Actress Hu Die

Movie stars in Shanghai, China's Hollywood, captured the public's imagination as early as the mid-1920s. Both stars and starlets had passionate, adoring fans and in 1933, the tabloid Star Daily (Mingxing Daily) sponsored the first grand and sensational Oscar-style contest for "movie queen."

To capitalize on film fever and star-struck fans, the tabloid launched by Chen Dieyi decided to sponsor China's biggest movie queen contest. And it was fabulously successful, tumultuous and controversial.

A smaller but still exciting tabloid contest had been held the year before, 1932, for the top 10 actors and actresses. And one was held even earlier by an amusement park in 1926.

But the one in 1933 was the most sensational. For years female stars had been admired, but they still had very low social status in China's conservative society. Many fans wouldn't consider socializing with their lady idols.

This competition was not, of course, a modern beauty pageant with a swimsuit parade of film beauties, or show of talent. Their pictures were published in a tabloid.

It was the most sensational and influential election of the kind. Readers bought newspapers for votes to support their favorites.

Polling lasted 59 days starting January 1, 1933, the first day of publication of the Star Daily. A coronation and grand party was scheduled.

The election didn't catch on at first in the early days without TV, Internet and SMS voting. Then the paper came up with the idea that each voter's name would be listed beside their candidate star's photo. That was the ticket - the paper was filled with names, circulation soared.

Votes came not only from Shanghai but also from other cities, even from Kobe, Japan. Individuals, groups and cultural organizations voted.

The movie queen contest was inspired by similar print competitions sponsored by American and European newspapers - it later became the Miss America contest.

The voting closed at 10pm on February 28, 1933. The queen was announced at a ceremony attended by 40 Shanghai celebrities.

The queen was Hu Die (Butterfly Hu) from Mingxing (Stars) Studio, the first runner-up was Chen Yumei from Tianyi Studio and second runner-up was probably the most famous of all, Ruan Lingyu from Lianhua Studio.

Actress Ruan Lingyu