Jackie Chan's nickname came from an Australian construction worker
Chan Kong-sang trained a decade at Hong Kong’s China Drama Academy before a Canberra building site in 1971. A coworker named Jack called him Little Jack—soon Jacky, then Jackie. The slapstick daredevil who does his own stunts still carries that worksite name worldwide.
Born April 7, 1954 in British Hong Kong to Civil War refugees Charles and Lee-lee Chan, he spent early years at the French consul’s Peak residence where his father cooked. After failing primary school he entered Master Yu Jim-yuen’s Peking Opera school in 1960, joining the Seven Little Fortunes as Yuen Lo alongside future “Three Dragons” partners Sammo Hung and Yuen Biao. Child film extras began by age five; Bruce Lee features Fist of Fury and Enter the Dragon used him as stunt double and henchman.
Lo Wei tried molding him into another Bruce Lee under the stage name Sing Lung—“becoming the dragon”—but New Fist of Fury flopped. Loan-out freedom on Snake in the Eagle’s Shadow (1978) and Drunken Master (1978) invented comedic kung fu and made him a star. Directorial debut The Fearless Hyena (1979) hit; a contract break for Golden Harvest needed Jimmy Wang Yu’s mediation. Project A (1983) launched the Jackie Chan Stunt Team’s signature mix of danger, martial arts, and slapstick.
Police Story (1985) took the top prize at Hong Kong's 1986 film awards; Armour of God topped domestic box office with over HK$35 million. Rumble in the Bronx (1995) and Rush Hour (1998) opened North America. Films featuring him have grossed over six billion dollars. For the 2012 film CZ12, Guinness World Records credited him with unmatched on-set stunt volume and an unusually high number of billed roles in a single production. An honorary Academy Award arrived in 2016; Forbes ranked him the world’s second-highest-paid actor that year.
Source: Jackie Chan
