Jackie Chan Stunt Team - History

History

The group originated from the relationships Chan formed in his early starring roles in Hong Kong action movies. Several of his co-stars and stuntmen hired by the film studios began working together regularly. This engendered a familiarity of one other's skills and abilities and it made sense for them to become a working team. Some of the members had received training at the Peking Opera schools, similar to Chan.

By 1983, and the release of the film Project A, the stunt team had become an official organisation of 6 members. The organisation meant that the stuntmen not only received insurance coverage, but also a monthly salary and higher pay. By the time of Police Story 2 in 1988, the team had expanded to around 20 members. This incarnation of the team was disbanded in 1990 and thereafter, individual members were contracted and used on a film by film basis rather than all members remaining on the payroll. This allowed for some new faces, and the return of former members.

The formation of Chan's team influenced others in the business to follow suit, particularly his former co-stars and "brothers" Sammo Hung and Yuen Biao (their stunt teams known as "Hung Ga Ban" and "Yuen Ga Ban" respectively). Other actors to form their own stunt teams include Lau Kar-leung, Philip Ko, Stanley Tong and Bruce Law. Chan's stunt team has worked in collaboration with Sammo Hung's team on films including Thunderbolt and Around the World in 80 Days. A small number of films that Chan produced but did not appear in, or was not involved in at all, have utilised his stunt team. These include The Gold Hunters (1981), Rouge (1988), The Inspector Wears Skirts 2 (1989), Stage Door Johnny (1990) and Angry Ranger (1991).