Chuck Norris died at age 86 on Thursday, leaving behind a legacy as martial arts expert who became one of the greatest action-movie stars.
Norris was taken to a hospital in Hawaii on Wednesday, but his family did not provide details on his death.
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Beginning with his breakthrough moment against the legend Bruce Lee in “The Way of Dragon,” Norris delivered some of the greatest fight scenes ever put on film in a career that spanned decades. Here are five of our favorites in chronological order.
American martial artist Chuck Norris with Chinese American martial artist, actor, director and screenwriter Bruce Lee on the set of his movie Meng Long Guo Jiang (The Way of the Dragon). (Photo by Concord Productions Inc./Golden Harvest Company/Sunset Boulevard/Corbis via Getty Images)
(Sunset Boulevard via Getty Images)
Against Bruce Lee in “Way of the Dragon” (1972): The two martial arts legends battle at Rome’s Colosseum. As the antagonist Colt, Norris loses this one. Doesn’t matter. It’s still widely considered the bet fight scene of his career.
LOS ANGELES – JANUARY 1 1978; Martial arts film actor and screenwriter Chuck Norris on the set of his second movie and first major hit “Good Guys Wear Black” in Hollywood in 1978 ( Photo by Nik Wheeler/Corbis via Getty Images)
(Nik Wheeler via Getty Images)
Parking Lot Scene in “Good Guys Wear Black” (1978): Who can forget the flying kick through a car windshield? Don’t expect any high-tech cinematography. This provides a close-up view of everything that made Norris a legend. If you didn’t know who Chuck Norris was before this film, you certainly did afterward.
Chuck Norris a renegade Texas Ranger in a scene from the film ‘Lone Wolf McQuade’, 1983. (Photo by Topkick Productions/Getty Images)
(Archive Photos via Getty Images)
Against Rawley Wilkes in “Lone Wolf McQuade” (1983): Playing J.J. McQuade, a gritty Texas Ranger, Norris matches up against David Carradine (Wilkes) in this one as he tries to rescue his daughter Sally. McQuade eventually dumps his trusted his .44 Magnum to fight Wilkes hand-to-hand. We get a great look at the martial arts skills of both legends.
American martial artist and actor Chuck Norris fighting against a group of men in the film Code of Silence. 1985 (Photo by Mondadori via Getty Images)
(Mondadori Portfolio via Getty Images)
Against 20 gang members in “Code of Silence” (1985): There’s no backup coming from Norris in this one. He barrels into the gang’s lair and is considerably outnumbered. He also knows there’s no winning this fight — and yet he’s going to take out as many people as he can. This was a film, Roger Ebert once said, that helped catapult Norris’ stardom.
Chuck Norris wrestling with a military squad member in a scene from the film ‘Delta Force 2’, 1990. (Photo by Cannon Pictures/Getty Images)
(Archive Photos via Getty Images)
Cadet training in “Delta Force 2” (1990): As Major Scott McCoy, Norris trains a team of Delta Force cadets — by fighting each of them one by one. None were a match for him. All were left in the dirt in a world of hurt.
