earlier in high school. Their son Mike was born in 1962. Their second son, Eric, was born in 1964. He also had a daughter from an affair in 1963, whom he did not meet until she was 26. Norris and Holecheck divorced in 1989. In late 1998, Norris married former model Gena O'Kelkey. She has two kids from a previous marriage. In late August 2001, she gave birth to twins. Norris has over a dozen grandchildren.
He got the nickname Chuck when he was 18 and in the U.S. Air Force.
It was actor Steve McQueen who suggested to Chuck to give acting a try.
Norris is outspoken about his Christian faith and is the author of several books on Christianity.
Norris has been a longtime supporter of the Make-A-Wish Foundation and the United Way. In 1992, Norris started his own charitable organization called Kickstart with help from President George Bush. Kickstart provides martial arts training to middle-school students to teach them respect and discipline and to improve their self-esteem. Norris is a devout Christian and politically conservative.
In 2010, Norris was made an honorary member of the Texas Rangers by Texas Governor Rick Perry in acknowledgment of Norris's work in raising awareness for the elite unit as well as for his work helping underprivileged youths via martial arts programs. Norris's brother, Aaron Norris, who was an executive producer on the show, was also made an honorary Texas Ranger.
Real Estate
In 2013, Norris listed his Dallas home for $1.2 million. It is the home he lived in during his Walker, Texas Ranger days, and he co-owned it with his brother Aaron. The 7.362 square foot home has four bedrooms, seven bathrooms, a theatre, and a weight room. It has its own lake. The property also has a separate building on the property that was used as a studio during the production of Walker, Texas Ranger.
Chuck Norris and family currently live at Lone Wolf Ranch in Navasota, Texas, where they run their water bottling company, CForce, on 1,000 acres of grassland.
