At first working as an acrobat and movie stuntman in Bruce Lee's films, Jackie Chan has proven to have cemented his name in the film business both in his mainland Hong Kong as well as in the US. A combination of martial arts and screwball physical comedy are the trademarks he built to distinguish himself from any other actors. His first film was the Cantonese feature "Big and Little Wong Tin Bar" (1962), and his big break approached through his next feature "Snake in the Eagle's Shadow" (1978). His next film "Drunken Master" (1978) was a hit in Hong Kong and prompted his other successful films, including "The Fearless Hyena" (1979), "Half a Loaf of Kung Fu" (1980), and "The Young Master" (1980).

After taking Hong Kong by storm, Chan had the eagerness to conquer Hollywood, yet didn't make it in his first years there. Following failed attempts, the star decided to go back to his native and reaped success with films "Project A" (1983), "Police Story" (1985), and "Armor of God" (1986) among others. The impressive results of his movie "Crime Story" (1993) and the sequels of "Police Story" and "Drunken Master" brought him to broader attention and wider audience as well. Yet it wasn't until in 1995 that he impressed American audience, thanks to a series of events and the comic book character he created for "Jackie Chan's Spartan X" that hit newsstands in both Asia and the U.S. Later that year, Chan was presented with Lifetime Achievement Award at the MTV Movie Awards, such achievement that further his career in Hollywood showbiz.

Chan experienced big break in the US with box office hit "Rumble in the Bronx" (1996). Its success prompted the release of "Crime Story" and "Drunken Master II" followed by such films as, "Rush Hour", "Shanghai Noon", "Rush Hour 2", and "The Tuxedo". His other films that went success after that were "Shanghai Knights", "New Police Story", and "The Myth".

Off screen, Chan who was born Chan Kong-sang on April 7, 1954, was a noted philanthropist and once proclaimed that he will donate half of his fortune to charity when he dies. He was married to Taiwanese actress Joan Lin Feng-Chiao, with whom he has a son named Jaycee Chan. The pair later divorced though.