A place to explore all things surrounding Detective Charlie Chan, his creator Earl Derr Biggers, and their connection with Hawaii, Ohio and mystery fiction. – LOU ARMAGNO
OK, originally this post started out about the city of Chongging, China (more about that at bottom.) However, it took a serious turn as you can see by the title. So Chongging, does that sound a little like Chun King to you? It did to Italian-American Serviceman Luigino "Jeno" Paulucchi, and boy did it pay … Continue reading So, chop suey or chow mein tonight? Luigino Paulucchi, he gonna maka fo’ you!
A tip of the Panama Hat to J. Kingston Pierce in his The Rap Sheet blog for bringing this to my attention. For anyone who may have missed it, Actor James Hong (with Jeff Yang) has published his memoir, You've Seen Me Before: Over 700 roles and 70 Years in Hollywood (And Counting) for release … Continue reading James Hong memoir: Over 700 roles and 70 years in Hollywood (and still counting).
I've always attributed what success I enjoyed in my military and civilian careers to the fact that I could write a decent sentence or two. And I contribute that fact to my mother reading to me and my brother as a child...sorry Lizzy (my sister.) I think we were the targets of her reading because … Continue reading So what’s the last book you read? September is International Literacy Month.
What better way to celebrate Earl Derr Biggers' 142nd birthday this month, August 24, 1884, than with a new Charlie Chan mystery, Wheels Within Wheels (April 2026!) A train ride from New York Central, a murder on the tracks, a remote Adirondack lodge, and several guest assembled for veiled reasons by a millionaire! This one … Continue reading “Wheels Within Wheels,” the fourth in John L. Swann’s Charlie Chan Returns series!
Well, perhaps new isn't exactly correct. I'm not sure when he originally put them on the site (it's been around over 20 years?) And not sure if Rush made them himself, or he used some person or program to make them. However, they are really neat, there's two of them. You'll find them under the … Continue reading Say, have you seen the new word search games on Rush Glick’s website? No? So Fun!
Here's a place many visitors to the Island of Oahu, Hawaii often overlook. Only 3 miles from Waikiki beach in Downtown Honolulu is Iolani Palace. This unique historical landmark boasts the only residence on American soil where Royalty once lived and ruled the islands. Completed in 1882 it was the official residence of King Kalākaua … Continue reading Iolani Palace: the American site where a King & a Queen once resided.
Who hasn't at one time or another craved some delicious Chinese cuisine? It first began in the 1920s with the Chop Suey craze. Later, following the 1965 Immigration and Nationalization Act (which abolished the discriminatory national origins quota system of the 1920s) regional style restaurants began immerging, like Hunan, Cantonese, and Sichuan. Then, following President … Continue reading Hankerin’ for some Chinese cuisine? Chan’s Son #2 and Son #3 can oblige you there!
In Earl Derr Biggers' second Charlie Chan mystery, The Chinese Parrot (1926), wall street financier P.J. Madden is dead set on buying a highly valuable and famous strand of pearls: the Phillimore Pearls. Detective Charlie Chan submitting to sentiment towards his old Hawaii employer, the pearl's seller, is roped into delivering the pearls to Madden … Continue reading Did the fictional financier P.J. Madden’s desert home in The Chinese Parrot actually exist?
Last year Author Barbara Gregorich, biographer of Charlie Chan creator Author Earl Derr Biggers, informed me she was contacted by Harvard University alumni Mr. Alan Farnham, class of '77, in regards to The Harvard Lampoon's "Ghost Project." Mr. Farnham has been a writer for both Forbes and Fortune Magazines. The Ghost Project, a part of … Continue reading Harvard Lampoon magazine will celebrate 150 years this month, including a visit with some “past” alumni.
I came across this titled article today about the impossible-made- possible from Variety Magazine. A reimagining of the great Detective Charlie Chan series, with Chinese-American actor Tzi Ma playing the sleuth! Here's a short excerpt from the online article! "Ma, known for “Mulan,” “Kung Fu” and “Interior Chinatown,” will executive produce and star in the … Continue reading Exciting news! ‘Charlie Chan’ Series Lands Tzi Ma, Rae Dawn Chong and Aileen Wu.
