Good Guys Wear Black

Came across this in the archives today. This is an ad for GOOD GUYS WEAR BLACK, an early (1978), atypical Chuck Norris flick in which our hero is much more the cool sophisticated type than the good-ol'-boy John Wayne-style hero he became. Here he's John T. Booker, a former soldier whose men are all being killed off mysteriously...and he's next. Not much of a budget and yet well directed by veteran Ted Post who had also helmed BENEATH THE PLANET OF THE APES, THE HARRAD EXPERIMENT and a gazillion TV episodes. Along with classic film noir star Dana Andrews, the supporting cast includes more TV veterans such as James Franciscus(LONGSTREET), Lloyd Haines (ROOM 222) and Jim (MISTER MAGOO) Backus. The female lead is the lovely Anne Archer, rumored at the time to have been originally cast as Lois Lane in the then still upcoming SUPERMAN-THE MOVIE.

Previously, way back in December of '05, we ran the more familiar ad from this film which features Chuck doing a flying kick through a car windshield. It was during a tour to promote GOOD GUYS WEAR BLACK that I got to meet Mister Norris which you can read about here:http://booksteveslibrary.blogspot.com/search?q=good+guys+wear+black

GOOD GUYS WEAR BLACK sure looked at the time like the beginning of a franchise but as far as I know, John T. Booker (similar to John Wayne's John B. Books in his last film, THE SHOOTIST)was never seen again.

Chuck Norris

I'm told that Karate champion Chuck Norris used to turn up at San Diego Con back in the seventies but as my first San Diego trip was in the late eighties, I missed that. My first exposure to Chuck was when he appeared as the extremely hairy, badly dubbed villain who fights hero Bruce Lee in the Roman Colosseum in WAY OF THE DRAGON (retitled RETURN OF THE DRAGON for its posthuomous US release so as to confuse gullible filmgoers into thinking it was a sequel to the popular ENTER THE DRAGON. Confusing Bruce Lee fans would become a way of life for many unscrupulous filmmakers and distributors for years!). Chuck looked good in this film and, after already appearing in a few minor roles and throwaway pictures, was encouraged to seek a starring vehicle. According to IMDB, he took elocution lessons from LOST IN SPACE's Jonathan (Dr. Smith) Harris!
GOOD GUYS WEAR BLACK, in 1978, was that vehicle, a well-cast, mid-budget action picture with a good director in Ted Post (MAGNUM FORCE). Chuck played John T. Booker, a Nam vet whose old unit was slowing being eradicated by...the mob, the government, aliens?? He had to find out to save himself!
I met Chuck Norris when he came through town to publicize GOOD GUYS WEAR BLACK by hosting a free karate demonstration at the same department of the same department store where Lana Turner's appearance would change my life a gew years later (see previous story. Keep up!). Unlike Lana, Chuck was accessible and chatted with all of us (I was 19). I remember noting that he had the wimpiest handshake of any adult male I had ever shaken hands with but someone quickly pointed out that he probably has to "pull" his handshakes for fear of accidentally crushing people's fingers!! After all, his hands could legitimately be called weapons of mass destruction!
IMDB also points out that Chuck wanted to be John Wayne when he grew up. If you look at both his life, political interests (Republican) and career, you could make a case that he succeeded. After a promising start and a couple of interesting follow-ups, Chuck's career settled into a steady string of war movies and modern, increasingly formulaic westerns, culminating in the B-western wonder that is WALKER, TEXAS RANGER, for which Chuck will be forever reknowned and his detractors be damned. He knew what he wanted, he built toward it, created a character that reflected not just himself but an idealized version. I'm not at all sure that we needed a new John Wayne but that's beside the point. Chuck Norris wanted to do it and like most things in his life...he succeeded! Love him or hate him, he should be an example to us all that you CAN achieve your dreams!