Raymond Chow

Infobox Chinese-language singer and actor
name = Raymond Chow


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chinesename =
tradchinesename = 鄒文懐
simpchinesename = 邹文怀
pinyinchinesename = zou1 wen2 huai2
jyutpingchinesename = zau1 man4 wai1
birthname =
ancestry = Dabu, Guangdong
origin = Hong Kong
birthdate = birth date and age|1929|1|1
birthplace = Hong Kong
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occupation = Film company founder
Film producer
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hongkongfilmwards = Lifetime Achievement Award
2008
goldenbauhiniaawards =
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Raymond Chow Man-Wai is a Hong Kong film producer, and presenter. He is one of the most important and influential film producers in the history of filmmaking for successfully launching martial arts and the Hong Kong cinema onto the international stage. As the founder of Golden Harvest, he would produce some of the biggest stars to ever grace the screen including Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, Tsui Hark and countless others.

Early life

Chow is a Chinese of Hakka ethnicity. He went to study abroad at the Shanghai St John's UniversityChu, Yingchi. [2003] (2003). Hong Kong Cinema: Coloniser, Motherland and Self. Routledge. ISBN 0700717463] , and graduated with a B.A in journalism in 1949. In 1951 he joined the Voice of America office in Hong Konghttp://movies.msn.com/celebs/celeb.aspx?c=231018&mp=b Movie msn Raymond Chow] http://www.newline.com/jackiechan/firststrike/Production/raymondchow.html newline Raymond Chow] .

Film career

Chow was the head of publicity and the production chief of Shaw Brothers between 1958 and 1970. He leased Cathay's studio and contracted its exhibition chain of 104 cinema theatres in Southeast Asia. At the time Cathay was a predominant force in the Malaysian film industry.

When Cathay wanted to end the company's association in Hong Kong, Chow left Shaw Brothers to establish Golden Harvest in 1970. Chow capitalized on the Shaw Brothers who had a system that limited creativity, and was able to lure Bruce Lee into Golden Harvest, making it a serious competitor to Shaw Brothers.

Under Chow's leadership, Golden Harvest would become the cornerstone for Hong Kong cinema leading HK box office sales for two decades from the 1970s to 1980s.

Whilst he is credited with producing many films, in the audio commentary for the UK release of "Zu Warriors from the Magic Mountain", Tsui Hark in conversation with Bey Logan explained that this credit is mostly meaningless. Tsui stated that the producer role at the studio was often nothing more than to greenlight the project, and that producers such as Chow would rarely if ever set foot on the set during the making of the film. [cite video
people = Tsui Hark and Bey Logan
title = Zu Warriors from the Magic Mountain, commentary track
medium = DVD
publisher = Hong Kong Legends
date = 2002]

External links

* [http://www.hkcinemagic.com/en/people.asp?id=37 Raymond Chow at HKcinemagic]

Notes