Chinese master of martial arts who began to build his reputation with the films “Drunken Master,” 1978 and “The Fearless Hyena,” 1979, made in Hong Kong.
Raised in Hong Kong’s French Embassy where his dad was a cook and his mom a domestic he was enrolled at seven in the strict Peking Opera School, He was given rigorous training in martial arts, acrobatics, acting and mime for long days, being caned for disobedience.
In 1971 he began working as a film stunt-man in such movies as the Bruce Lee action films. Known as fearless, he began playing lead roles but the films did not become box-office winners. In 1978, he began to take on the screen persona that worked for him; a slap-dash heroics mixed with self-depreciating humor.
His first American-made film, “The Big Brawl,” 1980 was a dud, and his English skills were negligible. He returned to Asia where he was an established star.
Chan married Taiwan actress Lin Feng-jiao in 1983 and they had a son, a matter which they kept secret from his fans for many years. He had a daughter in 2000 from an affair with another Taiwanese actress, Elain Ng, after which he and his wife separated.
By the end of the decade, he formed his own production company, giving him greater control over his movies. His popularity began to include Hollywood vehicles with the hit, “Rumble in the Bronx,” 1996 and “Rush Hour,” 1998.
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