Det. Chan, sprechen sie Deutsch? “Ya, ich spreche Deutch gern!”
Season’s Greetings Friends! Here’s something interesting for mystery buffs, but especially Chan fans. Want to hear how Charlie Chan sounds as a German speaking detective? Then you’ll want to order one of four audiobooks voiced by German Actor Helmut Krauss. Krauss has lent his voice to Marlon Brando, John Goodman, Yaphet Kotto, Wilhelm von Homburg, Jean Reno, Samuel L. Jackson, Paul Winfield, John Voight, as well as Reginald VelJohnson (Carl Winslow)…
A Panama hat tip to George M. Cohan: Earl & Charlie couldn’t have done it without ya!
Had it not been for George M. Cohan’s complete enthusiasm for Earl Derr Biggers’ first novel, Seven Keys to Baldpate (1913), I’ve often wondered if Biggers’ would have been as successful with mystery writing, or even–who knows–gone on to create our hero Charlie Chan! So with this year being the Centennial of Detective Charlie Chan’s entry into the literary world, I thought it appropriate we pay tribute to the first persons…
The mostly invisible, but highly significant Charlie Chan Actor: George Kuwa
Before Roland Winters, before Sidney Toler, even before Warner Oland starred as Charlie Chan; Japanese born actor George Kuwa was the first to play the detective in a 1926, ten-episode serial, The House Without a Key. This immediately following publication of that first Chan story “House” the previous year; a foreshadowing Detective Chan was here to stay. Why was this important? Because it contradicts the widespread belief that Hollywood never cast…
A Charlie Chan favorite, Actor Harold Huber’s prolific career!
February brings us Valentines day (have you made your Valentines card box yet?). So for all the heroines and femme fatales out there, we’re looking at Chan film favorite Actor Harold Huber. With that telltale scar on his right cheek Harold Huber was not only a Charlie Chan favorite, but worked with many of Hollywood’s brightest stars and appeared in four “Best Picture” Oscar nominated films! If you’re familiar with the…
B-Movies? Perhaps, but the Charlie Chan films sure bagged some star power!
They started as A-movies, original adaptations of the novels, when Fox Studios first produced them. However, Author Earl Derr Biggers only penned six Charlie Chan novels before his death. So after their fifth Chan film, Fox decided to take their detective around the world in B-movies; low budget films made in record time with little financial backing. And the series continued that way later with 20th Century-Fox and Monogram Pictures Corporation.…
Actor Sidney Toler’s 2-year sabbatical from Charlie Chan.
Happy Birthday Actor Sidney Toler (April 28th!) Most Chan film buffs are aware Actor Sidney Toler was the second successful actor to play Detective Charlie Chan. He continued the role following Actor Warner Oland’s untimely death, August 1938. Toler hit the ground running starting his debut in Charlie Chan in Honolulu 1939 making a total four Chan films that year, followed by four more in 1940, two in 1941, just one…
Valentine’s Day 1779 was not exactly a Bed of Roses for Discoverer Capt. James Cook.
If you know the history of Hawai’i like I do (OK, like the internet and me.) Then you’ll know that Captain James Kirk…OOPS, I mean Captain James Cook (hmm, I wonder) discovered and first named The Hawaiian Islands after the 4th Earl of Sandwich, John Montagu (yes, the bloke who invented that delicious repast.) Hence, he called them The Sandwich Islands. But unfortunately for The Cap this particular discovery was ultimately…
Chabing. The Chan actress who once held General Douglas MacArthur’s heart.
Ever seen the movies The Chinese Ring (1947) or Shanghai Chest (1948)? Both Charlie Chan films staring Actor Roland Winters as Detective Chan? Well, they also features a lesser know bit actress born Isabel Rosario Cooper, who went under the stage name Chabing. She was also know as “Dimples” to one General Douglas MacArthur! February brings thoughts of Valentine’s Day, flowers and love. However, this story did not have a happy ending.…
One other “Earl” was gifted a Key to The City of Honolulu.
HAPPY 2023 everyone…we made it! As previously reported last year (my August 2022 Biggers’ Birthday post), in 1925 the Honolulu Tourism Bureau presented Author Earl Derr Biggers with an honorary Key to The City of Honolulu. This was in appreciation for the overwhelming good will and publicity his first Charlie Chan novel, The House Without a Key, brought to the city and the islands. The search for that key is still…
BOO! Attend the Charlie Chan virtual Halloween Party!
October 31st is near at hand (where did the year go?) and as he does every year, Webmaster Rush Glick will host his annual “Virtual” Halloween Party on Monday, October 24th! Here’s how it works: Chat participants can give clues or suggestions, or just try to remain incognito as they Chat. Most party goers are regulars and more likely to be “found out” by the questions and comments they make towards…
Tall, shy and worth $1 Billion, “The Richest Little Girl in the World” walked into a Charlie Chan novel!
March is Women’s History Month. So today we look at real-life socialite Doris Duke, who found herself inside Author Earl Derr Biggers’ 1926 novel, The Chinese Parrot. The Chinese Parrot (1926). In the second Charlie Chan novel Parrot, Detective Chan is asked a personal favor by his past employer and longtime friend Sally Jordan (née: Sally Phillimore.) He’s to deliver a rare and valuable set of pearls to Tycoon P. J.…
Celebrate 20 years of the Charlie Chan Family Home, and try on one of 272 Panama Hats in “The Study.”
This month (October 3rd to be exact) we honor Webmaster Rush Glick as he celebrates 20 years since launching his Charlie Chan Family Home Website. And in recognition of this benchmark we’ll look inside just one of the 27 separate page links on the site, “The Study.” Why this page? Because there you will find 272 Panama Hats, each one leading to a world, within a world, of wonderful inside dope,…
Hey Pop move over. I got a Star on Hollywood, too!
Now here’s a fluke–a well earned one, too! James Hong, Son No.1 to J. Carrol Naish’s, Charlie Chan in The New Adventures of Charlie Chan, is getting his just deserves…a Star on The Hollywood Walk of Fame, Class of 2022! At 92-years young, Actor James Hong is going strong! “Hong, recently provided the voice of O-Sensei in the animated DC movie Batman: Soul of the Dragon and will appear in the upcoming sci-fi…
One last Aloha’oe (fond farewell) to John Noland and his comic strip “Chinatown Cop.”
Life can indeed be ironic–grave and tragically ironic. Three years ago this month, June 15th, 2018, the family of John Noland made the heavy-hearted decision to disconnect John from life support. In his own small way (as we all are) John was a hero of sorts, most notably for me within the world of Charlie Chan. John was well known in Hawaii as a radio and television personality and sportscaster. Together…
A special birthday wish to Charlie Chan Series Actor James Hong!
He’s not often associated with Charlie Chan these days, but for many Actor James Hong holds a special place in the detective’s career! At 92-years young (February 22d) actor, voice actor, producer and director James Hong is to acting as Tony Bennett is to singing. He’s been around-the-block, easily recognized and has earned a plethora of awards and distinctions starring in over 600 television and film roles spanning 7 decades! You…
Will the REAL Charlie Chan please step forward.
What’s that you ask, “a REAL Detective Chan?” Yes, there was actually a living, breathing person, who inspired Author Earl Derr Biggers and served as the “spark” for his fictional Detective Charlie Chan. Now I realize “most of you” reading this already knew that! However, take a glimpse at two special sites and see if you don’t pick-up a thing or two…or at least refresh your memory. His name was, Chang…
Meet Lily Wu…Who? The female Charlie Chan.
With February the month for flowers, candy, and valentines, it’s appropriate we take a look at author Juanita Sheridan’s fictional sleuth Ms. Lily Wu, and her cohort, novelist Janice Cameron. World famous mystery-fiction critic, editor, and author Anthony Boucher (eponym for the world’s leading mystery convention, Bouchercon) adored Sheridan’s fictional Lily Wu; dubbing her The Female Charlie Chan and admitted he was in love with her! He described her “the exquisitely…
The true, sad events surrounding actor Otto Yamaoka; “Kashimo” from Chan film, The Black Camel.
EXECUTIVE ORDER 9066: The President Authorizes Japanese Relocation, (February 19, 1942) Actor Otto Yamaoka was an American citizen, born 1904 in Seattle, WA. Until the 1940s he had a successful career in film, staring in no less than 31 films. He would act in some film classics: The letter (1940), Thin Ice (1937), Libeled Lady (1936), alongside some distinguished actors: Betty Davis, Herbert Marshall, Tyrone Powell, Arthur Treacher, Alan Hale, Jean…
Those loveable “Sidekicks!” Who’s your favorite?
The Sidekick, we all love them. Robinson Crusoe had his man Friday and Tom Sawyer had Huckleberry Finn. And while Batman had Robin, Tony Stark engaged a computer-interface language system, J.A.R.V.I.S.–Just A Rather Very Intelligent System (in case you didn’t know.) But it can also get lonely when one is trying to solve those little mysteries. You know, like who decapitated the beautiful film star and where is her head? Or,…
The Postman on Holiday 