There have been American action stars and there have legends. From John Wayne, Clint Eastwood, Charles Bronson, and Burt Reynolds in the ‘60s and ‘70s, to Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger in the ‘80s, American cinema has always had the action star front and center in big-budgeted movies that showcase machisimo and toughness. Dozens of action stars have created their own legacy in film, but very few, if any, have done it like Chuck Norris.
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For almost half-a-decade Chuck Norris has been an American pop culture and martial arts icon. He’s had his own style in movies, that though were never solid blockbusters, became cult phenomenons in their own right. He’s the tough guy’s tough guy, and as seen in the second installment of Sly Stallone’s ode-to-action franchise “The Expendables,” Chuck Norris had always been out of the mainstream loop, but was still as respected and as revered as the biggest of the stars.
However, what truly separates Chuck Norris from his peers is his rabid following almost 50 years later. Sure, Eastwood, Stallone, and Schwarzenegger still have their fan bases, but Norris’ just keeps growing. He has semi-retired from acting, and still the fans erect monuments and come up with humorous tributes to his invincibility.
Norris has made TV shows (“Walker: Texas Ranger”) and movies (“Missing in Action” and “Delta Force” among others) wherein he plays the tough “police of humanity.”
So many of his followers call him the one, true action hero of Hollywood. And though the jury may still be out, his more than faithful fans do have a solid case.
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Adam Smith is a retired banker from Martha's Vineyard. He loves to travel to Europe and is presently vacationing in Paris. He is also a huge fan of cop shows. For more about him, subscribe to this Twitter page.
