Jackie Chan

Jackie Chan, Born Chan Kong Sang on 7th April 1954 on Victoria Peak, Hong Kong.

As his parents Charles and Lee Lee chan worked for the French Ambassador, Jackie spent most of his formative years on the grounds of his residence.

During the 1960's Charles Chan emigrated to Austrailia to work for the American embassy. Jackie was thus sent to the Chinese Drama Academy, a Peking opera school run by Master Yu Jim Yuen.

Chan trained vigerously under the Masters rule and excelled highly in martial arts and acrobatics. He eventually became one of Seven Little Fortunes, (a performace group made up of the schools best students) He quickly became close friends with two of the other performers, Sammo Hung and Yuen Biao, later to be known as the Three Brothers or Three Dragons.

After a few years he spent some time doing dome extra work in various martial arts films and at the age of 17 he worked as a stuntman in the Bruce Lee films Fist Of Fury & Enter The Dragon. He starred in his first lead role later that year.

After having trouble finding stuntwork he joined his parents in Australia in 1976, where he briefley attended college and worked on a construction site, during his time working he gained the nick name "Little Jack" and was eventually shortened to "Jackie" which incidently stuck forever.

In 1976 Jackie recieved a telegram from Willie Chan (a Hong Kong film producer) offering work. The producer attempted to re-create Bruce Lee films with Jackie but not being accustomed to Lee's style the films subseqently failed.

Chan's first major filming was in 1978 in the film Snake in the Eagles Shadow. Under Yuen Woo Ping, Chan was allowed tottal freedom with his stunt work.
Chan then starred in Drunken Master which placed him within mainstream filming.

After filming a few films, in 1980 Chan joined Golden Harvest and began his arrival into the American film industry. After filming Battle Creak Brawl, Cannonball Run and the likes, Chan decided to return focus to Hong Kong films.

Once in Hong Kong he starred in various films and started filming martial art/ comedies with his "brothers" Sammo Hung and Yuen Biao. The first film the co-starred in was Project A in 1983. over the next few years the "Three Dragons" made a few films, Wheels On Meals, Lucky Stars.

In 1985 Chan made the first Police Story film which was named "Best Movie" at the 1985 Hong Kong Film Awards. Chan then played the infamous "Aisan Hawk" in Armour Of God. The film was Jackie's biggest demestic box office success to date, the film also nearly cost the thrill seeking martial artist his life but resulted in him breaking nearly every bone in his body.

The "Three Brothers" starred with each otehr for the last time in Dragons Forever in 1988.

In the late 1980's/ early 90's Chan starred in various sequals, begining with Police Story 2, Armour Of God 2: Operation Condor, Police Story 3, Drunken Master 2, Police Story 4: First Strike. Chan has opertunities to play villians in a few US box office hits but declined, he was asked by Sylvester Stallione to play the role of Simon Phoenix in Demolishion Man.

Finally in 1995 Chan got a foothold upon the US film market in his film Rumber In The Bronx. after this he released Police Story 3 in the US (re-named Supercop) then in 1998 he teamed up with Chris Tucker in Rush Hour.

In 1998 Chan release his last film for Golden Harvest - Who Am I?. After leaving he produced the film Gorgeous and starred in a Playstation game. Later that year he became animated in the Jackie Chan adventure series.

Despite sucesses in the US box office with Shanghia Noon, Rush Hour 2 and Shanghai Knights, Jackie wasnt happy with US film production and yearned for Hong Kong film production, but with Golden Harvest withdrawel from film in 2003, Chan started his own film company Jackie Chan Emperor Movies Ltd (JCE Movies). His newer films included New Police Storey (2004), The Myth (2005), Rob-B-Hood (2006)
Jackie's next release was Ruch Hour 3 in 2007.

Chans latest films to be released are The Forbidden City in which he stars along side Jet Li for the first time and Kung Fu Panda in which Chan recieves animation once again as a wise old monkey.







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