The founder and chairman of Cathay Organisation, Loke Wan Tho was born in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on 14 June 1915. He had a privileged upbringing and attended elite tertiary institutions such as Cambridge University and the London School of Economics. Loke Wan Tho and Ho Ah Loke set up Cathay-Keris Productions in 1953. The studio thrived in the 1950s and 1960s, producing more than 100 films, most of which were Malay films. However, due to the decline in popularity of Malay films and intense competition from the television industry, the studio eventually ceased film production in 1972. Loke Wan Tho also faced a tragic end when he died in a plane crash, just six days after his 49th birthday in 1964.
