Editing Chuck Norris (section)

=== 1970 to 1978: Early roles and breakthrough ===
[[File:Chuck Norris (1976).jpg|thumb|upright=0.68|Norris in 1976|alt=|right]]

In 1972, Norris acted as [[Bruce Lee]]'s nemesis in the widely acclaimed martial arts movie ''[[Way of the Dragon]]'' (titled ''Return of the Dragon'' in its U.S. distribution). The film grossed over {{HK$}}5.3 million at the Hong Kong box office, beating previous records set by Lee's own films, ''[[The Big Boss]]'' and ''[[Fist of Fury]]'', making it the highest-grossing film of 1972 in Hong Kong. ''The Way of the Dragon'' went on to gross an estimated US$130 million worldwide.<ref name="Krizanovich">{{cite book |last1=Krizanovich |first1=Karen |title=Infographic Guide To The Movies |date=2015 |publisher=[[Hachette UK]] |isbn=978-1-84403-762-9 |pages=18–9 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-fniDQAAQBAJ&pg=PA18 |access-date=June 8, 2020 |archive-date=June 8, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200608112800/https://books.google.com/books?id=-fniDQAAQBAJ&pg=PA18 |url-status=live }}</ref> The film is credited with launching him toward stardom.

In 1973, Norris played a role in [[Jonathan Kaplan]]'s ''[[The Student Teachers]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://catalog.afi.com/Film/55083-THE-STUDENT-TEACHERS?cxt=filmography|title=AFI{{!}}Catalog|website=catalog.afi.com|access-date=2019-12-23|archive-date=February 24, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210224172934/https://catalog.afi.com/Film/55083-THE-STUDENT-TEACHERS?cxt=filmography|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 1974, actor [[Steve McQueen]], who was his martial art student and friend at the time, saw his potential and encouraged him to begin acting classes at [[Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer|MGM]]. That same year, he played the supporting role of the main antagonist in [[Lo Wei]]'s ''[[Yellow Faced Tiger]]''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://cityonfire.com/yellow-faced-tiger-1974-review/ |title=Yellow Faced Tiger – aka Slaughter in San Francisco (1974) Review |access-date=January 3, 2018 |archive-date=July 7, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170707233310/http://cityonfire.com/yellow-faced-tiger-1974-review/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Norris plays a powerful drug king in San Francisco, where he dominates the criminal world including the police department. He is eventually challenged by a young police officer who stands up to corruption.<ref>{{cite AV media |date=1985 |title=Slaughter in San-Francisco |language=en |type=VHS |publisher=Embassy Home Entertainment |id=VHS 7645 }}</ref> The film played theatrically in the United States in 1981 as ''Slaughter in San Francisco''.<ref>{{Cite news|date=May 15, 1981|title=Oceanside-Carlsbad Movie Guide|work=Times-Advocate}}</ref> It was noticed that it was an older, low-budget film announcing Norris as the lead. The film played as a double-bill to other action and genre film. It was described as a low-budget martial arts actioner taking advantage of Norris's fame.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Cedrone|first=Lou|date=September 2, 1981|title=It's been a very good summer for movie industry and fans and many are still around|volume=143|work=The Evening Sun}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Gross|first=Linda|date=October 28, 1981|title='The Unseen' Is Best Left Unseen|work=Los Angeles Times}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|date=June 14, 1981|title=Ask showcase|volume=76|work=The Tennessean}}</ref>

In 1975, Norris wrote his first book ''Winning Tournament Karate'' on the practical study of competition training for any rank. It covers all phases of executing speedy attacks, conditioning, fighting form drills, and one-step sparring techniques.<ref>{{cite book |title=Winning Tournament Karate |first=Chuck |last=Norris |date=May 1, 1975 |publisher=Black Belt Communications |id={{ASIN|0897500164 |country=ca}}}}</ref>

Norris's first starring role was 1977's ''[[Breaker! Breaker!]]''<ref>{{Cite web|title=AFI{{!}}Catalog|url=http://catalog.afi.com/Film/56028-BREAKER-BREAKER?cxt=filmography|access-date=2021-07-19|website=catalog.afi.com}}</ref> He chose it after turning down offers to do several martial-arts films. Norris decided that he wanted to do films that had a story and where the action would take place when it is emotionally right. The low-budget film turned out to be very successful.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lf0b2-tlamk&t=31s |title=Chuck Norris Interview 1980 |last=Imperial College TV |date=July 10, 2011 |via=YouTube |access-date=January 3, 2018 |archive-date=March 12, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210312040202/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lf0b2-tlamk&t=31s |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 1978, Norris starred in ''[[Good Guys Wear Black]].''<ref>{{Cite web|title=AFI{{!}}Catalog|url=http://catalog.afi.com/Film/56804-GOOD-GUYS-WEAR-BLACK?cxt=filmography|access-date=2021-07-19|website=catalog.afi.com}}</ref> He considers it to be his first significant lead role. No studio wanted to release it, so Norris and his producers [[Four wall distribution|four-walled]] it, renting the theaters and taking whatever money came in.<ref name="blackbeltmag.com">{{cite web |url=http://blackbeltmag.com/daily/martial-arts-entertainment/martial-art-movies/chuck-norris-movies-lone-wolf-mcquade-and-23-other-action-films-remembered-by-the-martial-arts-icon/ |title=Chuck Norris Movies: Lone Wolf McQuade and 23 Other Action Films Remembered By the Martial Arts Icon – – Black Belt |website=blackbeltmag.com |access-date=January 3, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171122145720/http://blackbeltmag.com/daily/martial-arts-entertainment/martial-art-movies/chuck-norris-movies-lone-wolf-mcquade-and-23-other-action-films-remembered-by-the-martial-arts-icon/|archive-date=November 22, 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref> The film did very well; shot on a $1 million budget, it made over $18 million at the box office.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Good-Guys-Wear-Black#tab=summary |title=Good Guys Wear Black (1978) – Financial Information |access-date=January 3, 2018 |archive-date=December 1, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171201042201/http://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Good-Guys-Wear-Black#tab=summary |url-status=live }}</ref> Following years of [[kung fu film]] imports from [[Hong Kong action cinema]] during the 1970s, most notably Bruce Lee films followed by [[Bruceploitation]] flicks, ''Good Guys Wear Black'' launched Norris as the first successful homegrown American martial-arts star, having previously been best known as a villain in Lee's ''Way of the Dragon''. ''Good Guys Wear Black'' distinguished itself from earlier martial-arts films by its distinctly American setting, characters, themes, and politics, a formula that Norris continued to develop with his later films.<ref name="Cook">{{cite book |last1=Cook |first1=David A. |title=Lost Illusions: American Cinema in the Shadow of Watergate and Vietnam, 1970–1979 |date=2002 |publisher=[[University of California Press]] |isbn=978-0-520-23265-5 |page=270 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HVygqYMVP2wC&pg=PA270 |access-date=June 8, 2020 |archive-date=June 8, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200608031722/https://books.google.com/books?id=HVygqYMVP2wC&pg=PA270 |url-status=live }}</ref>