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Revision as of 12:11, 27 November 2002 by 68.101.82.133 (talk)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)Jackie Chan (pinyin: Cheng Long, Cantonese: Sing Lung), born 1944 is a Hong Kong martial artist, actor, director and stuntman. He 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 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 Armor of God 1985, when he fell from a tree in a relatively routine stunt and cracked his skull open.
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.