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Lai Man-Wai

1893 – 1953

Chinese actor and director

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About Lai Man-Wai

Lived 1893 – 1953 (aged 59–60). Lai Man-Wai was a Chinese actor, film director, film producer, film actor and director.

Lai Man-wai (; September 25, 1893 – October 26, 1953), also romanised as Lay Min-wei or M.W. Ray, considered the "Father of Hong Kong Cinema", was the director of the first Hong Kong film Zhuangzi Tests His Wife in 1913. In the film, Lai played the role of the wife, partly due to the reluctance of women to participate in show business at the time.

Born in Yokohama, Japan, of Xinhui, Guangdong origin and raised in Hong Kong, he joined Sun Yat-sen's Kuomintang party in 1911 and helped make anti-warlord movies.

Biography

Lai was born in 1893 in Yokohama, Japan to Chinese parents. He grew up in Hong Kong. A Page of History (1941). Documentary. Lai Man-wai followed Sun Yat-sen during the 1920s.

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Important facts

Born
1893, Japan
Birth century
Nationality
Education
St. Paul's College
Also known as
Minwei Li, Li Minwei

Family & relationships

Spouse
Lim Cho-cho
Spouse
Yan Xianxian
Child
Lai Hang

People in Lai Man-Wai's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Lai Man-Wai's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Lai Man-Wai?

Chinese actor and director (1893–1953)

When was Lai Man-Wai born?

Lai Man-Wai was born in 1893 in Japan.

When did Lai Man-Wai die?

Lai Man-Wai died on 26 October 1953 in Hong Kong.

What was Lai Man-Wai's occupation?

Lai Man-Wai was an actor, film director, film producer, film actor and director.

What nationality was Lai Man-Wai?

Lai Man-Wai was Chinese.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Lai Man-Wai

· Wikidata: Q360583

· DBpedia: Lai Man-Wai

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Lai Man-Wai. https://biography.guide/lai-man-wai/

MLA: "Lai Man-Wai." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/lai-man-wai/.

Chicago: "Lai Man-Wai." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/lai-man-wai/.

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