Norris was born Carlos Ray in Ryan, Oklahoma, to an Irish-English mother and a Cherokee father. When Chuck was 12 , the family moved to Torrance, California. Though the early years were tough, his mother, a devout Baptist, held the family together financially and emotionally, while Chuck took care of his two younger brothers. "She is still an inspiration to me," he says. "We didn't have much money, but there was always plenty of love."

After graduating from high school, Norris joined the Air Force and held the rank of Airman First Class. He was first introduced to the Asian martial art of Tang Soo Do during a stint in Korea. "These studies changed my entire outlook on life," Norris recalls. He became the first professional world middleweight karate champion, a title he held onto until he retired, undefeated, in 1974. In 1969, he earned the Triple Crown for the highest number of tournament wins and was named Black Belt Magazine's "Fighter of the Year."