Jackie Chan, born Chan Kong-sang April 7th 1954, is best known as Hong Kong’s lovable action film superstar, as well as an accomplished choreographer, filmmaker, comedian, director, producer, martial artist, screenwriter, entrepreneur, singer and stunt performer. Jackie is revered for his acrobatic fighting style, comic timing, use of improvised weapons, and innovative stunts. He has been acting since the early 1960s and has appeared in over 100 martial arts films, enduring many years of long, hard work and multiple injuries to establish international success in Hong Kong’s manic martial arts film industry.

The young Jackie Chan was a less than satisfactory student, so his father sent him to the rigorous China Drama Academy, one of the Peking Opera Schools. Chan excelled at acrobatics, singing and martial arts and eventually became a member of the “Seven Little Fortunes” performing troupe and began life long friendships with fellow actors and martial artists Sammo Hung and Biao Yuen.

In the early 1970s Jackie commenced his movie career and interestingly he appeared in very minor roles in two films starring then rising martial arts superstar Bruce Lee, “Fist of Fury” (1972) and the Warner Bros. production “Enter the Dragon” (1973).

Soon after, Jackie began appearing in many low budget martial arts films that were churned out at a rapid fire rate by Hong Kong studios eager to satisfy the early 1970′s boom in Kung Fu Movies. He scored a major breakthrough with the hit “Drunken Master” (1978) which has become a cult favorite amongst martial arts film fans. This positioned Jackie to make his directorial debut with “The Young Master” (1980), to moderate success.

In a further attempt to get his name known in the USA, Jackie was cast alongside Burt Reynolds, Dom DeLuise, Roger Moore and Dean Martin (with a special cameo by Frank Sinatra) in the Hal Needham directed car chase flick The Cannonball Run (1981). Regrettably, Jackie was cast as a Japanese race car driver and his Kung Fu skills are only shown in one small sequence near the films end.

Undeterred, Jackie returned to Hong Kong to do what he did best….make jaw dropping action films. Chan and his legendary stunt team were unparalleled in their ability to execute the most incredible fight scenes and action sequences and the next decade would see some of their best work.

Today Jackie Chan is an international superstar recognized in virtually every corner of the globe and shows no sign of slowing down. He is truly one of the international film industries greatest assets.

Jackie Chan Movies