Martial Arts Icon Richard Norton Dead at 75

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It sucks getting old.

I just sent a message to my buddy regarding the demise of Val Kilmer, a hard-edged, traditionally masculine figure from our youth who has now left us. It was then that my friend informed me that the action star, Richard Norton, had actually passed away the previous day.

Due to the busyness, I unfortunately didn’t catch this news right away, but it still made me feel sad. If you were around during the fantastic ’90s martial arts film era, you might recognize Richard Norton from his on-screen performances.

In contrast to me who found my stride in the ’90s, Norton had already begun his acting journey during the ’80s. One of his most memorable roles was in the film “The Octagon“, alongside the iconic Chuck Norris. Over time, they grew to be lifelong friends, with Norton even making a guest appearance on “Walker, Texas Ranger“.

Later, we had the action-packed martial arts film titled “Gymkata“, featuring Kurt Thomas (a gymnast) as the antagonist. The plot revolved around him utilizing his gymnastic abilities in martial arts combat.

As a kid, I’d often claim the only TV in our household to watch a particular movie, which meant my mom missed the start of Dallas – a show that was quite popular at the time and didn’t have the luxury of DVR, streaming, or even timely reruns. If she had managed to catch me during that act, the consequence would have been legendary, but it might have cost her the rest of the episode.

In the 1980s, apart from the movie you mentioned, Richard Norton also created other notable films, including “Twinkle Twinkle Lucky Stars,” featuring famous stars like Sammo Hung and Jackie Chan.

Nevertheless, Richard Norton really found his rhythm when he started collaborating with the legendary figure, Cynthia Rothrock.

Back in the day, she was unforgettable as the leading lady in the Toxic Masculinity film franchise. Over the course of eight explosive decades, we starred in an incredible seven movies together. Those flicks left a lasting impression on me during my youthful years.

Here is the list of movies by this dynamic duo. Many will get their own TMT article in the future.

* China O’Brien could be rephrased as “China of the O’Brien family” or “China, descendant of O’Brien”
* China O’Brien II could be rephrased as “China O’Brien, the second” or “China the Second, of the O’Brien lineage”
* Lady Dragon could be rephrased as “Lady of the Dragon” or “The Lady and the Dragon”
* Millionaires’ Express could be rephrased as “Millionaires’ Train” or “Train of the Wealthy”
* Magic Crystal could be rephrased as “Magical Crystal” or “Crystal with Magic Powers”
* Rage and Honor could be rephrased as “Rage and Integrity” or “Anger and Respect”
* Rage and Honor II could be rephrased as “Rage and Honor, the sequel” or “Rage and Honor: The Continuation.

Sadly, they made an eighth movie called Black Creek in 2024 that would be their last together.

Farewell, Richard Norton. You will be deeply missed and fondly remembered by those of us who hunted for hidden martial arts masterpieces in video stores. We would seek them out based on intriguing cover art such as the one shown below, and carefully read the descriptions on the reverse side to discover our next gem.

Take a look at my thrilling superhero book titled “Fiasco of Adventures” right here or here, and don’t forget to visit my site at TheMegacosm.com!

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2025-04-04 16:15