Jackie Chan Biography

Chan was born on April 7, 1954, in Victoria Peak, in the former Crown colony of Hong Kong, as Chan Kong-sang (meaning “born in Hong Kong”) to Charles & Lee-Lee Chan, refugees from the Chinese Civil War. He is a Hong Kong actor, action choreographer, filmmaker, comedian, director, producer, martial artist, screenwriter, entrepreneur, singer and stunt performer. He was nicknamed Paopao (Chinese : literally meaning “Cannonball”) because the high-energy child was always rolling around. Since his parents worked for the French Consul to Hong Kong, Chan spent his formative yrs within the grounds of the consul’s residence in the Victoria Peak district. Chan attended to the Nah-Hwa Primary School on Hong Kong Island, where he failed his 1st year, after which his parents withdrew him from the school.

Jackie Chan Bio

In 1960, his father immigrated to Canberra, Australia, to work as the head cook for the American embassy, and Chan was sent to the China Drama Academy, a Peking Opera School run by Master Yu Jim-yuen. Chan trained rigorously for the next decade, excelling in martial arts and acrobatics. He eventually became part of the Seven Little Fortunes, a performance group made up of the school’s best students, gaining the stage name Yuen Lo in homage to his master. Chan became close friends with fellow group members Sammo Hung and Yuen Biao, the three of them later to be known as the three Brothers or three Dragons.