Martial Arts Legend Chuck Norris Dies at 86

Hollywood legend Chuck Norris, a staple of action movies and television for decades, has died. He was 86 years old.

Chuck Norris passed away unexpectedly yesterday morning, his family announced on his Facebook page. They asked for privacy regarding the details, but shared that he was peacefully surrounded by loved ones. While known worldwide as a martial artist and actor representing strength, to his family he was a cherished husband, father, grandfather, brother, and the center of their lives.

“While our hearts are broken,” they added, “we are deeply grateful for the life he lived and for the unforgettable moments we were blessed to share with him. The love and support he received from fans around the world meant so much to him, and our family is truly thankful for it. To him, you were not just fans, you were his friends. We know many of you had heard about his recent hospitalization, and we are truly grateful for the prayers and support you sent his way. As we grieve this loss, we kindly ask for privacy for our family during this time. Thank you for loving him with us.”

Chuck Norris started learning martial arts while serving in the Air Force as a teenager. After leaving the military, he opened a martial arts school in California and began competing in tournaments. It was through these competitions that he met Bruce Lee, and their friendship led to Norris’s first major film role – playing the villain in Lee’s 1972 movie, The Way of the Dragon.

Actor Steve McQueen, a martial arts student of Chuck Norris’, recognized Norris’ potential for film and urged him to take acting classes. Norris started with smaller roles in action movies before landing his first leading role in the 1977 film Breaker! Breaker!, a popular action movie about truckers. This success launched a string of hit martial arts and action films throughout the 1980s. Some of his most well-known movies included Lone Wolf McQuade, Code of Silence, The Octagon, A Force of One, and Missing in Action. Missing in Action, a film about the Vietnam War, was particularly successful, capitalizing on public interest in the conflict and becoming one of Norris’ biggest hits. It even led to several sequels.

When Chuck Norris’s movie career started to slow down, he transitioned to television. He became famous for playing the main character in Walker, Texas Ranger, which ran for nine seasons and produced over 200 episodes, a TV movie, and a spin-off show. The series was revived in 2019 with Jared Padalecki as the lead, and that version continued for another four seasons.

Chuck Norris, a dedicated Republican throughout his life, became a prominent supporter of conservative ideas and politicians in his later years. He’s also known for a hilarious cameo in the 2004 comedy Dodgeball, where he plays a judge who dramatically reverses a forfeit, allowing the underdog team to win the championship. In a memorable scene after the victory, Ben Stiller, playing the villain White Goodman, famously exclaims, “F—in’ Chuck Norris!”

Chuck Norris had a remarkable life and created a large collection of work. He’s also known for starring in the film Silent Rage, which features what many consider to be one of the best taglines ever: “Science Created Him. Now Chuck Norris Must Destroy Him.”

Rest in peace to a true Hollywood legend.

Graded VHS Tapes Worth Huge Amounts of Money

National Lampoon’s European Vacation

This comic book received a grade of 9.4 from CGC and sold for $500.00. Generally, comics that are highly sought after are those people fondly remember from their childhoods. The most valuable comics tend to be from the 1980s and 1990s, sparking nostalgia. A good example is the National Lampoon’s Vacation series, including the 1985 film European Vacation.

Explorers

As a movie buff, I always find it fascinating what collectors will pay for certain films. This copy of Explorers graded a 9.4 and recently sold for $500. It’s not a blockbuster or a critically acclaimed classic, but if you grew up watching it on VHS in the mid-80s – like I did – that price actually doesn’t seem too crazy! Nostalgia definitely plays a big role in these things, doesn’t it?

The Terminator

As a film critic, I’ve seen a lot of VHS tapes come and go, but this one is special. Considering how much everyone loved The Terminator back in the ’80s, and how much of an impact it had on cinema, a near-mint, 9.8-graded copy selling for just $519.99? Honestly, it feels like a steal. It’s a fantastic piece for any collector, and a testament to the film’s enduring legacy.

Return of the Jedi

This copy of Return of the Jedi VHS received a grade of 9.6 from CGC and sold for $552.49. The value of collectible grade tapes is also influenced by existing fan bases. Star Wars has a large and dedicated collector base, which drives up demand – and prices – for original VHS copies of the films, such as this CBS/Fox release from the mid-1980s.

The Ultimate Fighting Championship: The Beginning

As a collector, I’ve been watching the sports memorabilia market, and right now, it’s on fire. This particular item? It’s a piece of history. I recently saw a copy of the very first UFC pay-per-view VHS tape sell for a cool $600. Considering it was the initial VHS release of that landmark event, that price doesn’t surprise me one bit.

A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors

This VHS tape received a grade of 9.4 and sold for $700.00. Generally, horror movies are the most sought-after tapes on eBay, especially among collectors. There’s a strong connection between horror fans and VHS tapes – many remember watching scary movies on VHS as kids in the 80s, often films they weren’t old enough to see in theaters. Because of this nostalgia, tapes from franchises like A Nightmare on Elm Street are particularly popular and fetch high prices.

The Empire Strikes Back

This copy of The Empire Strikes Back graded 9.4 sold for $750. It’s not surprising it fetched a higher price than Return of the Jedi. Most collectors would prefer The Empire Strikes Back for $750 over Return of the Jedi for $550, and that’s reflected in the sale price.

Over the Top

This particular sale is a bit unexpected. While Sylvester Stallone was a huge star in the 1980s and his movies were popular on home video, Over the Top – the film featuring Stallone in an arm wrestling battle for custody of his son – isn’t considered one of his most iconic films. Movies like Rocky IV and Rambo: First Blood Part II would make more sense as collector’s items. Paying $750 for a professionally graded copy of Over the Top seems… well, a little surprising. I’m still searching for the right way to describe it.

The Wizard

This Nintendo game, graded at 9.4, recently sold for $850. Like classic VHS tapes, vintage Nintendo games, especially sealed and professionally graded ones, are becoming highly sought after by collectors. Given that a pristine copy of Super Mario Bros. 3 can fetch thousands of dollars, it’s not surprising someone would spend $850 on The Wizard, a popular kids’ movie from the late 1980s that prominently featured Nintendo.

Star Wars

This VHS copy of The Empire Strikes Back received a grade of 9.4 and sold for $868.00. The seller jokingly points out that if tapes of The Empire Strikes Back are more valuable than Return of the Jedi, then Star Wars tapes must be even more valuable. They also suggest that being able to actually watch the movie, without worrying about potential tampering, is worth the price alone.

Halloween II

This copy of Halloween II received a grade of CGC 9.6 and recently sold for $900. While sequels are usually worth less than original vintage VHS tapes, certain horror sequels can still be quite valuable, and this particular copy clearly appealed to a dedicated fan.

Predator

This copy of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Predator comic book received a grade of 9.4 from CGC and sold for $950.00. I was the one who bought it—a near-mint condition copy that cost almost a thousand dollars. (Please don’t tell my wife!)

Back to the Future

This copy of Back to the Future graded 9.6 by CGC recently sold for $1,150.00. It’s an early print with a red MCA label, which makes it particularly valuable. There are many different versions of these VHS tapes, and researching which ones are rare and sought-after can be a deep dive – one I don’t have time for right now!

Halloween

This VHS copy of Halloween received a grade of 9.2 from CGC and sold for $1,249.99. Before researching collectible VHS tapes, I would have predicted Halloween would be highly sought after. It’s a timeless classic and a cornerstone of the slasher genre, and because it was released early in the VHS format’s history, first-edition copies are likely rare – and my prediction proved correct.

A Nightmare on Elm Street

Okay, let me tell you about this one. A copy of this classic horror comic graded a 9.6 recently sold for a whopping $1,282! It’s clear collectors are really after anything related to Freddy Krueger. Seriously, the prices are climbing – you won’t believe what these issues are going for these days. If you’re a fan, prepare to dig deep into your pockets!

The Matrix

This copy of The Matrix received a grade of 9.8 from CGC and sold for $1,425.00. While most highly sought-after graded VHS tapes are from the early 1980s, The Matrix is a 1999 release. This is actually what makes it so valuable – by 1999, VHS tapes were becoming rare, meaning copies of The Matrix are much harder to find than other formats like DVDs. Plus, the movie’s plot suggests that analog copies like this would be the only ones still functional after a machine takeover!

Jaws

This copy of Jaws received a grade of 9.6 from CGC and sold for $1,500. Like Halloween, Jaws is a highly sought-after collectible. Its historical significance, status as a horror classic, and the age of early VHS copies – now over 40 years old – make it a valuable find. Now might be the perfect time to start collecting movies from your childhood!

Friday the 13th

This tape received a grade of VGA 85+ and sold for $1,691.00. It’s actually a Betamax tape, not VHS, which could be a problem if someone wanted to watch it – working Betamax players are very hard to find. However, the buyer likely isn’t interested in watching Friday the 13th; they’re purchasing it as a collectible piece of slasher film history.

Transformers: The Movie

This copy of the original Transformers movie received a grade of 9.4 from CGC and recently sold for $1,725 on eBay. While the movie was a bit scary for me growing up, it’s clear that dedicated Transformers fans are willing to pay a lot for a piece of its history.

Pokémon: The First Movie

This copy of Pokémon: The First Movie on VHS recently sold for $1,750.00. It received a near-perfect grade of 9.8 from CGC, making it the most expensive VHS tape I’ve found sold on eBay recently. Considering how much early Pokémon cards are now worth—one Pikachu card recently sold for over $16.4 million—it’s not surprising that Pokémon VHS tapes are also becoming highly sought after.

2026-03-20 18:28