Raymond Chow

Raymond Chow
Chow's star on the Avenue of Stars, Hong Kong
Traditional Chinese	鄒文懐
Simplified Chinese	邹文怀
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Zōu Wénhwái Wade–Giles Tsou Wen-huai Yale Romanization Dzōu Wénhuái IPA [tsóu wə̌nxwǎi] Hakka Romanization Tseu1 Wun2 -fai2 Yue: Cantonese Yale Romanization Jáu Màhn Wàaih IPA [tsɐ́u mɐ̏nwȁːi] Jyutping Zau1 Man4 Waai4

Raymond Chow Man-Wai GBS (born 8 October 1927) is a Hong Kong film producer, and presenter. He is responsible for successfully launching martial arts and the Hong Kong cinema onto the international stage. As the founder of Golden Harvest, he produced some of the biggest stars of the martial arts film genre, including Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, and Tsui Hark.

Chow, who is of Hakka Han ethnicity, attended Saint John's University, Shanghai, and graduated with a B.A in journalism in 1949. In 1951 he joined the Voice of America office in Hong Kong. He also studied martial arts under master Lam Sai-wing.

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.