Chuck Norris — Walker, Texas Ranger and the muse for thousands of hilarious factoids which have little to no fact whatsoever will dominate HDNet Movies this Saturday in a 12-hour straight-up Chuck marathon.
Watch Monsters and Critics’ exclusive preview, above, and find out more about the man behind the legend below!
How much do you know about America’s arch-masculine icon?
What is Chuck Norris’s real name and where is he from?
Chuck Norris was born Carlos Ray “Chuck” Norris on March 10, 1940, in Ryan, Oklahoma. His mom was Irish-English and his father was Cherokee Indian.
What armed service did Norris serve in?
The Air Force.
What martial arts did Norris study?
Tang Soo Do and Tae Kwan Do, both Korean martial arts. Norris has the distinction of being the first westerner to be awarded an eighth-degree Black Belt in Tae Kwan Do.
He is also a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and Judo and, as fans know, also founded his own school of fighting, Chun Kuk Do.
Who were some of the famous stars he tutored in martial arts once he served his country?
Chuck taught some of the Osmonds, Priscilla Presley, and iconic film actor Steve McQueen. McQueen is credited with urging Norris to try acting.
What was Norris’ first acting role?
Chuck Norris’s first movie was Dean Martin’s, The Green Berets, in 1968.
What good deeds does Chuck Norris do?
Norris established the United Fighting Arts Federation and Kickstart Kids in 1990, to develop self-esteem and focus on at-risk children as a tactic to keep them away from drug-related pressure by training them in martial arts.
Norris also supports Funds for Kids, Veterans Administration’s National Salute to Hospitalized Veterans, the United Way, and the Make-A-Wish Foundation in the form of donations as well as fund-raising activities.
Norris received the Veteran of the Year award in 2001 at the American Veteran Awards. Abroad, Norris supports the Vijay Amritraj Foundation that helps those suffering disease, tragedy, and circumstance in India.
Through his donations, he has helped the foundation support Paediatric HIV/AIDS homes in Delhi, a blind school in Karnataka and a mission that cares for HIV/AIDS infected adults, as well as mentally ill patients in Cochin.
Now, this Saturday, you can convene with the man himself!
What’s coming up on the 12-hour Chuck Norris marathon?
HDNet Movies is broadcasting a Saturday afternoon and evening filled with nothing but Norris. Step into the dojo as the network celebrates the action icon with a six-film marathon.
Beginning at 3:45pm EDT is our man of the day as a police officer trailing a psychopath who escaped him once before in Hero and the Terror.
Next up, Norris faces a mutant murderer in Silent Rage at 5:25pm EDT. Then he tries to end a Soviet spy’s scheme in Invasion U.S.A. at 7:10pm EDT.
Make sure you have plenty of snackage at the ready as the fun continues at 9pm EDT with Norris as a Vietnam War hero who heads behind enemy lines to save his captured buddies in Missing In Action, followed by the 1985 prequel Missing In Action 2: The Beginning at 10:45pm EDT.
Rounding out the macho marathon is Norris leading an elite tactical unit on a pair of deadly rescue missions in The Delta Force with Lee Marvin, at 12:25am EDT, and Delta Force 2: The Colombian Connection at 2:35am EDT.
Tonight, Friday, April 6, HDNET Movies features the premiere of the 2011 MMA drama Warrior, Starring Tom Hardy and Joel Edgerton, at 9pm EDT. The film stars Taboo star Hardy as an ex-Marine who must ask for help from his troubled father (Nick Nolte) to win the largest cash prize in MMA history.
His fame and notoriety pit him in a collision course with his estranged brother (Joel Edgerton), a down-and-out former fighter and teacher who must head back to the ring as he can no longer provide for his family.
The 12-hour Chuck Norris marathon begins Saturday, April 7, at 3:45pm EDT on HDNet Movies