''It's The Only Way To Survive''

The Legendary Shaw Brothers

Fans of classic Gung-fu films usually have a penchant for the classic films from Shaw Brothers. The company produced films on a near-weekly basis at one stage, as output for the studio skyrocketed during the 60's and 70's.


It was in 1958 that the legendary Shaw Brothers studio came to fruition in Hong Kong. The studio sat on a 46-acre site in Clear Water Bay in Hong Kong. Though founded in 1958, the studio really didn’t get the ball rolling till 1961.

Taking a leaf out of Hollywood's book, the site was a permanent production lot where actors and workers lived and worked. It was the largest privately owned film production studio in the World and, during the 1960s, was the biggest producer of film in the whole of Asia.

With such classic films as ''The One-Armed Swordsman '', ''Come Drink with Me'' and Golden Swallow amongst some of the greats.

But throughout the 70s, Shaw Brothers released a plethora of Swordplay and Kung Fu films. Prior to films like One Armed Swordsman, a lot of the films' choreography was dated.

With a lot of the films from the 50s were stylised more like Peking opera.

But they learned to up their game with directors like Chang Cheh and Liu Chia-liang. They produced intense films with exciting action.

They acquired actors who were true martial artists, like Lo Lieh and Chen Kuan Tai, and Gordon Liu, who was the protégé of Liu Chia-liang.

One Armed Swordsman -1967

Production did tone down during the late 70s, partly due to competition from Golden Harvest studios fronted by former Shaw employees Raymond Chow and Leonard K. C. Ho.

Combined with the signing of Bruce Lee, who Shaw had offered just the standard pay rate to, Bruce turned them down to their dismay.

Golden Harvest literally took Shaw on at his own game.

But this does not mean it all came to an abrupt end. The 70s were still very fruitful for Shaw due mostly to an A-list of stars under contract such as Ti Lung, Wang Yu, David Chiang, Chen Kuan-tai, and of course the legendary Venoms group.

At one stage, it looked like they did, for sure, have a star on their hands that could become the biggest star since Bruce Lee in Asia.

Alexander Fu Sheng: A Rising Star

Alexander Fu Sheng signed with Shaw's in 1971 and was cast in The Fourteen Amazons as an extra.

He went on to star in some of Shaw's biggest films, including Heroes Two, Brave Archer, Chinatown Kid, and Five Shaolin Masters.

What made Fu Sheng a box Office draw was his ability to do comedy and be a fearsome fighter. He was young, athletic, and versatile.

Alexander Fu Sheng with Ti Lung in Avenging Eagle -1978

Alexander was asked to star in NG See Yuen's ''Snake in the Eagle's Shadow'' as the lead, but Shaw would not release him.

Jackie Chan got the role in the end, and we all know the story there.

Throughout his career, Alexander suffered injuries while filming. One of his worst was on the set of Deadly Breaking Sword, where he fell head first in to a Urn from a drop of about eight feet.

Alexander still would have had other roles that would have shot him to the top, and one was the Shaw Production of ''Eight Diagram Pole Fighter'' aka The Invincible Pole Fighters.

Shot in 1983, Alexander was to be the lead, but tragically, Alexander was involved in a car accident on July 6th, 1983, where he sustained multiple Chest and Head injuries as a passenger in a Porsche his Brother was driving.. He was rushed to hospital unconscious but died after all attempts to stabilise him.

The film's ending was rewritten with Gordon Liu as the main protagonist for the final fight due to Alexander Fu Sheng's passing.

It was all the more tragic as, like Bruce Lee before him, he was so young at just 28.

Of note, Alexander actually lived in Bruce Lee's old house in Hong Kong.

Later Years saw Mona Fong ( Lady Shaw) take control of Shaw Brothers as Run Run took a step back from operations.

During the 80s, Shaw's productions slowed quite a bit; stars at the end of their contracts chose new ventures. Golden Harvest had proved themselves the powerhouse they promised to be, and in the 80's and early 90's no studio could match them in Asia.

The Beginings of a Empire

How do you acquire such a big studio? The answer is a big family legacy.

But it may all seem like a giant rise to fame and fortune then nothing in a small amount of time, but the Shaw legacy goes back to 1925, when Runje Shaw ( the eldest brother ) and Runde Shaw formed the Tianyi Film Company, aka Unique Film Productions.

They had one of the three biggest film production studios in pre WW2 China, and it marked the beginning of the Shaw film group.



Younger brothers Runde, RunRun, and Runme were sent out to set up offshore companies in Hong Kong, Singapore, and Malaysia.

Runje ended up retiring after the destruction of the Shanghai studios during the war.

Runje Shaw

After the war, the three younger brothers concentrated their business in Hong Kong, Malaysia, and Singapore.

But it was in Hong Kong that Run Run Shaw and Runme Shaw would build the biggest film studio in Asia.

Using funds that the brothers had buried during the war, according to Run Run Shaw, they buried Gold, Jewellery and money amounting to a whopping $ 4 million ( and all in their backyard); thus, they could restart their business after the war.

One thing is for sure: the business they started has one of the biggest legacies in film production.

And this is why you are here reading this.

A New Era in Hong Kong

Runme Shaw

Sir Run Run Shaw

The Legacy

With the death of Sir Run Run Shaw on the 7th of January 2014 at the grand age of 106, we felt it just to honour the man and his brothers by simply showcasing some of the greatest films to grace the screen.

As many will know, in 2000 Run Run Shaw sold the back catalogue of 760 Shaw Brothers films to Celestial Pictures.

Celestial has since gone on to remaster all of the films in the original ratios and soundtracks. With added subtitles in Chinese and English.

Since I originally wrote this small bio of the Shaw Brothers, the availability of the films has grown.

Films are released worldwide; the likes of Arrow Video and 88 Films have treated us fans to newly featured Blu-ray editions of many of the films. Arrow even has a series of expansive box sets containing 12-14 films per set.

And it’s not just the films we remember from late night at the cinema; many releases include features we have never seen released in the WEST in any format or had a cinema release.

But even still, out of the 700-odd films, there are still many that may never see the light of day in the West. Some because of their style or content not adhering to Western tastes. As not all features translate well to us Gwailo’s understanding.

Article by: Sertes Nake

Original publication date: April 2014

Updated September 2026

People Who Shaped Shaw Brothers Success

Prolific Director / Writer for the Shaw Brothers studio; made more than 90 films.

It was Chang Cheh who convinced Run Run Shaw to shoot the films silently, then dub them afterward, thus saving the expense of soundproofing studios.

Dubbed the Godfather of Hong Kong Cinema

Wrote his first screenplay in 1947

and his first directorial role in 1949

Standout Films: One Armed Swordsman -1967

Boxer from Shangtung -1972

Five Venoms - 1978

Passed Away: June 2002 - Age 79

Chang Cheh
Lau Kar Leung

Legendary Hung Gar Master who became one of Shaw Brothers' leading Directors and Action choreographers.

Master Lau started training Kung Fu at age 9; he went on to become one of the most influential Martial artists in Hong Kong cinema.

Starting as an extra, then a choreographer on numerous films, many at Shaw Brothers. Often action directing, directing, and starring in the films as well.

Worked with Many of the big-name stars.

aka Liu Chia-liang

Son of Hung Gar master Lau Cham

Often referred to as The Pops.

Passed Away: June 2013, aged 78

.Born Sim Kam Hei in August 1951, Gordon Liu, or Lau Kar Fei as he is also known, is the Godson of Lau Cham.

Liu studied Hung Gar Kung Fu under Lau Cham and Lau Cham's wife.

This is how he got his break in the Movie business.

As Lau Kar Leung is Lau Cham's son, and it's he who got him his first role in Shaw Brothers classic Five Shaolin Masters.

His big break came in 1978 with his role as San Te in 36th Chamber of Shaolin.

In 2011, Liu suffered a stroke while performing in his band.

He lost movement and had speech impediments. As of 2015, he seemed to have improved, with his speech returning to normal.

Liu's final film role was in 2012's Kill'EM All.

He is widely known for the two Kill Bill films (2003 -2004 ), where he played the head of the Crazy 88s and Pai Mei in the second film.

In 2020, Liu was inducted into the Martial Arts Hall of Fame.

Gordon Liu

People who shaped Shaw Brothers Success

Ti Lung aka
Tommy Ti Lung

Thomas Tam Fu Wing was born into poverty in 1946.

Ti Lung’s early years were tough, as he often worked to support his family in his home in Guangzhou, China.

He became fascinated by Martial arts at a young age, learning from watching television.

He later took up Wing Chun under Jiu Wan. After college, he applied for the Shaw Brothers acting course. It was here that he got noticed and got a small role in One Armed Swordsman.

After this, he was cast in many films as Shaw’s saw huge potential in him. He went on to be one of Shaw’s big box-office draws, starring in Heroic Ones, Magic Blade, Five Shaolin Masters, and Avenging Eagle, to name a few.

After a lull when he left Shaw Brothers in the 80s, he was catapulted straight back to stardom when John Woo cast him in A Better Tomorrow in 1986.

It really was like a second coming of Ti Lung, as a new generation discovered the once-flamboyant Swordsman of the Shaw Movies as this new, broody Gangster type with a code of Honour.

This resulted in Ti Lung getting more roles in other films like People’s Hero, Tiger on the Beat, Barefoot Kid, and Drunken Master 2 with Jackie Chan.

In August 2026, at Jackie Chan International Film Week, Ti Lung, age 80, was presented with a lifetime achievement award presented by Jackie himself

Lo Lieh - 1939 -2002

Born in Indonesia to Cantonese parents, Wang Lap Tat (real name) spent his early life in Indonesia after his parents sent him to China to study and attend acting classes in Hong Kong.

Lo Lieh ( Stage Name) started Martial arts training in 1962.

Lo was mostly famous in the West for being the star of the first real Martial arts Kung Fu film from Hong Kong to get International recognition when King Boxer, aka Five Fingers of Death, was released generally Stateside in March 1973.

Other notable films of Lo Lieh were 36th Chamber of Shaolin 1978, opposite Gordon Liu, and Clan of the White Lotus 1980 where he played the priest Pai Mei.

In later years, Lo Lieh starred in a few Jackie Chan features, like Police Story 3, Miracles, and Dragons Forever. He retired from acting circa 2001.

Lu Feng aka The Centipede aka Cola King

Born in Taiwan in 1956, Lu was fascinated by Martial arts from an early age, and his hero was Chen Kuan Tai.

At age 8, he was enrolled in a government-run opera school where he learned acrobatics, martial arts, and performing arts..

Chang Cheh discovered him in 1975, when he ran a film company in Taiwan, but it was his work with Chang Cheh as a member of the Venom troupe that brought him fame.

He went on to star in films with his Venom brothers, like Five Deadly Venoms, Invincible Shaolin, Crippled Avengers, and The Daredevils.

Lu Feng has starred in and directed many features over the years and continues to work in film and TV.

People Who Shaped Shaw Brothers Success

Phillip Kwok Chun-Fung aka Lizard

Born 1951

Phillip Kwok Chun-fung is a martial artist from Taiwan who worked out of Hong Kong for the Shaw Brothers studio. He starred in many Shaw Brothers films, including Invincible Shaolin The Daredevils (1978).

He was part of the Venom Mob and rose to fame in The Five Deadly Venoms. He is also a stunt organiser and choreographer and, in later years starred in Hard Boiled 1992 and Tomorrow Never Dies (1997. Behind the camera, some of his later films are Double Tap 2000 and Brotherhood of the Wolf 2001.

David Chiang Tai-Wai

Born 1947

Born into a Movie star family, David Chiang has starred in over 130 films as well as TV series. He was Shaw Brothers' saving grace after Jimmy Wang Yu left Shaw Brothers. Even starring in The Return of the One-Armed Swordsman in 1969.

Some of the films David has starred in are true classics like Shaolin Hand Lock 1978) and Boxer from Shantung 1972. And the one crossover film with Hammer Films: The Legend of the Seven Golden Vampires 1974.

Later work includes Where's Officer Tuba with Sammo Hung. Star Runner 2003 and 2014's Kung Fu Jungle with Donnie Yen.

Chiang continues to work in Hong Kong but resides in Canada

Sun Chien aka Scorpion

Born 1955

Sun Chien is a Taiwanese-Hong Kong actor and was also part of the Venom Mob. An expert in Taekwondo, Chien was the perfect type of martial artist to play opposite Alexander Fu Sheng in Chinatown Kid. Chien's blistering-fast high kicks suited the modern-day setting of the film. He was not in all the Venom films but starred in a good number of them.

He later went on to action direct, assitant Direct

His standout films are

The Five Venoms, 1978

The Daredevils 1979

House of Traps, 1982.

Sun Chien retired from acting in 1992

Shaw Brothers Film Reviews on Site

One Armed Swordsman - 1967