Runde Shaw

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Runde Shaw

Runde Shaw (1898-1973; alternative spellings, Shao Cunren, Rendi Shao) was the second-oldest of the four brothers, originally from Ningbo, Zhejiang, China, who established Unique Film Productions in Shanghai in the early 1920's, setting the stage for what would become the most prolific film production company in Asia. His father was Shanghai textile merchant Shaw Yuh Hsuen (1867-1920).

The Hong Kong Film Archive, run by the Hong Kong Government's Leisure and Cultural Services Department, has a comprehensive and thoroughly researched history of the Shaw brothers at this link [1].

Eldest brother Runje Shaw (1896-1975) never left China, but sent two of his younger siblings, Runme (1901-1985) and Run Run (1907- ) to Malaysia and Singapore in 1924 to establish a South East Asian film distribution and cinema exhibition network for Unique's films. Under the direction of Runme, this Singapore-based operation would eventually grow to become known as the modern-day Shaw Organisation.

In 1937, Runde traveled to Hong Kong to establish operations there. Unique would be renamed Nanyang, later to become Shaw and Sons, with Runde replacing Runje as the Shaw Studios boss in Hong Kong. After many successful years of film production, Runde's younger brother Run Run took over as head of the studio, and Runde began to focus his company, Shaw and Sons, more on property investment, cinema exhibition and film distribution. Run Run would go on to establish Shaw Brothers (HK) Ltd and take control over Television Broadcasts Ltd (TVB), Hong Kong's dominant terrestrial television broadcaster, building an unrivaled position in the Chinese media industry.

Runde was married to Pao Lien Fung. He died in 1973 and his company Shaw and Sons is now mainly engaged in property and investment management. Runde had one daughter and seven sons.