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Statistics :
11630 Movies
19215 People
1448 Studios
29 Articles
73 Interviews
12 DVD Reviews
32452 Screenshots
3722 Videos
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| Other names : |
Tong Hiu Daan
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| Nationality : |
China |
| Workplace : |
China, Hong Kong |
| Activities : |
Director (19), Writer (5), Actor (2) |
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Biography |
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Tang Xiaodan was a Chinese filmmaker who worked for a time in Hong Kong in the 30s/early 40s, notably for the Shaw brothers.
Born in 1910 in the southern province of Fu-kien, Tang Xiaodan is initially both a caricaturist and a graphic arts teacher. He develops excellent contacts in both the newspaper media and the film industry, which leads him in 1931 to join as an art designer the Shanghai based Unique studio the first studio establish by the Shaw brothers. In 1932 he works on the first Cantonese talkie ever Platinum Dragon, at first as set designer. Initially Unique's own studio boss, Runje Shaw, planned to direct the film himself, but as he suddenly fell sick, he assigns the job to the 22 years old Tang Xiaodan instead. As the movie turns out to be a huge box-office hit, Tang's unexpected directorial debut launches him into a filmmaking career that would span over five decades.
Afterwards, Tang directs two other films for Unique in Shanghai. In 1934, Runje moves his base of operations to Hong Kong and invites the young director to join him. For Tang this is the beginning of a 6-year-long stay in the British colony during which he directs many films not only for Unique (which becomes the Nanyang Film ltd in 1937), but also for Shanghai Yihua company as well as the Grandview. The Sino-Japanese war starts in 1937 and Tang begins making a string of anti-Japanese propaganda films for the Nanyue company including Heroes of the Time, Shanghai Under fire, Little Guangdong and Roar of the People.
On Christmas 1941, Hong-Kong is invaded and conquered by the Japanese army. The new occupiers pressure Tang to make a propaganda film for them but he chooses to promply flee under an assumed name. Thus ends Tang's Hong-Kong period. Eventually Tang gets to Chongqin, the Chinese gouverment war-time capital. He goes back to Shanghai after the war and resumes his directing activities in 1947. Unlike many of his film colleagues, he doesn't go into exile when the Communists win the civil war and seize power in 1949. He continues his career in Shanghai where between 1949 and 1964 he directs ten films. After a decade long hiatus, brought about by the Cultural Revolution, he start his filmmaking career again. Following his retirement, he writes his memoirs: Libian Shi Ling (« Tidbits from the roadside; The memoirs of Tang Xiaodan »).
Written by Yves Gendron (April 2007).
Source : The Shaw Screen, a Preliminary Study
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Filmography |
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 Alternate lists by alpha / genre / year |
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Title
( HK - All )
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Activity |
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Snowy Wilderness |
1994 |
Director |
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Fighting North And South |
1952 |
Director |
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Sheung Ngo Dashing To The Moon |
1947 |
Director |
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Spring Dream Of Heaven |
1947 |
Director |
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Boudoir Blues |
1941 |
Director |
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Love In Another Life |
1941 |
Director |
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Roar Of The People |
1941 |
Director |
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Little Guangdong |
1940 |
Director, Writer |
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Destroy The Corpses ! |
1939 |
Director, Writer |
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Root Of All Evil, The |
1938 |
Director |
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Shanghai Under Fire |
1938 |
Writer |
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Stage Lights |
1938 |
Director |
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Twelve Wives (Part Two), The |
1938 |
Director |
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Hero Of The Times |
1937 |
Director |
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Twelve Wives, The |
1937 |
Director |
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Loverboy (part 2) |
1936 |
Director, Writer, Actor |
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Perfect Match, The |
1936 |
Director |
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Bumbling Father-In-Law, The |
1935 |
Director |
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Loverboy (Part 1) |
1935 |
Director, Writer, Actor |
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Unworthy Of Love |
1935 |
Director |
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 Review
 Poster/Gallery
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Article Links (French only) |
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