"It is with a heavy heart that our family shares that our beloved Chuck Norris passed away suddenly yesterday morning," the family wrote on Instagram on Friday.
"To the rest of the world he was a martial artist, actor and a symbol of strength. To us he was a faithful husband, loving father and grandfather," the family continued.
Chuck Norris' career ranged from world championship titles in karate to major roles in Hollywood - and as an internet phenomenon.
At a time when video was making its way into Swedish families' homes in the early 1980s, Chuck Norris and his films became a phenomenon - reliable favorites at video rental chains.
Constantly panned
The action king's films were constantly panned by critics and often cut down by Swedish film censorship, which removed the most violent scenes, which were often spectacular and in many cases excessively violent.
It was while serving in the US Air Force in South Korea in the 1950s that Chuck Norris came into contact with martial arts. Between 1968 and 1974, he was the undefeated middleweight champion in karate, and was also the first Westerner ever to achieve the rank of 8th dan in taekwondo.
He got his break in Hollywood by training movie stars in martial arts. His breakthrough came in the early 1970s when he played a villain in his friend Bruce Lee's film "The Way of the Dragon," and during the 1980s he was a big star with films like "Missing in Action," "Firewalker" and "Delta Force."
Praised by colleagues
By the afternoon, condolences and tributes have poured in on social media from both industry colleagues and statesmen.
"He was a true legend, strong, principled and unforgettable," writes Mel Gibson on X.
Dolph Lundgren, who worked with Norris in "The Expendables 2," calls him "the master."
"Ever since I was a young martial artist and later started in film, I have looked up to him as a role model. Someone who had the respect, humility and strength required to be a man," he writes on
Norris is also praised on
Became a viral phenomenon
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has also paid tribute to the actor's passing.
"Sara and I were deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Chuck Norris, a great friend of Israel and a close personal friend," he writes on X.
In 2005, Chuck Norris suddenly became an internet phenomenon when "Chuck Norris facts" began circulating online. Hyperbolic factoids about Norris flooded popular culture, something Norris himself took in stride.
An example: "Chuck Norris actually died 20 years ago, but Death hasn’t dared to tell him yet."
Name: Carlos Ray Norris.
Born: In Oklahoma in 1940.
Background in brief: Was world champion in professional middleweight karate between 1968 and 1974. Founded his own martial arts style, Chun Kuk Do.
Selected films: "An Iron in the Fire" (1969), "The Way of the Dragon" (1972), "The Long-Range War" (1977), "An Eye for an Eye" (1981), "Missing in Action" (1984), "Delta Force" (1986), "Hellbound" (1994), "The Expendables 2" (2012)
Starred in the television series "Walker, Texas Ranger" from 1993 to 2001.
