Runje Shaw

Runje Shaw (1896–1975), also known as Shao Zuiweng (C.W. Shaw) and Shao Renjie, was a Chinese film entrepreneur, producer and director. The eldest of the Shaw brothers, in 1925 he founded Tianyi Film Company (also called Unique Film Productions) in Shanghai, which became one of the top three film production companies in pre-WWII Republic of China, and the beginning of the Shaw Brothers media empire.

Under Runje's leadership, his younger brothers Runde, Runme, and Run Run established branches of Tianyi in Hong Kong and Singapore. Runje retired from filmmaking after Tianyi's Shanghai base was destroyed in 1937 during the Japanese invasion, but his younger brothers, particularly Sir Run Run, rebuilt Tianyi's offshoots in Hong Kong and Singapore, of which Shaw Brothers Studio came to dominate filmmaking in Hong Kong.

Early life Shaw was born in 1896 in Zhenhai, Ningbo city, Zhejiang. His birth name was Shao Tongzhang (邵同章) and Renjie (仁傑) was his courtesy name. After founding Tianyi, he went by the hao Zuiweng (醉翁, literally "Drunken Man"). He was the oldest of six sons of Shao Yuxuan (or Shaw Yuh Hsuen, ; 1866–1921), owner of the Shanghai textile firm Jin Tai Chang (錦泰昌).

Film career

In early 1922, Shaw managed the theatre Xiao Wutai (Happy Stage or Laughter Stage) in Shanghai. Among his colleagues were Zhang Shichuan, Zheng Zhengqiu and Zhou Jianyun, who co-founded Mingxing Film Company. In 1923 Mingxing released the film Orphan Rescues Grandfather to great commercial success. Inspired by his former colleagues, Shaw established Tianyi Film Company (also known as Unique) in 1925. He served as general manager and director, while his younger brothers Runde Shaw (Shao Cunren) and Runme Shaw (Shao Renmei) managed accounting and distribution.

Tianyi's first film, A Change of Heart, directed by Runje Shaw himself and released in 1925, was highly profitable. A shrewd businessman who understood the audiences' preferences, Shaw was one of the first Chinese filmmakers to make extensive use of traditional literature, legends, and myths.

Besides Shanghai, Shaw also established business operations in Hong Kong and Southeast Asia. Its studio in Shanghai was destroyed when the Japanese occupied the city, and Shaw closed Tianyi. In 1934, Chen Yumei was voted the "Movie Queen" by the Shanghai newspaper "Movie Life", likely with the help of Shaw, who reportedly bought many of the votes. Reunion Flying General Incident in the Pacific Deadly Rose Compassion Fisherman's Girl Love and Morality Monster of the Secret Chamber My Friend, the Ghost Patriotic Woman Woman of Guangzhou Burning of The Efang Palace Butterfly Lovers, Part 1 Butterfly Lovers, Part 2 Country Bumpkin Tours the City Country Bumpkin Tours the City, The Sequel Country Bumpkin Tours the City, Part Three Life Nocturnal Morning Unworthy of Love Mourning of the Chaste Tree Flower Platinum Dragon Nightclub Colours Humanities Lady Mengjiang Love Eternal Swordswoman Li Feifei New Leaf Duel Between Monkey King and Gold-Spotted Leopard