TWIN DRAGONS

JACKIE CHAN -- a.k.a. Chan Yuen-Lung and Sing Lung -- was born Chan Kong Sang in Hong Kong on April 7, 1954. His parents were working class and from seven to seventeen, he lived at the Peking Opera School where he learned the various skills required for Chinese Opera such as acrobatics, gymnastics, martial arts, weaponry, dance, singing, and dramatics. Formal education was not a part of this schooling.

Chan and his schoolmates from Sammo Hung Kam-Bo, Yuen Biao, Yuen Wah and Cory Yuen Kwei -- all now major figures in Hong Kong film, with whom Jackie has often worked -- became part of the Seven Little Fortunes, a performing Troupe. But Chinese opera was declining in popularity by the time Chan graduated; he and most of his "brothers" gravitated into film. In the early seventies, Chan worked as a bit player and an action director.

Chan's first starring role was in 1974 with "A Stranger in Hong Kong." However, it wasn't until four years later in 1978 with "A Snake in the Eagle's Shadow" and "Drunken Master" that Chan came into his own. In these films Chan forged a comedy style that incorporated Chinese fighting techniques, much as Buster Keaton (one of Chan's idols) had incorporated acrobatic action into his comedies of the 1920's. Having slowly begun to take more and more control of the set of his films, Chan began writing and directing his own films the next year, with "Fearless Hyena."

After switching to Golden Harvest Films who offered him a much larger degree of control and with whom he has worked nonstop ever since, Chan wrote, directed and starred in "The Young Master" (1980) and "Dragon Lord" (1982). The studio tried to introduce him to American Audiences in the English-language vehicle "The Big Brawl" (1980), "Cannonball Run" (1981), "Cannonball Run II" (1984) and "The Protector" (1985), but the projects didn't advance his career.

His Hong Kong films, over which he exerted increasing control, continued to dominate the local box office and to succeed all around the world. During the next decade, Chan produced, starred and sometimes directed over a dozen films. This was the beginning of an unbroken string of aesthetic and commercial successes. His biggest hits were "Project A" (1983), "Police Story" (1985), "Project A Part II" (1987), "Amour of God" (1987), "Police Story Part 2" (1988), and "Amour of God 2: Operation Condor" (1991), all of which he also directed; and "Winners and Sinners" (1983), "Wheels on Meals" (1984), "My Lucky Stars" (1985), "Heart of the Dragon" (1985), "Dragons Forever" (1988), "Police Story 3: Supercop" (1992), "City Hunter" (1992), "Drunken Master II" (1994), "Rumble in The Bronx" (1995), "Thunderbolt" (1995), and "First Strike" (1996).

In early 1996, the American release of "Rumble in the Bronx" opened at number one on the box office charts, kicking off America's love affair with Chan. He has since had other successes in the States with "Supercop", "First Strike", "Mr. Nice Guy" and "Operation Condor." "Twin Dragons" follows hot on the heels of Jackie's very successful "Rush Hour," which was released in September of 1998.

He will begin shooting "Shanghai Noon," in April. Chan, who came up with the idea, will play a Chinese man who travels to the Wild

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