AceShowbiz -

Hong Kong movie producer Run Run Shaw who pioneered Kung Fu genre in the 60s and 70s has passed away. The Associated Press reports that the movie mogul passed away on Tuesday, January 7 at local time Hong Kong. He was 107. Cause of death was not mentioned by Television Broadcasts Limited (TVB), which he helped found in 1967.

Shaw was born on November 23, 1907, in Ningbo, south of Shanghai. His father was a textile merchant. Shaw then joined his brothers Runje and Runme in the entertainment business in 1920. By mid-1930s, the brothers owned more than 100 theaters in places such as Singapore and Malaysia. In 1960s, he became a movie mogul in Asia.

The Shaw Brothers studio which he ran with his brothers produced more than 1,000 titles in more than 5 decades. Shaw also helped the rise of popular stars such as Maggie Cheung, Andy Lau and Chow Yun-Fat.

In addition to his contribution to movie production in Asia, Shaw worked with various Hollywood directors. He teamed up with Ridley Scott for 1982's movie "Blade Runner". He also influenced the works of Quentin Tarantino ("Kill Bill") and the Wachowski siblings ("The Matrix"). "For a year, I'd watch one old Shaw Brothers movie a day - if not three," Tarantino told Los Angeles Daily News in 2003, referring to his preparation before making the movie.