In The News

Entertainment mogul Run Run Shaw passes away

Entertainment mogul Run Run Shaw passes away

THE Hong Kong entertainment mogul Sir Run Run Shaw has passed away at the of 107.

Born near Shanghai in 1907, Sir Run Run and his brothers first became involved in the entertainment industry when they opened a number of cinemas in Malaysia and Singapore, where the family had moved to in the 1920s. 

By the beginning of the 1930s he had added film-making to the growing list of family enterprises. But the Japanese invasion of Malaya and Singapore halted business operations. Sir Run Run and a brother later revealed that they had buried gold, jewellery and currency worth $4m in the back yard of the family home ahead of the Japanese troops arriving.

After the Second World War, the buried treasure was used to relaunch the family’s business operations. By 1959, Sir Run Run had moved to Hong Kong which was then the biggest market for Chinese films. He had soon opened Shaw Movietown where Shaw Brothers Studios based their operation. 

The studio began churning out movies — at its height the operation was producing dozens of films each year.

Sir Run Run is credited with inventing the Kung Fu movie with his studio going on to make some of the most popular films in the genre. These films included One-Armed Swordsman (1967) which was regarded by many as the first Kung Fu movie. However, the long list of actors who worked for Shaw Brothers Studios never included Bruce Lee who became a worldwide sensation after starring in martial arts movies.

Sir Run Run expanded the family business into television in the late 1960s after getting the licence to establish what was to become Hong Kong’s biggest local television studio, TVB.

His business activities were not confined to Asia. Sir Run Run also operated in the United States where he produced a number of films, including Blade Runner (1982).

Over the years, Sir Run Run had donated tens of millions of dollars to charities, universities and hospitals in Asia and beyond — including establishing The Run Run Shaw Institute of Chinese Affairs at Oxford University.

He received his Knighthood in 1977 for his philanthropy in Hong Kong.

View previous In the News items: Tributes are paid to film producer Saul Zaentz, Slight rise in number of deaths in Northern Ireland, Local charities hold Christmas appeals, Actress Joan Fontaine passes away, Tributes are paid to screen legend Peter OToole, Tributes are paid to novelist Colin Wilson, Final preparations are made for funeral of Nelson Mandela, Actress Eleanor Parker passes away, Tributes are paid to actor Barry Jackson, Pianist and composer Stan Tracey passes away, National Memorial Service held for Nelson Mandela, Actress Mary Riggans passes away, Tributes are paid to actor Paul Walker, Actress Jean Kent passes away, Tributes are paid to actor Lewis Collins, Leading crossword setter Araucaria passes away, Funeral takes place of Fr Alec Reid, Former Manchester United footballer passes away, Belfast writer is honoured at Westminster Abbey, Tributes are paid to Nobel winning scientist Frederick Sanger, Broadcaster Ray Gosling passes away, Immunologist William Pollack passes away, Oldest person in UK passes away, Tributes are paid to former rugby star Steve Prescott, Hundreds attend the funeral of Eddie McGrady, Hundreds attend funeral of former RAF man, Former broadcaster John Cole passes away, Tributes are paid to pianist Bernard Roberts, Scottish singer Jack Alexander passes away, Jazz musician Frank Wess passes away, Actor Graham Stark passes away, Memorial is unveiled to hero priest, Actress Marcia Wallace passes away, Tributes are paid to Augusto Odone, Tributes are paid to jazzman Tommy Whittle, Singer Noel Harrison passes away, Former US politician Tom Foley passes away, Tributes are paid to actor Kumar Pallana, Character actor Ed Lauter passes away, Chemist Malcolm Renfrew passes away, Campaigner for child proof packaging passes away, Writer Oscar Hijuelos passes away, Former astronaut Scott Carpenter passes away, Veteran actor Paul Rogers passes away, Former Aussie criminal Chopper Read passes away, Tributes are paid to chemist Ruth Benerito, Photojournalist Bill Eppridge passes away, Tributes are paid to author Tom Clancy, Wolves football legend Peter Broadbent passes away, Tributes are paid to Australian author CJ Koch, Actress Jane Connell passes away, Photographer Harry Goodwin passes away, Tributes are paid to singer songwriter Jackie Lomax, Former car company chief Eiji Toyoda passes away or Tributes are paid to singer Joan Regan

If you have a relative or a friend who has passed away and feel they should be mentioned in our In the News section, then please email us.