Chuck Norris Admitted Looking Up To John Wayne As His' Substitute Father' During His Tough Childhood

Mar 10, 2022 by apost team

Chuck Norris is a very polarizing celebrity. While many people have grown up admiring the star for his work as an actor and martial artist, others are not too fond of his personal beliefs, which he has been very outspoken about. Still, Norris is one of the most famous men in the entertainment industry for his impeccable skills as a martial artist and all of his work as an actor, producer and screenwriter. On top of that, he is also a husband and father.

Norris has had a very busy and popular career starring in a handful of shows and movies, such as “Walker, Texas Ranger,” “The Way of the Dragon,” “Invasion U.S.A.” and “Chuck Norris: Karate Kommandos.” As an expert in various martial arts systems, Norris was able to implement these skills and use them to become a highly successful action star. While his career has relaxed a bit in the more recent years, Norris has continued to make small appearances in television shows and commercials.

Norris wasn’t always the star he is today. He has had some issues within his personal life surrounding his first marriage and a daughter that he wasn’t aware of for several years. It’s not hard to understand why Norris has struggled at times in the parenting department, as he had a tough childhood and lacked a father figure during his teenage years and young adulthood. 

However, the martial artist found great inspiration from actor John Wayne and even looked to him for inspiration with his career and guidance as a substitute father.

His Tough Childhood

When it comes to remembering the best to come from Hollywood's Golden Age, Wayne is by far one of the most famous stars to come out of the era. He was an actor and filmmaker who shot to stardom during this era by landing several starring roles in Western and war films. 

Wayne's career really flourished during the silent era in the 1920s up through the end of his life in 1979. The established actor appeared in more than 200 movie and television productions and was easily seen as an American icon, making him a box office success through and through.

It's not hard to see why Norris would look to Wayne as a father figure, especially considering how difficult his childhood was with his biological father. Norris was born on March 10, 1940, in Ryan Oklahoma, to parents Wilma and Ray. His given name was Carlos Ray Norris, but he later became known as Chuck.

According to Military.com, he suffered complications at birth. His skin was almost blue because his lungs were not functioning properly. Thankfully, doctors were able to help Norris, and he was soon "gulping air like a pro," as stated in his autobiography "Against All Odds."

Norris' parents later divorced and his father – who had issues with alcohol – abandoned the family. According to Closer News Weekly, Norris and his mother and two brothers moved to California. He described himself as "the shy kid who never excelled at anything in school" and went on to attend North Torrance High School in California, as per Biography.com. 

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Finding Inspiration

Before Norris had even discovered his passions for acting and martial arts, he found a fascination in cowboy movies starring Wayne. He was amazed by Wayne and his good-hearted nature. Speaking to Sun Sentinel, Norris admitted that he thought of Wayne as a "substitute father" while he continued to grow up and was inspired by his robust code of ethics. This further influenced Norris to join the United States Air Force as an Air Policeman, where he served from 1958 to 1962.

Not only was Norris inspired by Wayne, but he also saw a resemblance in his family to Wayne. In "A Companion to the Action Film," it's stated that Norris is mixed race as his father is of Cherokee descent and his mother is Irish-Cherokee. The book also mentioned how Norris saw similarities between his own father and Wayne in their appearances.

Wayne wasn't Norris' only influence when it came to pursuing a career. While Norris once had dreams of becoming a police officer following his time in the Air Force, he found a love for martial arts while stationed in South Korea, according to Mental Floss.

He went on to become a world champion in various karate and martial arts competitions and even became an instructor in the field. According to Mental Floss, he even taught celebrities, such as Priscilla Presley and Steve McQueen. It was McQueen who encouraged Norris to try his hand at acting back in the mid-1970s. 

Although it took plenty of hard work and determination, Norris finally found his breakthrough with "Lone Wolf McQuade" in 1983. Nowadays, Norris is a worldwide star and has continued to remain a pivotal figure in the spotlight.

Did you know about Chuck Norris' upbringing and how he got to this point in his career? What do you think about John Wayne as his role model? Let us know, and be sure to send this to your family and friends.