Profile
Jackie Chan: The King of Action Comedy
Hong Kong actor, stuntman and director, born on 7 April 1954
Jackie Chan was born Chan Kong-sang in Hong Kong on 7 April 1954. As a child he trained at the China Drama Academy, a strict school for Peking opera, alongside future stars such as Sammo Hung.
He worked as a stuntman and extra, including in Bruce Lee films, before his breakthrough with Snake in the Eagle's Shadow and Drunken Master in 1978. His Police Story films are famous for spectacular action scenes.
Rumble in the Bronx and Rush Hour made him a Hollywood star. He received an honorary Academy Award in 2016 for his contribution to film.
Career highlights
- 1954Born in Hong Kong
- 1961Peking opera school: begins a decade of strict training
- 1971Stuntman and extra: including in Bruce Lee films
- 1978Drunken Master: breakthrough comedy kung fu hit
- 1985Police Story: famous for its shopping mall stunts
- 1995Rumble in the Bronx: breaks through in North America
- 1998Rush Hour: Hollywood box office smash
- 2016Honorary Oscar: for his achievements in film
Did you know?He set up his own stunt team, the Jackie Chan Stunt Team, and they trained and performed together for decades.
