Chuck Norris was born March 10, 1939 in Ryan, Oklahoma. He was given the name Carlos Ray Norris and lived in Ryan, helping his mother raise his two younger brothers, Wieland and Aaron, until he was 12, at which point the family moved to Torrance, California. After attending high school, Chuck joined the US Air Force. This led him to Korea where he started studying Tang Soo Doo, an ancient martial art.
When he returned, Chuck started his career as a martial arts instructor, and ended up running several martial arts schools, where he taught people like Priscilla Presley and Steve McQueen, the latter being the person who got him interested in acting. Chuck's martial arts career earned him several awards, including the World Middleweight Karate Champion Award, which he held undefeated for six years. Currently, he has a black belt in both Tang Soo Doo and Tae Kwon Do.
His movie career and his martial arts skills are closely intertwined in every movie he's been in. In addition to all his movies, he's also star and executive producer of the hit show Walker, Texas Ranger.
In 1958, Chuck married Diane Holechek, with whom he got two sons, Eric and Mike, and divorced her in 1988.
He is currently married to Gena O'Kelley, and is expecting twins in September, 2001.