Richard Norton (actor)

[1] He appeared in a number of martial arts films, facing off against stars such as Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung, Yasuaki Kurata, Benny Urquidez, Don Wilson and Cynthia Rothrock, and has worked as fight choreographer for titles like The Condemned (2007), Mad Max: Fury Road (2015), Suicide Squad (2016), Dark Phoenix (2019) and The Suicide Squad (2021).

With fellow karateka Bob Jones, Norton is the co-creator of Zen Do Kai, a hybrid self-defense martial art intended for the security industry.

[4][2] He cross-trained in various arts including Brazilian jiu-jitsu (under the Machado brothers), Chun Kuk Do (under Chuck Norris) and Ukidokan kickboxing (under Pete Cunningham and Benny Urquidez), as well as aikido, judo, Muay Thai and kobudo.

Norton entered the entertainment industry as a personal bodyguard for The Rolling Stones, Linda Ronstadt,[5] James Taylor, David Bowie,[6] ABBA,[7] John Belushi, Fleetwood Mac and Stevie Nicks.

[9] He was a minor (sometimes uncredited) character in several episodes (at least eight), and had a starring role as villainous businessman Frank Scanlon in The Avenging Angel; he was in the two-part finale The Final Show/Down as Jonas Graves, part of Emile Lavocat (Marshall R. Teague)'s criminal gang (he also appears in the "flashback" scenes illustrating the end of the Hayes Cooper legend, as part of Mills "Moon" Lavocat (also Marshall R. Teague)'s desperado gang).

[10] Over his career, Norton has faced off with many top martial arts action stars, including Jackie Chan (in three films, including City Hunter), Sammo Hung, Yasuaki Kurata, Benny "the Jet" Urquidez (in Kick Fighter), Don "The Dragon" Wilson (in CyberTracker), and Cynthia Rothrock (in China O'Brien and Lady Dragon).

[11] Norton has trained in many aspects of martial arts, including Judo, Karate, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Aikido, Thai boxing and several Japanese weapons systems.

He has trained with Tino Ceberano, Tadashi Yamashita, Fumio Demura, Bill 'Superfoot' Wallace, Pete "Sugar Foot" Cunningham, Jean-Jacques Machado and Chuck Norris.