JACKIE CHAN BIOGRAPHY & FILMOGRAPHY:

Jackie Chan was born on April 7th, 1954 in Victoria Peak, Hong Kong with the birth name Kong-sang Chan to Charles and Lee-lee Chan.  From a young age he practiced kung fu with his father.  At the age of seven, his father left to take a job in Australia and he was left behind in Hong Kong to study at the China Drama Academy where he remained for ten years and studied singing, acting, martial arts and acrobatics.  This school was meant to prepare the children for work in the Chinese Opera, therefore academics were not focused on.  While in school, he became a member of, "The Seven Little Fortunes" performing troupe along with other martial artists, Sammo Hung Kam-Bo and Biao Yuen who later also pursued careers in the film industry. 
 
He was cast in his first film while still in school in the Cantonese movie, "Seven Little Valiant Fighters: Big and Little Wong Tin Bear".  When he was seventeen and finished school, the Chinese Opera was no longer popular and he was left to find work to support himself.  Due to his lack of education he found work as a stuntman in films in Hong Kong and later moved to be with his family in Australia.
 
Stuntman work was harder to come by in Australia and therefore, to support himself, he found work in a restaurant as well as construction jobs.  He was unhappy living in Australia and wanted to return back to film work when he was offered a role in a film in Hong Kong called, "New Fist of Fury" (1976).
 
He began adding credits to his resume for roles in such films as, "Shao Lin mu ren xiang" (1976) (Shaolin Wooden Men), "Jian hua van yu Jiang Nan" (1977) (To Kill With Intrigue), "Dian shi gong gan chian chan" (1980) (Half A Loaf of Kung Fu) and "Fei du juan yun shan" (1978) (Magnificent Bodyguards).
 
From this point on he was becoming a huge success in Asia and really wanted to break into the American market, however that did not come as easy.  He had a role in the American film, "The Cannonball Run" (1981), but it did no justice for his American film career.
 
Along with working in films in Asia, he also was given a chance to direct his first film, "The Young Master" (1980) which combined comedy and martial arts.  Other roles he added to his credits were in such films as, "Winners & Sinners" (1983), "Project A" (1983), "Wheels on Meals" (1984) and "The Protector" (1985) which was filmed in Hong Kong and New York.
 
It took almost ten years before he was cast in the American film, "Rumble in the Bronx" (1995) that American film makers began to really take notice of his talents.  Soon, Jackie Chan was appearing in Hollywood in such films as, "Jackie Chan's First Strike" (1996), "Mr. Nice Guy" (1997), "Jackie Chan's Who Am I?" (1998), "Rush Hour" (1998) and "Shanghai Noon" (2000).  
 
Other film roles followed but not nearly as successful as his earlier American films.  He appeared on the big screen in, "Tuxedo" (2002), "The Medallion" (2003) and "Around the World in 80 Days" (2004).
 
Chan has done numerous voice over projects for such animated films as Disney's, "Mulan" (1998).  He is also a huge recording star in Asia and has released over 20 albums such as, "Official Album for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games-Jackie Chan's Version".  Many of the songs played during his film credits are his vocals.
 
He also started his won film production and distribution company, JCE Movies Limited and is a co owner in other production companies as well.  In addition he started his own clothing line with a Chinese dragon logo.    
 
Along with his career as an actor he devotes a lot of time to charitable causes such as being an Ambassador for UNICEF/UNAIDS.  He feels strongly about voicing his opinions against animal abuse and pollution.  Chan also runs the Jackie Chan Charitable Foundation which was found in 1988 to offer scholarships to Honk Kong's youth to further their education.  The organization now also funds medical services as well as disaster relief.  He is also a strong supporter of the Dragon Heart foundation which is an organization that was started in 2005 and assists needy children in remote areas throughout China.  
 
Chan has also won a variety of Awards for his contribution to the Motion Picture Industry.  He was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and has also won an Innovator Award for the American Choreography Awards and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Taurus World Stunt Awards among a number of Best Actor Awards, nominations and Favorite Male Action Hero in the Kids Choice Awards.     
 
He has married once in 1982 to Taiwanese actress, Lin Feng-Jiao and they have one son together, Jaycee Chan who has also pursued a career in entertainment.  Some of his more recent roles have been in the films, "The Karate Kid" (2010), "Shaolin" (2011), "1911" (2011) and currently in production, "Chinese Zodiac" to release in 2012.   

 
Filmography

2012   Chinese Zodiac 

2011   1911 

2011   Kung Fu Panda 2 

2011   Shaolin 

2010   Kung Fu Panda Holiday Special

2010   The Karate Kid 

2010   Little Big Soldier 

2010   The Spy Next Door

2010   The Legend of Silk Boy

2009   The Founding of a Republic 

2009   Shinjuku Incident

2008   Kung Fu Panda 

2008   The Forbidden Kingdom 

2007   Rush Hour 3 

2006   Robin-B-Hood 

2005   The Myth 

2004   New Police Story

2004   The Twins Effect II

2004   Around the World in 80 Days 

2004   Da lao ai mei li 

2003   The Medallion

2003   Chin gei bin

2003   Shanghai Knights

2002   The Tuxedo

2001   Rush Hour 2 

2001   The Accidental Spy 

2000   Shanghai Noon 

1999   Dak ging san yan lui 

1999   King of Comedy 

1999   Gorgeous

1998   Rush Hour

1998   Jackie Chan's Who Am I?

1997   Mr. Nice Guy 

1996   Jackie Chan's First Strike

1995   Thunderbolt

1995   Rumble in the Bronx

1994   The Legend of Drunken Master

1993   Supercop 2

1993   Crime Story 

1993   City Hunter

1992   Supercop

1992   Shuang long hui

1992   Xi Zang xiao zi

1991   Operation Condor 

1990   Island of Fire

1989   Ji ji

1988   Police Story 2

1988   Dragons Forever

1987   Project A 2

1986   Armour of God 

1986   Nui ji za pai jun

1985   Police Story 

1985   Long de xin

1985   Xia ri fu xing 

1985   The Protector 

1985   Fuk sing go jiu 

1984   Wheels on Meals

1984   Cannonball Run II 

1984   Shen yong shuang xiang pao

1983   Project A 

1983   Winners & Sinners 

1983   Long teng hu yue 

1982   Dragon Strike

1982   Mi ni te gong dui 

1981   The Cannonball Run 

1980   The Big Brawl 

1980   Dian zhi gong fu gan chian chan 

1980   The Young Master

1979   Long quan

1979   The Fearless Hyena 

1978   Spiritual Kung Fu 

1978   Drunken Master 

1978   Fei du juan yun shan

1978   She hao ba bu

1978   Snake in the Eagle's Shadow

1977   Jian hua yan yu Jiang Nan 

1977   The 36 Crazy Fists 

1976   Shao Lin mu ren xiang 

1976   Feng yu shuang liu xing

1976   Shao Lin men

1976   Xin jing wu men

1976   The Himalayan

1975   Pai an jing ji

1975   Hua fei man cheng chun

1974   The Golden Lotus

1974   E hu cun 

1973   Crash! Che botte strippo strappo stroppio 

1973   Fists of the Double K

1973   Xiao lao hu

1973   Enter the Dragon 

1973   Village on Fire 

1973   Nu jing cha

1973   Tie wa 

1973   Bei di yan zhi

1973   Chinese Hercules

1973   Bruce Lee and I

1973   Fist of Anger 

1973   Ambush 

1973   Cub Tiger from Kwang Tung

1972   Brutal Boxer 

1972   Hapkido 

1972   The Chinese Connection 

1971   A Touch of Zen 

1971   The Angry River 

1971   The Blade Spares None 

1971   Master with Cracked Fingers 

1970   Lady of Steel 

1966   Come Drink with Me 

1964   Qin Xiang Lian 

1963   The Love Eterne 

1962   Big and Little Wong Tin Bar