Aaron Norris

Aaron Norris (born November 23, 1951, in Gardena, California) is an American stunt performer (Good Guys Wear Black, Ant-Man, I Love You Phillip Morris), director (Braddock: Missing in Action III, Platoon Leader, Delta Force 2: The Colombian Connection, Sidekicks), film and television producer (Walker, Texas Ranger, Not Easily Broken, Logan's War: Bound by Honor). He is the younger brother of action film star Chuck Norris.

Aaron Norris
Born (1951-11-23) November 23, 1951
Gardena, California, United States
OccupationFilm producer, screenwriter, film director
Years active1983–present
RelativesChuck Norris (brother)

Career

1970s Early Career

While his older brother Chuck Norris was on his rise to stardom, Aaron Norris began his career as an uncredited stunt man in movies such as Black Belt Jones (1974), Speedtrap (1977), and Breaker! Breaker! (1977) (his brother Chuck's starring debut). The following year he was hired again as martial arts choreographer (credited) and a stunt double (uncredited) for his brother second film Good Guys Wear Black (1978) directed by Ted Post. He is noted to have performed the flying sidekick through the windshield of a speeding car, the stunt that sold the movie.[1][2] He also played a small role in this movie.[3] Later on that same year, director Ted Post re-collaborated with Norris who is a credited stuntman for Post's film Go Tell the Spartans, and was a stunt coordinator for the John Carpenter film Elvis starring Kurt Russell.[4][5]

In 1979, Norris played Anderson in A Force of One starring his brother Chuck, with whom he shared the fight choreography credit. Norris is also credited as the stunt coordinator and listed amongst the stuntmen.[6] The director noted that Aaron wanted to learn everything, and was a real asset to the picture. Because of this the director had him to focus on the martial art, and the specific of the fighting.[7] The same year he was also a stuntman for the Italian film The Visitor.[8]

1980s

In 1980, Norris did the Karate fight choreography and played the role of Hatband for his brother's film The Octagon.[9]

In 1981, with his brother playing the lead, Norris was stunt player in Steve Carver's An Eye for an Eye.[10]

In 1982, Norris was an associate producer and listed amongst the stunt person in his brother's film Silent Rage.[11]

In 1983, Norris was again an associate producer on a film starring Chuck, Steve Carver's Lone Wolf McQuade, where he also did stunt coordination and played a small role.[12]

During that decade, he worked as the stunt coordinator for the vast majority for his brother's films, as well as others this includes I, the Jury with Armand Assante, White Water Rebels with James Brolin, Chained Heat with Linda Blair, the dance film Breakin', Lies with Ann Dusenberry, and The Naked Cage with Shari Shattuck.[13][14][15][16]

In 1988 he got his first directing assignment Braddock: Missing in Action III the third instalment of his brother's franchise Missing in Action.[17]

That same year he also directed the war drama Platoon Leader, starring Michael Dudikoff.[18]

1990s

In the 1990s, he directed all of his brother's theatrical releases Delta Force 2: The Colombian Connection (1990), The Hitman (1991), Sidekicks (1992), Hellbound (1993), and Top Dog (1995).[19][20][21][22][23]

In 1995, he produced the film Ripper Man starring his nephew Mike Norris and Timothy Bottoms.[24]

In 1996, he directed his brother in the television film Forest Warrior.[25] That same year, he also got his only starring role in the film Overkill.[26] He was also hired on his brother's hit TV show Walker, Texas Ranger. He served as an executive producer on 168 television episodes of the remaining seasons. Furthermore, he wrote and directed four episodes.[27]

During his tenure on Walker, Texas Ranger, Norris continued working with his brother Chuck. This started on November first, 1998, Norris executive produced, and participated to writing the story, with Chuck and Walter Klenhard, of Michael Preece's award-winning television film Logan's War: Bound by Honor. It premiered on CBS, right after Walker, Texas Ranger newly scheduled episode.[28] Sharing the lead with Chuck is actor Eddie Cibrian. It also co-stars Joe Spano, Jeff Kober, R. D. Call, Brendon Ryan Barrett, etc. [29] The television-film was ranked third among the thirteen most viewed shows of that week.[30]

In 1999, he created and was an executive producer on the Walker, Texas Ranger spin-off Sons of Thunder.[31]

In 2000, Norris starred in and was an executive producer for the television film The President's Man, wwith director Michael Preece and Chuck at the helm. It premiered on April 2 on CBS.[32] It is an action film co-starring Dylan Neal, Ralph Waite, Marla Adams, Stuart Whitman, and Soon-Tek Oh.[33][34][35]

In 2002, Norris returned as an executive producer for its sequel The President's Man: A Line in the Sand directed by Eric Norris. It premiere on CBS on January 20.[36] The sequel co-starred Judson Mills, Robert Urich, and Roxanne Hart.[37]

Later Work

In 2005, Norris was an executive producer and acted in the film, The Cutter.[38] That same year he returned to directing with the CBS Movie of the Week, Walker, Texas Ranger: Trial by Fire.[39] The production was a continuation of the series Walker, Texas Ranger, where Chuck Norris reprised his role as Cordell Walker for the movie.

In 2007, he produced the documentary Inside Aphasia.[40]

In 2009, Norris is a credited producer for the Sony/Screen Gems award-winning film, Bill Duke's Not Easily Broken starring Morris Chestnut and Taraji P. Henson.[41] That same year he also produced the film Everyday Life with Brad Hawkins.[42]

Also in 2009, he returned to stunts for the Luc Besson film I Love You Phillip Morris with Jim Carrey and Ewan McGregor.[43]

Finally, he was named the "president of development and production" of ALN, formerly The American Life Network.[44][45]

In 2010, he provided stunts for the film Skateland.[46]

In 2015, he provided utility stunts for the Marvel Comics film Ant-Man starring Paul Rudd.[47]

Personal

Norris is the younger brother of Chuck Norris (born March 10, 1940), and Wieland Clyde Norris (1943–1970). During the Vietnam War, both Aaron and his older brother Wieland enlisted in the United States Army.[48] Wieland was killed in action in Vietnam in 1970. Through Chuck, Norris is the uncle of Mike and Eric Norris.

On December 2, 2010, he (along with brother Chuck) was given the title honorary Texas Ranger by Texas Governor Rick Perry.[49]

Martial Arts

He currently holds a tenth degree black belt in the Chuck Norris System Chun Kuk Do, a martial art created by his brother Chuck Norris.

Director
YearTitleNotes
1988Braddock: Missing in Action III
1988Platoon Leader
1990Delta Force 2: The Colombian Connection
1991The Hitman
1992Sidekicks
1993Good Cop/Bad Cop
1993Hellbound
1995Top Dog
1996Forest Warrior
1996-2001Walker, Texas RangerTelevision (TV Series - 4 episodes)
2005Walker, Texas Ranger: Trial by FireTelevision film

Producer
YearTitleNotes
1982Silent Rageassociate producer
1983Lone Wolf McQuadeassociate producer
1995Ripper ManProducer
1996-2001Walker, Texas Ranger (TV Series – 123 episodes)executive producer
1998Logan's War: Bound by Honorexecutive producer
1999Sons of Thunder (TV Series – 6 episodes)executive producer
2000The President's Manexecutive producer
2002The President's Man: A Line in the Sandexecutive producer
2005Walker, Texas Ranger: Trial by Fireexecutive producer
2005The Cutterexecutive producer
2007Inside AphasiaProducer
2009Not Easily BrokenProducer
2009Everyday LifeProducer

Stunts
YearTitleNotes
1974Black Belt Jonesstunts - uncredited
1977Breaker! Breaker!stunt double: Chuck Norris - uncredited
1977Speedtrapstunts - uncredited
1978Good Guys Wear Blackmartial arts choreographer / stunt double: Chuck Norris - uncredited
1978Go Tell the Spartansstunts
1978Elvisstunt coordinator
1979The Visitorstuntman
1979A Force of Onefight choreographer / stunt coordinator / stunt double: Chuck Norris - uncredited / stunts
1980The Octagonfight choreographer / stunt coordinator
1981An Eye for an Eyestunt coordinator / stunts
1982Silent Ragestunt coordinator / stunts
1982I, the Juryassistant stunt coordinator
1982Forced Vengeancestunt coordinator
1983White Water Rebelsstunts
1983Lone Wolf McQuadestunt coordinator
1983Chained Heatstunt player
1984Breakin'stunts
1984Missing in Actionstunt coordinator
1985Missing in Action 2: The Beginningstunt coordinator / stunts - uncredited
1985Code of Silencestunt coordinator
1985Liesstunts
1985Invasion U.S.A.stunt coordinator
1986The Naked Cagestunt player
1986Firewalkerstunt coordinator
2009I Love You Phillip Morrisstunts
2010Skatelandstunts
2015Ant-Manutility stunts

Actor
YearTitleRoleNote
1978Good Guys Wear BlackAl – The Black TigersDebut film
1979A Force of OneAnderson
1980The OctagonHatband
1981Raider StoneUnknown
1983Deadly ForceGuard #3
Lone Wolf McQuadePunk
1996OverkillJack HazardFirst lead role
2005The CutterTony Maylam
gollark: ++help
gollark: Okay, that's up now.
gollark: That's in the python version.
gollark: ++rust rust
gollark: As you can see, that is not an available command.

References
  1. tamsbaxter (April 7, 2011), Aaron Norris, retrieved March 16, 2018
  2. "Chuck Norris Movies: Lone Wolf McQuade and 23 Other Action Films Remembered by the Martial Arts Icon » Black Belt Magazine". Black Belt Magazine. September 24, 2012. Archived from the original on November 22, 2017. Retrieved March 16, 2018.
  3. Good Guys Wear Black (1978), retrieved March 16, 2018
  4. "AFI|Catalog". catalog.afi.com. Retrieved January 3, 2020.
  5. Elvis (TV Movie 1979), retrieved March 16, 2018
  6. "AFI|Catalog". catalog.afi.com. Retrieved January 3, 2020.
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  8. The Visitor (1979), retrieved March 16, 2018
  9. "AFI|Catalog". catalog.afi.com. Retrieved January 2, 2020.
  10. "AFI|Catalog". catalog.afi.com. Retrieved January 2, 2020.
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  12. "AFI|Catalog". catalog.afi.com. Retrieved January 3, 2020.
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  22. "Hellbound (1993) - Overview - TCM.com". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved January 2, 2020.
  23. "AFI|Catalog". catalog.afi.com. Retrieved January 2, 2020.
  24. Ripper Man (1995), retrieved March 16, 2018
  25. Norris, Aaron (November 5, 1996), Forest Warrior, Chuck Norris, Terry Kiser, Max Gail, retrieved March 16, 2018
  26. Ferrandini, Dean Raphael (January 26, 1996), Overkill, Aaron Norris, Michael Nouri, Kenneth Moskow, retrieved March 16, 2018
  27. Walker, Texas Ranger (TV Series 1993–2001), retrieved March 16, 2018
  28. Thomas, Bob (November 1, 1998). "Chuck Norris Day". Standard-Speaker: 46 – via Newspapers.
  29. Preece, Michael; Norris, Eric; Donner, Richard; Meyer, Gerald (2013). 5 Film Chuck Norris Collection (DVD). Echo Bridge Acquisition Corp LLC. Event occurs at Logan's War: Bound by Honor. 09600922143.
  30. Bauder, David (November 5, 1998). "Temptations movie makes sweet music for NBC". The Morning Call: 58 – via Newspapers.
  31. Sons of Thunder (TV Series 1999– ), retrieved March 16, 2018
  32. "Sunday Night". Herald and Review: 47. April 1, 2000 – via Newspapers.
  33. "Sunday Highlights". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. 73: 213. April 2, 2000 – via Newspapers.
  34. "Best bets". The Montgomery Advertiser: 33. March 26, 2003 – via Newspapers.
  35. Preece, Michael; Norris, Eric; Donner, Richard; Meyer, Gerald (2013). 5 Film Chuck Norris Collection (DVD). Echo Bridge Acquisition Corp LLC. Event occurs at The President's Man. 09600922143.
  36. "Sunday Prime Time". Public Opinion: 54. January 19, 2002 – via Newspapers.
  37. Preece, Michael; Norris, Eric; Donner, Richard; Meyer, Gerald (2013). 5 Film Chuck Norris Collection (DVD). Echo Bridge Acquisition Corp LLC. Event occurs at The President's Man: A Line in the Sand. 09600922143.
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  43. I Love You Phillip Morris (2009), retrieved March 16, 2018
  44. AmericanLife Names Aaron Norris Development Chief, February 11, 2009
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  46. Skateland (2010), retrieved March 16, 2018
  47. Ant-Man (2015), retrieved March 16, 2018
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