Hong Kong's Jackie Chan Wins World Stunt Award

Jackie Chan in film Rush Hour

Hong Kong kung fu movie star Jackie Chan (1954-) has won an international stunt acting award, succeeding Arnold Schwarzenegger who held the title last year.

Chan, 48, won the 2002 Taurus Award for Best Action Movie Star, according to the World Stunt Awards Web site.

Schwarzenegger, in Los Angeles, presented the honorary award on Sunday via live satellite to Chan, who was in Prague filming his new action movie "Shanghai Knights," Chan's spokesman said on Tuesday.

The award was voted on by members of the World Stunt Academy, which was formed last year to represent professional stunt actors and has nearly 1,000 members, the Web site said.

Now a star in his own right, combining martial arts fighting with comedy, Chan takes great pride in his background and is never known to have used a stunt double.

He choreographs all his stunts and has suffered many injuries in his career.

Chan became a stunt man at the age of 17. When Chan was six years old, his parents sent him away to be an apprentice at the Peking Opera. There went through hours of training in dance, singing, acting and martial arts. When a visiting filmmaker offered Chan a small stunt role, he accepted and knew he'd found a career. He landed several movie roles and eventually filled the gap left by the death of martial arts legend Bruce Lee. Chan made over 50 films before being introduced to American audiences in 1981 in "Cannonball Run." His claim to fame in Hollywood is starring alongside Chris Tucker in the "Rush Hour" movies.