Jean-Claude Van Damme Biography

Belgian-born film star Jean-Claude Van Damme can be called an actor, although it would be more accurate to describe him as a bodybuilder and kickboxer. It evidently wasn't in the genes; Van Damme's father was an accountant and flower salesman. Taking up the study of Shotokan karate at the age of ten, Van Damme went on to win the middleweight championship of the European Professional Karate Association, where he thrilled one and all with his 360-degree leap-kick. Cashing in on his fame, the 18-year-old Van Damme launched the California Gym in Brussels. When he moved to L.A., he had 7,000 dollars to his name and spoke only French and Flemish. At first, he took many odd jobs, the least prepossessing of which was as a carpet layer. Van Damme's first film was a bit part in Chuck Norris' Missing in Action (1984). Groomed for stardom by Cannon Films' Menahem Golan, Van Damme became a big box-office commodity via such epics as No Retreat, No Surrender (1986); Bloodsport (1988); Cyborg (1989); Kickboxer (1989), which he co-wrote; Lionheart (1990); and Universal Soldier (1992). Fully cognizant of his own histrionic limitations, Van Damme didn't branch out into comedy or "sensitive" roles as has Arnold Schwarzenegger; when starring in the popular futuristic-action film Timecop (1994), Van Damme wisely left the acting to villain Ron Silver. He made his directorial debut with The Quest in 1996, and was so popular he made a cameo appearance in an episode of Friends that aired after the Super Bowl. He paired up with Dennis Rodman for 1997's Double Team and closed out the decade with Universal Soldier: The Return. Like many of his action star contemporaries, he lost some of his luster going into the 21st century appearing in a string of titles such as Replicant, In Hell, and The Hard Corps. However, in 2008 he earned some of the best reviews of his career with the meta action film JCVD. He followed up that success with Universal Soldier: Regeneration, Assassination Games, and joining up with other familiar faces for The Expendables 2. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

• 1. Sen. Aaron McComb: Agent Walker, do you realize how inappropriate that is? Do I look frozen to you?
  2. Walker: You look like shit to me.
  From Timecop. Submitted by russell b (48 days ago)

• 1. Bison: You've made me a happy man.
  2. Col. Guile: Next, I'll make you a dead one.
  From Street Fighter. Submitted by Matthew D (7 months ago)

• 1. Col. Guile: Bison, you're off the air!
  From Street Fighter. Submitted by Matthew D (7 months ago)

• 1. Chun-Li: How about an interview for my network.
  2. Col. Guile: Yeah, sure. But only if you wear that dress.
  From Street Fighter. Submitted by Matthew D (7 months ago)

• 1. Jean Vilain: What's it going to be? Man or sheep?
  2. Barney Ross: You wanna man up? I'll man you up.
  From The Expendables 2. Submitted by Michael P (8 months ago)

• 1. Jean Vilain: Will you fight like a man? Or will you fight like a sheep?
  From The Expendables 2. Submitted by Baurushan J (9 months ago)

• 1. Jean Vilain: Don't challenge me.
  From The Expendables 2. Submitted by Francisco F (9 months ago)

• 1. Frank Dux: NOOOOOOOOO!
  From Bloodsport. Submitted by Corey V (9 months ago)

• 1. Walker: Don't argue amongst yourself.
  From Timecop. Submitted by Josh B (9 months ago)

• 1. Karl Sloane: [looking up at Freddy Lee] I want Tong Po! Give me Tong Po!
  From Kickboxer. Submitted by Francis L (10 months ago)

• 1. Victor: I'm Lin. You Jackson? You look like a Jackson. That must make you Frank Ducks.
  2. Frank Dux: No, it's DUX.
  3. Victor: Oh, right, like put up your dukes.
  From Bloodsport. Submitted by Francis L (10 months ago)

• 1. McComb Man: You see, I'm an ambitious Harvard-educated visionary who deserves to be the most powerful man in the world and you... you're a fucking idiot who never figured out that the only way to make anything of himself with all that fancy kicking was on Broadway.
  2. Walker: Thanks for clearing that up.
  From Timecop. Submitted by Chris M (11 months ago)

• 1. Chad/Alex: Big surprise. HUGE surprise.
  From Double Impact. Submitted by Chris M (11 months ago)

• 1. Chad/Alex: Look like me? You, of all people, should know I would never in my life wear black-silk underwear!
  From Double Impact. Submitted by Chris M (11 months ago)

• 1. Ray Jackson: Aren't you a little young for full-contact?
  2. Frank Dux: Aren't you a little old for videogames?
  From Bloodsport. Submitted by Nick S (11 months ago)

• 1. Walker: I'm still kicking. I must be on Broadway!
  From Timecop. Submitted by Nick S (12 months ago)

• 1. Col. Guile: Well I'm gonna get on my boat and I'm gonna kick that son-of-a-bitch Bison's ass so hard that the next Bison wannabe is gonna feel it. Now who wants to go home and WHO WANTS TO GO WITH ME?!
  From Street Fighter. Submitted by Baurushan J (13 months ago)

• 1. Col. Guile: You lost your balls.
  From Street Fighter. Submitted by Baurushan J (13 months ago)

• 1. Col. Guile: Anytime dickhead!
  From Street Fighter. Submitted by Baurushan J (13 months ago)

• 1. Master Croc: Vengeance is served!
  From Kung Fu Panda 2. Submitted by Jed O (20 months ago)

• 1. Col. Guile: No weapon, Bison? What happened to the purity of unarmed combat?
  2. Bison: This is merely superconductor electromagnetism. Surely you've heard of it. It levitates bullet trains from Tokyo to Osaka. It levitates my desk, where I ride the saddle of the world. And it levitates... me!
  From Street Fighter. Submitted by John P (21 months ago)