Jackie Chan
ALL ABOUT JACKIE CHAN
Full Name: Kong-sang Chang
Date of Birth: 7 April 1954
Place of Birth: Hong Kong
Spouse: Lin Feng-Chiao (aka Lin Feng Chow; Taiwanese; actress; married in 1983)
Family: Father - Charles Chan (cook), Mother - Lee-Lee Chan (now lived in Sydney, Australia), Son - J C Chan (born in 1982; mother: Lin Feng-Chiao)
Relationship: Elaine Ng (Miss Asia, 1 daughter)
Profession: Actor, Producer, Director, Stunts, Writer, Production Manager
Bio:
Jackie Chan was born in Hong Kong on April 7th, 1954. His parents, Charles and Lee-lee Chan named him Chan Kong-sang which means “born in Hong Kong.” Jackie weighed 12 pounds when he was born and his mother required surgery to deliver him. Jackie’s parents were so poor that they had to borrow money from friends to pay the doctor.
Although Jackie’s parents were poor, they had steady jobs at the French embassy in Hong Kong. Charles was a cook and Lee-lee was a housekeeper. Together, the Chan family lived on Victoria Peak in Hong Kong. When Jackie was young, his father would wake him early in the morning and together they would practice kung fu. Charles Chan believed that learning kung fu would help build Jackie’s character, teaching him patience, strength, and courage.
When Jackie was seven years old Charles took a job as the head cook at the American embassy in Australia. He felt that it would be best for Jackie to stay behind in Hong Kong to learn a skill and so enrolled him in the China Drama Academy where Jackie would live for the next 10 years of his life.
During Jackie’s time at the school, he learned martial arts, acrobatics, singing, and acting. The school was meant to prepare boys for a life in the Peking Opera. Chinese opera was very different from any other kind of opera. It included singing, tumbling, and acrobatics as well as martial arts skills and acting. Students at the school were severely disciplined and were beaten if they disobeyed or made mistakes. It was a very harsh and difficult life but Jackie had nowhere else to go, so he stayed. He rarely saw his parents for many years.
While at the China Academy, Jackie made his acting debut at age eight in the Cantonese movie “Seven Little Valiant Fighters: Big and Little Wong Tin Bar.” He later teamed with other opera students in a performance group called “The Seven Little Fortunes.” Fellow actors Sammo Hung and Yuen Biao were also members. Years later the three would work together and become known as The Three Brothers. As Jackie got older he worked as a stuntman and an extra in the Hong Kong film industry.
When Jackie was 17, he graduated from the China Drama Academy. Unfortunately the Chinese opera was no longer very popular, so Jackie and his classmates had to find other work. This was difficult because at the school they were never taught how to read or write. The only work available to them was unskilled labor or stunt work. Each year many movies were made in Hong Kong and there was always a need for young, strong stuntmen. Jackie was extraordinarily athletic and inventive, and soon gained a reputation for being fearless; Jackie Chan would try anything. Soon he was in demand.
Over the next few years, Jackie worked as a stuntman, but when the Hong Kong movie industry began to fail, he was forced to go to Australia to live with his parents. He worked in a restaurant and on a construction site. It was there that he got the name “Jackie.” A worker named Jack had trouble pronouncing “Kong-sang” and started calling Jackie “little Jack.” That soon became “Jackie” and the name stuck.
Jackie was very unhappy in Australia. The construction work was difficult and boring. His salvation came in the form of a telegram from a man named Willie Chan. Willie Chan worked in the Hong Kong movie industry and was looking for someone to star in a new movie being made by Lo Wei, a famous Hong Kong producer/director. Willie had seen Jackie at work as a stuntman and had been impressed. Jackie called Willie and they talked. Jackie didn’t know it but Willie would end up becoming his best friend and manager. Soon Jackie was on his way back to Hong Kong to star in “New Fist of Fury.” It was 1976 and Jackie Chan was 21 years old.
Once Jackie got back to Hong Kong, Willie Chan took control over Jackie’s career. To this day Jackie is quick to point out that he owes his success to Willie. However, the movies that Jackie made for Lo Wei were not very successful. The problem was that Jackie’s talents were not being used properly. It was only when Jackie was able to contribute his own ideas that he became a star. He brought humor to martial arts movies; his first success was “Snake in Eagle’s Shadow.” This was followed by “Drunken Master” (another blockbuster) and Jackie’s first ever directing job, “Fearless Hyena.” All were big hits.
Jackie was becoming a huge success in Asia. Unfortunately, it would be many years before the same could be said of his popularity in America. After a series of lukewarm receptions in the U.S., mostly due to miscasting, Jackie left the States and focused his attention on making movies in Hong Kong. It would be 10 years before he returned to make Rumble in the Bronx, the movie that introduced Jackie to American audiences and secured him a place in their hearts (and their box office). Rumble was followed by the Rush Hour and Shanghai Noon series which put Jackie on the Hollywood A List.
Despite his Hollywood successes, Jackie became frustrated by the lack of varied roles for Asian actors and his own inability to control certain aspects of the filming in America. He continued to try, however, making The Tuxedo, The Medallion, and Around the World in 80 Days, none of which was the blockbuster that Rush Hour or Shanghai Noon had been.
Jackie’s lifelong devotion to fitness has served him well as he continues to do stunt work and action sequences in his films. In recent years, Jackie’s focus has shifted and he is trying new genres of film – fantasy, drama, romance – and is spending more and more time on his charity work. He takes his work as Ambassador for UNICEF/UNAIDS very seriously and spends all his spare time working tirelessly for children, the elderly, and those in need. He continues to make films in Hong Kong, including the blockbuster drama New Police Story in 2004.
Jackie has been married to Lin Feng-Jiao since 1982 and has a son, actor-singer Jaycee Chan.
Trivia:
Will team up with Jet Li for the first time in THE FORBIDDEN KINGDOM. (April 12, 2007)
Launched a Chinese TV competition aimed at scouting out new action movie talent, saying more than 100,000 people have already signed up for a shot at kung fu stardom. (April 9, 2007)
Has agreed to star in a new recruitment campaign by the Los Angeles police. (March 13, 2007)
Has created a film company in China that will make at least 10 films. (January 3, 2007)
Injured his chest twice while filming a fight scene for RUSH HOUR 3.
Starred in a porn film when he was a struggling actor. But he insists he is not ashamed of the film and says it is very tame compared to modern pornographic movies.
Took a break from filming martial arts movies and dropped by Manila to announce plans to open a coffee franchise. (August 4, 2006)
Has asked for public forgiveness after drunkenly swearing and disrupting a music concert in Hong Kong. (July 15, 2006)
Blames Hollywood for his drunken stage invasion at Hong Kong recent concert; he accused movie bosses of ruining his musical ambitions and was so desperate to prove his vocal talents he jumped on stage at the show. (July 14, 2006)
Voted one of the top ten most generous celebrities in Hollywood by Forbes. (2006)
Was still in pain form a recent chest injury suffered during the shooting of his latest action-comedy, ROB-B-HOOD. He was reportedly kicked in the chest on March 23 by a stuntman wearing the ‘wrong shoes.’ (April 3, 2006)
Was hospitalized after a stuntman wearing the wrong shoes kicked him in the chest. (March 30, 2006)
British Prime Minister Tony is a Chan fan; RUSH HOUR is his favorite.
Denies reports he is anti-South Korea, and accused the media of distorting his comments. (October 10, 2005)
Wants to quit action movies in the next five years, adding he’ll turn to producing and directing instead. (September 13, 2005)
Says he prefers riskier film roles in Asia to Hollywood’s action comedies. (July 16, 2005)
According to Chan, the third installment in the RUSH HOUR series is held up because co-star Chris Tucker is making too many demands. (July 11, 2005)
Received an honorary medal from the City of Paris in recognition of his illustrious film career and his sense of humor. (June 30, 2005)
Battled copyright pirates an international campaign titled ‘Fakes Cost More.’ (June 4, 2005)
Sold his five-bedroom Beverly Hills mansion for $6.7 million, after realizing he only spent four to six weeks a year in the city. (February 22, 2005)
According to his long-time friend and business partner Curtis F Wong, Chan owns car factories, high-rise buildings, restaurants, and a growing number of stores in China.
Owns 60.000 spm of land in China, a home in Hong Kong, and $6-million Beverly Hills home where he spends only six weeks a year.
Was the Olympic torch bearer in 2004, representing China.
Says he wants to shed his action-star image in favor of meatier roles that require dialogue and emotion instead of punches and kicks. (June 14, 2004)
Is honored in Hong Kong’s new harbor-front Avenue of Stars. The tourist attraction pays tribute to Hong Kong’s past and present stars by featuring their names and hand prints in a 1,452-feet long strip. (April 28, 2004)
Is named a goodwill ambassador for the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and UN AIDS agency UNAIDS. (April 27, 2004)
A Taiwan lawmaker said Chan’s movie AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS should be banned in Taiwan because of the actor’s remarks about presidential election in March. Last month Chan called Taiwan’s recent presidential elections the biggest joke in the world. (April 24, 2004)
His handprints are on display at Hong Kong’s new Avenue of Stars. (April 7, 2004)
Launched and modelled his new clothing, which bears a Chinese dragon logo and the English word Jackie, at an informal fashion show in Beijing. (April 3, 2004)
Said that Taiwan’s 2004 presidential election was the biggest joke in the world. (March 29, 2004)
Formed JCE Movies, a joint venture with Hong Kong entertainment group Emperor Multimedia Group principal Albert Yeung, in a bid to nurture new local talent. (October 2003)
After 30-something years in the film industry, Chan has just filmed his first screen kiss – He said, “I just had a big kissing scene with Claire Forlani. I was shy, she just grabbed me saying ‘Come On.’ It was for my new movie HIGHBINDERS. She really made me comfortable. (February 21, 2003)
Renowned for performing his own daredevil stunts, Chan has started using body doubles, but only when necessary – he said he would use stunt doubles if he was asked to ride an F-16 jet fighter, or to jump over a series of hurdles with a crazy horse, or to perform two 720-degree somersaults. (January 22, 2003)
Condemned East Week,” a racy Hong Kong tabloid for publishing a topless photograph of a local actress taken when she had reportedly been kidnapped 12 years ago. (November 2, 2002)
At 48, Chan is getting sick of performing stunts, and wants to play more dramatic roles, citing that he wanted to be a real actor. (October 8, 2002)
Received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame close to the entrance to the theater where the Academy Awards are presented. (October 5, 2002)
Chan claims to have broken every bone in his body at least once while performing stunts.
Chan, Kong Sung means Born In Hong Kong.
He prefers to do action films with strong humor streaks and physical clowning like Buster Keaton.
In the act of performing his own stunts, he has broken his nose three times, his ankle once, most of the fingers in his hand, both cheekbones, and his skull.
In 1989, he was made a Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire by the British Government for Hong Kong/Commonwealth.
Is really a Mr. Nice Guy! - treating his stuntmen as pals by even taking them to dinner.
In THE BIG BRAWL (1980), despite training in martial arts since the age of six, and having choreographed his own fight scenes in many previous films, he was assigned a fight choreographer with only six years experience.
His first film role was in BIG AND LITTLE WONG TIN BAR (1962). He was only eight years old when he was hired out as an extra in this film. No remaining prints of the movie are known to exist.
Turned down a role in BLACK RAIN (1989), as he didn’t want to play a bad character.
He doubled for Bruce Lee in the fight scene between Chen and Yoshida where Chen does a somersault (JING WU MEN (1972)).
He had a clash with director Chia-Liang Liu during JUI KUEN II (1994) filming, with Lau wanting to include hidden-wire stunts. Lau eventually left the film, with Chan taking over as director.
His character in SHANGHAI NOON (2000) is named Chon Wang, which sounds just like John Wayne
His favorite number is 32. The gangster’s car in RUSH HOUR 2 (2001) has a license plate of 32 and when Lee spits the grenade onto the roulette table it lands on 32 when it explodes.
In HONG FAAN KUI (1995), the script called for a leap from the top of a parking lot to a fire escape on the floor below on the building across the street. As is his custom, director Stanley Tong attempted the stunt before asking any actors to do so. He tried it with the help of a cable harness, but quickly decided it would be safer without the harness. The landing point was not visible from the point where the jump began, so tape was placed on the take-off point as a guide. The jump was completed perfectly by Jackie Chan on the first attempt, doing his own stunts as is his custom. The jump was captured by four cameras.
In RUSH HOUR (1998), whilst in China Town, Carter shows Inspector Lee the foot prints of John Wayne.
The SHREK (2001) filmmakers stated that Prince Fiona’s martial arts were inspired by Chan, but also, late in the production, by WO HO CANG LONG (2000) (CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON)
The Wah Sing Ku character (played by Jet Li) in LETHAL WEAPON 4 was originally to be his role. However he declined the role because he chooses never to play the villain in a movie.
While filming the scene in JING CHA GU SHI III: CHAO JI JING CHA (1992) where his character hangs from the side of the train, he was accidentally sideswiped by the helicopter.
While filming the stunt where he leaps from a wall onto a tree, he missed a tree branch and hit his head on a rock, nearly killing him and leaving him with a permanent thimble-sized hole on the right side of his head (LONGXIONG HUDI (1986)).
In GING CHAAT GOO SI (1985) Jackie Chan sustained burns on his hands during the pole slide scene in the mall. The Christmas tree lights were plugged into the wall instead of a low-voltage car battery.
GING CHAAT GOO SI (1985) came about as a result of his frustration and dissatisfaction with the film THE PROTECTOR (1985).
At one point in DEMOLITION MAN (1993) Bullock surprises Stallone by showing her karate moves. He asks her where she learned that and she said from old Jackie Chan movies.
Weight 12 pounds at birth and was 3 months late at birth.
Was in the Opera school for ten years, he had a contract.
Was nominated for Hong Kong Film Award for Best Action Choreography in 2000 for BOR LEI JUN.
He admits he had minimal schooling in his own language and struggled to learn English.
His father was from a noble family of Shandong province, in northern China, and began training his son in the northern style of kung fu from an early age. They sent him to school, but he was bored and restless, always disrupting the class and getting into fights.
Quotes:
“A lot of people ask me when I do a stunt, ‘Jackie, are you scared?’ Of course I’m scared. I’m not Superman.”
“Do not let circumstances control you. You change your circumstances.”
“Don’t try to be like Jackie. There is only one Jackie. Study computers instead.”
“For me the greatest source of income is still movies. Nothing - stocks, financial speculation, real estate speculation or businesses - makes more money for me than making movies.”
“I’m crazy, but I’m not too crazy.”
“Since the child knew his parents would give in, he tried the same trick again and again.”
“Sometimes I’d like to play the bad guy and sometimes I’d like to die in a movie.”
“Very difficult to understand American audience, what they like, what they don’t like. Some movie I like very much, it doesn’t work. Some movie I don’t like, it gets big box office. Very difficult.”
Jackie Chan Discography:
Compilations:
2003 First Time
2003 Dragon’s Heart
2000 Asian Pop’s Gold
1998 Jackie Chan
Singles:
2005 Jia Xiang de Long Yan Shu
Filmography:
Jackie Chan Filmography as an Actor:
2008 The Shinjuku Incident
2008 The Forbidden Kingdom
2008 Kung Fu Panda
2007 Rush Hour 3
2006 Rob-B-Hood
2005 The Myth
2004 The Huadu Chronicles: Blade Of The Rose
2004 New Police Story
2004 Chop-Socky: Cinema Hong Kong
2004 Around the World in 80 Days
2004 Around the World in 80 Days
2003 The Medallion
2003 Shanghai Knights
2003 Jackie Chan: Fast, Funny and Furious
2002 Longde Shenchu: Shiluode Pin Tu
2002 The Art of Action: Martial Arts in the Movies
2002 The Tuxedo
2001 Rush Hour 2
2001 The Accidental Spy
2000 Shanghai Noon
2000 Saturday Night Live: Jackie Chan
2000 Jackie Chan Adventures: Season 01
1999 Fist to Fist
1999 Gorgeous
1999 Jackie Chan: My Stunts
1999 Gen-X Cops
1998 Rush Hour
1998 Who Am I?
1997 Burn Hollywood Burn
1997 Mr. Nice Guy
1996 First Strike
1996 Thunderbolt
1995 Rumble in the Bronx
1994 The Legend of Drunken Master
1993 Crime Story
1992 Twin Dragons
1992 City Hunter
1992 Twin Dragons
1992 Police Story 3: Super Cop
1990 Operation Condor
1990 The Prisoner
1990 Deadliest Art: The Best of the Martial Arts Films
1989 Black Dragon
1988 Painted Faces
1988 Dragons Forever
1987 Jackie Chan’s Project A 2
1987 Police Story 2
1986 Operation Condor 2: The Armour of Gods
1985 Ninja Thunderbolt
1985 Heart of the Dragon
1985 My Lucky Stars
1985 Police Story
1985 The Protector
1985 Twinkle, Twinkle, Lucky Stars
1984 Wheels on Meals
1984 Cannonball Run II
1983 Fearless Hyena 2
1983 Fantasy Mission Force
1983 Jackie Chan’s Project A
1983 Winners and Sinners
1982 Dragon Lord
1981 The Cannonball Run
1980 Dragon Fist
1980 Battle Creek Brawl
1979 The Fearless Hyena
1979 Half a Loaf of Kung Fu
1978 Magnificent Bodyguards
1978 The Young Master
1978 Drunken Master
1978 Spiritual Kung Fu
1978 Snake and Crane Arts of Shaolin
1978 Snake in the Eagle’s Shadow
1977 To Kill with Intrigue
1976 Shaolin Wooden Men
1976 New Fist of Fury
1976 Killer Meteors
1976 Hand of Death
1974 Rumble in Hong Kong
1973 Attack of the Kung Fu Girls
1973 The Young Tiger
1973 Enter the Dragon
1973 In Eagle’s Shadow Fist
1972 Monkey in the Master’s Eye
1971 Master with Cracked Fingers
1971 One-Armed Boxer
Jackie Chan Filmography as an Action Director:
1982 Dragon Lord
1977 The 36 Crazy Fists
1976 Dance of Death
1974 Rumble in Hong Kong
Jackie Chan Filmography as an Associate Producer:
1980 Dragon Forever
Jackie Chan Filmography as a Choreography:
1999 Gorgeous
Jackie Chan Filmography as a Director:
1999 Jackie Chan: My Stunts
1998 Who Am I?
1990 Operation Condor
1989 Black Dragon
1987 Jackie Chan’s Project A 2
1987 Police Story 2
1986 Operation Condor 2: The Armour of Gods
1985 Police Story
1983 Jackie Chan’s Project A
1982 Dragon Lord
1979 The Fearless Hyena
1978 The Young Master
1976 New Fist of Fury
Jackie Chan Filmography as an Executive Producer:
2006 Rob-B-Hood
2005 The Myth
2004 New Police Story
2004 Rice Rhapsody
2004 Around the World in 80 Days
2003 Shanghai Knights
2003 The Medallion
2001 The Accidental Spy
2000 Shanghai Noon
1999 Gorgeous
1988 Rouge
Jackie Chan Filmography as a Producer:
2008 The Shinjuku Incident
1999 Sam Dung
1999 Jackie Chan: My Stunts
1988 The Inspector Wears Skirts
Jackie Chan Filmography as a Screenwriter:
2006 Rob-B-Hood
1999 Gorgeous
1998 Who Am I?
1990 Operation Condor
1987 Police Story 2
1986 Operation Condor 2: The Armour of Gods
1985 Police Story
1978 The Young Master
Jackie Chan Filmography as a Stunts Coordinator:
2006 Rob-B-Hood
2004 New Police Story
1998 Who Am I?
1998 Rush Hour
Jackie Chan Awards:
MTV Movie Award
2002 Award Best Fight
Hong Kong Film Award
1999 Best Action Choreography
Hollywood Film Festival
1999 Actor of the Year
Blockbuster Entertainment Award
1999 Favorite Duo - Action/Adventure
MTV Movie Award
1995 Lifetime Achievement
Golden Horse Award
1993 Best Actor
Hong Kong Film Award
1989 Best Picture
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