The Late Chuck Norris’ Most Iconic Projects: ‘Walker, Texas Ranger,’ ‘The Expendables 2’ and More

Before his death at age 86, Chuck Norris had a reputation for being indestructible, thanks to his many film and TV roles as a tough-as-nails martial artist with an unflappable moral compass.

In honor of his life and illustrious career in Hollywood, scroll down to relive five of his most iconic roles.

Walker, Texas Ranger

Undoubtedly, the role that made Chuck Norris a household name was his portrayal of Sergeant Cordell Walker, a member of the Texas Rangers division who tackled a new crime every week on Walker Texas Ranger. The show ran for an impressive nine seasons and concluded with a made-for-TV movie in 2005.

The Way of the Dragon

Chuck Norris got his start in acting thanks to his real-life martial arts skills, which was on full display in the 1972 film The Way of the Dragon, where he did something that would become a rarity in his career going forward — play a villain. His character, Colt, went toe-to-toe in an iconic fight scene against none other than the film’s director and fellow on-screen martial arts icon, Bruce Lee.

The Delta Force

Norris solidified himself as a 1980s action star with his role as Major Scott McCoy in this non-stop-action thriller about a hijacked plane and the one commando leader who can stop the terrorists involved.

Code of Silence

Norris plays Sergeant Eddie Cusack in this noir police story about an action-ready cop who refuses to buy into his department’s corruption, pitting himself as a one-man army against a cabal of criminals and dirty cops alike. While he showed off his action chops in many of his roles, Code of Silence allowed Norris to do some real acting that proved he’s got more talent than just high kicks.

The Expendables 2

By 2012, not only was Norris a revered action hero, but he’d also become a bit of the face of many memes joking about how indestructible and powerful he was. When Sylvester Stallone brought together the biggest action stars of our time, Norris not only joined as the mysterious Booker, but poked fun at the renewed online interest in his action prowess.