Run Run Shaw facts for kids

Run Run Shaw
Shaw's star on the Avenue of Stars
Chinese	邵逸夫
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Shào Yìfū Wade–Giles Shao4 I4-fu2 Yale Romanization Shàu Yìfū IPA [ʂâu̯ îfú] Yue: Cantonese Yale Romanization Siuh Yaht-Fū IPA [ɕìːu jɐ̀t fúː] Jyutping Siu6 Jat6 Fu1

Sir Run Run Shaw (19 November 1907 – 7 January 2014) was a very important person in the entertainment world. He was known as Shao Yifu and Siu Yat-fu. He was a famous businessman and a kind person who gave a lot of money to help others.

Sir Run Run Shaw helped create the Shaw Brothers Studio. This was one of the biggest film companies in Hong Kong. He also started TVB, which became the most popular TV company in Hong Kong. He gave billions of dollars to schools and hospitals. Many buildings on college campuses in China are named after him. He also created the Shaw Prize to honor great scientists.

Early Life and Education

Sir Run Run Shaw was born in Ningbo, China, in 1907. He was the youngest of six sons. His father, Shaw Yuh Hsuen, was a textile merchant. His birth name was Shao Renleng. He later changed it to Shao Yifu because it was easier to say.

His family moved to Shanghai when he was a child. He went to the Shanghai YMCA School. There, he learned to speak English. He celebrated his birthdays based on the Chinese calendar. His 100th birthday was in November 2007.

Amazing Career in Entertainment

Sir Run Run Shaw had a long and successful career. He started working in films in 1925. He helped build a huge entertainment empire.

Starting in Film

Run Run Shaw in 1927

In 1925, his older brothers started the Tianyi Film Company in Shanghai. Run Run Shaw began by doing small jobs for the company. In 1927, when he was 19, he moved to Singapore. He helped his brother Runme Shaw sell films to Chinese people living in Southeast Asia.

They created a company that later became the Shaw Organisation. They made and showed films across Southeast Asia. Tianyi made China's first sound film in 1931. It was very successful. They opened a branch in Hong Kong in 1934.

Before the Japanese invaded Shanghai in 1937, Tianyi moved its work to Hong Kong. Their studio in Shanghai was destroyed. In Hong Kong, the company became Nanyang Studio. This studio later became Shaw Brothers Studio. Run Run Shaw even wrote and directed a comedy film in 1937.

In Singapore, Run Run Shaw managed the business. His brother Runme opened cinemas in Malaya. By 1939, they owned 139 cinemas. They also built amusement parks. They started making Malay films in Singapore in 1937. Their company, Malay Film Productions, made over 160 Malay films. The period from the late 1940s to early 1960s was called the Golden Age of Malay Cinema.

During World War II, the Japanese took their film equipment. Run Run Shaw said he and his brother hid money and jewels. They used this money to rebuild their business after the war.

Shaw Brothers Studios

Shaw in 1955

In 1957, Run Run Shaw moved to Hong Kong. He made the Tianyi operations into Shaw Brothers Studio. He built a huge film city called Shaw Movietown. It opened in 1961. It was the world's largest private film studio. About 1,200 workers made films there every day.

By the 1960s, Shaw Brothers was Asia's biggest movie producer. They made famous films like The Magnificent Concubine (1962). This film won a big award at the Cannes Film Festival. Another hit was The Love Eterne (1963). They also made important martial arts films. These included Come Drink with Me (1966) and The One-Armed Swordsman (1967). This last film broke box office records.

His companies made over 1,000 movies. In 1974, they made 50 films in one year. Shaw was called the "Czar of Asian Movies." Shaw Studios helped make kung fu films popular. These films influenced directors like Quentin Tarantino.

In the 1970s, the studio faced competition. A new company, Golden Harvest, became popular. Shaw then focused more on television. He also worked on some US films, like Blade Runner (1982). In 2000, he sold his library of 760 classic films. Shaw Studios also invested in a new, large film production facility in Hong Kong.

Television Broadcasts Limited

In 1967, Sir Run Run Shaw helped start TVB. This was Hong Kong's first free TV station. He built it into a huge TV company. TVB channels are now shown in 30 markets around the world. It is the biggest producer of Chinese-language TV shows.

Shaw became the chairman of TVB in 1980. Under his leadership, TVB helped launch the careers of many famous stars. These included actors like Chow Yun-fat and Maggie Cheung. Singers like Leslie Cheung also started there. In 2006, TVB had most of Hong Kong's TV viewers.

On December 31, 2011, Shaw retired as TVB chairman. He was 104 years old. He had worked at the company for over 40 years. He sold his main share of the company. He was then named chairman emeritus.

Helping the Community

Sir Run Run Shaw was very active in the community. He was the first chairman of the Hong Kong Arts Festival. He also led the board of the Hong Kong Arts Centre. He helped guide United College at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. He was also involved with the Hong Kong Girl Guides Association. He was the first Asian president of the Hong Kong Red Cross. He also helped raise money for the Community Chest of Hong Kong.

Giving Back: Philanthropy

Run Run Shaw Science Building, Chinese University of Hong Kong

Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital in Hangzhou, China

Sir Run Run Shaw gave a lot of money to help others. He donated HK$6.5 billion (about US$830 million) to charities, schools, and hospitals. This was done through his Sir Run Run Shaw Charitable Trust and the Shaw Foundation.

He gave HK$4.75 billion to schools in mainland China. This money helped build over 6,000 projects. These included primary schools and university libraries. More than 5,000 buildings on Chinese college campuses are named "Yifu," which is his Chinese name. Shaw College at the Chinese University of Hong Kong is also named after him. His donations made it possible to build this college.

He also gave £10 million to Oxford University in 1990. This helped start the Run Run Shaw Institute of Chinese Affairs. After the 2008 Sichuan earthquake, he gave US$13 million for disaster relief.

The Shaw Prize

In 2002, Sir Run Run Shaw created a special international award. It is called the Shaw Prize. This prize honors scientists in three areas: astronomy, mathematics, and life and medical science. The award is US$1 million. The first prizes were given out in 2004.

Personal Life and Family

Sir Run Run Shaw was the sixth of seven children. People often called him "Uncle Six." His three older brothers, Runje Shaw, Runde Shaw, and Runme Shaw, were also important in the Shaw Studio.

His first wife was Lily Wong Mee-chun. She passed away in 1987. In 1997, he married Mona Fong in Las Vegas. Mona Fong was a singer who later became a leader at TVB. Sir Run Run Shaw had four children with his first wife. All of his children studied at Oxford University.

He loved Rolls-Royce cars. He also practiced qigong, a traditional Chinese exercise. He reportedly enjoyed watching the TV show Mr. Bean.

Later Years and Passing

Sir Run Run Shaw passed away at his home on January 7, 2014. He was 106 years old. His family did not share the cause of his death. He was survived by his four children, nine grandchildren, and many great-grandchildren.

His funeral was held on January 10, 2014. Many important leaders attended. His remains were later cremated. Leaders from China sent messages of respect.

Awards and Recognition

Sir Run Run Shaw received many honors for his work.

• In 1964, Chinese astronomers named a small asteroid after him. It is called "2899 Runrun Shaw".
• In 1974, he was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE).
• In 1977, he received a knighthood from Queen Elizabeth II.
• In 1998, he received the Grand Bauhinia Medal (GBM) from the Hong Kong government. This is a very high honor.
• In 1981, he received an honorary degree from the Chinese University of Hong Kong.
• In 1984, he received an honorary degree from the University of Hong Kong.
• In 2007, he received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Hong Kong Film Awards. This was around his 100th birthday.
• In 2013, he received a special award from BAFTA. This was for his amazing contributions to cinema.

See also

• Shaw Professor of Chinese
• Asteroid 2899 Runrun Shaw
• Brothers Runje Shaw, Runme Shaw and Runde Shaw
• Cinema of Hong Kong
• List of centenarians (businesspeople)