[2009.07.13] SEVEN LITTLE FORTUNES 50TH ANNIVERSARY: JACKIE CHAN LOST FOOTING, FELL OFF STAGE

Anything that can possibly go wrong will go wrong. For Seven Little Fortune who were constantly shown up on stage, they were able to won an audience that never gave up or left them only because the audience liked to enjoy both their serious performance and their occasional loss of control. Earlier mentioned Yuen Biao's wetting, Yuen Lung (Sammo Hung Kam Bo)'s stage fright were considered flaws that caused no major damage. Yet Yuen Lau (Jackie Chan)'s mistake almost became a big one.

Yuen Tak Slept In, Suspended

Seven Little Fortune's most out of control stage incident was when Jackie Chan performed from on the stage to off the stage. Jackie Chan says, "That time I was to turn around on the stage but I took a wrong step and flew off stage. In less than 0.1 second I already flew back on stage in a flash. Even the audience didn't sense I felt off the stage. How amazing was I!"

Although today he described it with ease, Jackie Chan in his autobiography I AM JACKIE CHAN described this shameful performance as "falling off the stage is the biggest mistake that anyone can make". Yet, the hearts of the audience are hard to predict with logic. For example Jackie Chan film's closing credit out takes often had people under their spell. However Yuen Tak was not so lucky.

Yuen Tak says about sleeping in once. "Once the Master finally gave me the lead, but that act had a scene in which I was on stage but didn't have to do anything. At the moment I fell asleep, slept right past my lines. After that, the Master never gave me the lead again." Anyone of course should be happy about the chance to play the lead and should properly cherish it, but in the heart of Master Yu, roles have no size difference. As long as the audience showed its support, they were equally important. Yuen Bun recalls, "Once Master before the performance deliberately notified my Ma to told her that I was performing again. He didn't say to come but since Master said that my Ma thought it definitely was nothing simple. She bought the first three rows for all the family and friends to watch her son. Ma after the first scene couldn't see me at all. Later he realized that actually I was playing a soldier in the back."

Yuen Bun Fell, Ashamed To Face Mother

Yuen Bun played a soldier and his family got a notice to show their support. Master Yu was a loyal supporter of Russian actor Stanislavsky's "no small role" idea. Yuen Bun continues, "In the next scene, Ma focused her attention. I was so clumsy that I tripped on my pants and fell off the stage, after which I immediately hid here and there to keep from Ma's detection. Of course, do you really buying three rows of tickets to watch your son play a soldier and fall off the stage is something to be proud of!" (25)