Jackie Chan

   

Jackie Chan (2002)
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Jackie Chan (2002)

Jackie Chan, born Chan Kong-sang (陳港生; Gwohngdongwa pengyam: Can4 Gohng2 Sang1; Jyutping: can4 gong2 sang1; Pinyin: Chén Gǎngshēng, WG: Ch'en Kung-shang) (born April 7, 1954), Chinese screen name Sing Lung (成龍; Gwohngdongwa pengyam: Seng4 Long4; yp Sing4 Lung4; py Chéng Lóng), is a Hong Kong martial artist, actor, director and stuntman. He was educated at Nan Hua Elementary Academy, Chinese Opera Research Institute (1961-1971) and Peking Opera School.

Jackie Chan is one of the most recognized names in kung fu movies worldwide, known for his comic, acrobatic fighting style and use of improvised weapons. Chan has starred in over a hundred movies.

Chan is often said to do all his own stunts. While this claim does not hold up to close scrutiny, he does do most of his own work, and has racked up an impressive list of injuries to prove it. (The closing credits of his films usually show bloopers and at least one serious injury.) He's unable to get insurance anywhere in the world. He came closest to death while filming Armour of God 1985, when he fell from a tree in a relatively routine stunt and cracked his skull open.

In recent years, Chan has begun using doubles and special effects in his movies.

Chan was in the Seven Little Fortunes Chinese opera troupe as a youth, along with Sammo Hung.

In his biography, Chan says he created his screen persona as a reaction to that of Bruce Lee, and the numerous imitators who appeared before and after Lee's death. Where Lee's characters were typically stern, morally upright heroes, Chan plays well-meaning, slightly foolish regular guys, often at the mercy of their girlfriends or families. However, his characters always triumph in the end.

Chan repeatedly attempted to break into the American movie industry, appearing in films like Battle Creek Brawl, Cannonball Run, Cannonball Run II and The Protector. While he did attain cult popularity in the US, his break into the mainstream was Rumble in the Bronx in 1995. He has attained the box-office guarantee that has so far eluded other Hong Kong movie stars like Chow Yun-Fat and Michelle Yeoh in Hollywood. He also made a successful animated television series called Jackie Chan Adventures.

Chan also has the distinction of being the central subject of UK band Ash's song Kung Fu.

In 1994, MTV honored Chan with a lifetime achievement award for his action-oriented movies, and a year later, he made his "official" debut in North America with a world-wide release of "Rumble in the Bronx."

Family

Chan is the son of Charles Chan (a refugee from the Chinese civil war who worked as cook and housekeeper for the French ambassador to Hong Kong) and Lee-Lee Chan. He married Lin Feng-Chiao (aka Lin Feng Chow, a Taiwanese actress) in 1983 with whom he had a son, Jackson "Jaycee Chan" Cho-Ming (b. 1982). He also had a daugther, Etta Ng Chok Lam (b. 1998) with Elaine Ng Yi-Lei.

Filmography as actor includes

See also


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