As his film career slowed down, martial arts action hero Chuck Norris decided for a weekly television series and for nine years he had a pretty good one. It certainly helped the Texas film industry and kept employed a lot of thespian and backstage talent from the Lone Star State.
The title role in Walker, Texas Ranger was played by Chuck Norris as Cordell Walker, a half Cherokee Indian Vietnam veteran who witnessed his parents being killed by racist thugs and was then raised on the Cherokee reservation by his Uncle Ray, played in the first two seasons by Floyd Crow Westerman.
Indian, Vietnam Veteran, Texas Ranger, Martial Artist, all those elements got woven into any and all the episodes of the series. Walker was ably assisted by Clarence Gilyard, fresh from the Matlock series, as a former Dallas Cowboys football star. One thing I swear I never got, injuries cut short his football career, but still he passed the Texas Ranger physical.
Norris's love interest was Assistant District Attorney Sheree Wilson in Dallas and occasionally he called on Noble Willingham, a former Texas Ranger now owner of a popular Dallas rib joint for a little assistance. Willingham was Norris's first partner on the job and the two had a deep affection. Eventually he married ADA Wilson.
Willingham was written out of the series so he could make an unsuccessful run for Congress and Walker got another pair of Texas Rangers with martial arts skills, Nia Peeples and Judson Mills. They were in the series in its last two years.
Norris knew he had a family show and he kept it action filled, but G rated. Take away the martial arts and it's not too different from the Roy Rogers Show in the Fifties. Like Rogers, Norris became a born again Christian and his shows gradually started containing a more Christian message in them. Norris always knew his base was in red state America and played to that audience more and more as the years went by.
Though I hate some of the politics implied, I confess I still do like to see reruns. We could use a few more Cordell Walkers out there, but let's get him some more enlightened opinions on a few issues.
The title role in Walker, Texas Ranger was played by Chuck Norris as Cordell Walker, a half Cherokee Indian Vietnam veteran who witnessed his parents being killed by racist thugs and was then raised on the Cherokee reservation by his Uncle Ray, played in the first two seasons by Floyd Crow Westerman.
Indian, Vietnam Veteran, Texas Ranger, Martial Artist, all those elements got woven into any and all the episodes of the series. Walker was ably assisted by Clarence Gilyard, fresh from the Matlock series, as a former Dallas Cowboys football star. One thing I swear I never got, injuries cut short his football career, but still he passed the Texas Ranger physical.
Norris's love interest was Assistant District Attorney Sheree Wilson in Dallas and occasionally he called on Noble Willingham, a former Texas Ranger now owner of a popular Dallas rib joint for a little assistance. Willingham was Norris's first partner on the job and the two had a deep affection. Eventually he married ADA Wilson.
Willingham was written out of the series so he could make an unsuccessful run for Congress and Walker got another pair of Texas Rangers with martial arts skills, Nia Peeples and Judson Mills. They were in the series in its last two years.
Norris knew he had a family show and he kept it action filled, but G rated. Take away the martial arts and it's not too different from the Roy Rogers Show in the Fifties. Like Rogers, Norris became a born again Christian and his shows gradually started containing a more Christian message in them. Norris always knew his base was in red state America and played to that audience more and more as the years went by.
Though I hate some of the politics implied, I confess I still do like to see reruns. We could use a few more Cordell Walkers out there, but let's get him some more enlightened opinions on a few issues.