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
Well, there are many reasons for wearing a hat. I personally prefer a fedora in the Ohio winters to keep the snow and wind off my head. However, if you plan to do some detecting in the tropics, a Panama Hat is a must to keep a cool head when solving those mysteries. In the … Continue reading A Hawaiian detective’s necessity, The Panama Hat.
(HAPPY 141st BIRTHDAY EARL - August 26th, 1884) What's that you say! Did Charlie Chan really investigate a mystery in Cleveland, Ohio? Cleveland, where his creator Author Earl Derr Biggers once worked as a night crime reporter on Cleveland's newspaper, The Plain Dealer. Cleveland an hour's drive from Warren, Ohio, where Biggers was born and … Continue reading Charlie Chan and the Unsolved Cleveland Caper!
This young man is so excited he soiled his nappy! We're exactly one month away as members of Webmaster Rush Glick's The Charlie Chan Family Home head to Warren, Ohio to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of Author Earl Derr Biggers' literary and film creation, Detective Charlie Chan. The following two public events are schedule for … Continue reading In one month: Charlie Chan, The Chinese-Hawaiian Detective from Warren, Ohio!
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 … Continue reading A Panama hat tip to George M. Cohan: Earl & Charlie couldn’t have done it without ya!
Finally, after many years of meeting online to chat and view a Detective Charlie Chan film, members of the Charlie Chan Family Home have decided it's time once again to meet and break bread in person! In honor of the 100th Anniversary of Author Earl Derr Biggers' literary Detective Charlie Chan, Warren, Ohio will be … Continue reading August 14-17, Celebrate Charlie Chan: The Chinese-Hawaiian Detective out of Warren, Ohio.
Social Media isn't very old. But even before Friendster, MySpace, Facebook, Youtube, Twitter (X), Instagram, Snapchat, and all the others, a 1970s social media craze came in the form of CB (Citizen Band) radio. And a new fad developed: sending QSL postcards to acknowledge radio contact with someone. These postcards were sent "snail mail" via … Continue reading A 1970s Charlie Chan CB radio QSL postcard, Alliance Ohio
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 … Continue reading The mostly invisible, but highly significant Charlie Chan Actor: George Kuwa
First, the Arrow pointed only East. Then, as they ventured further it pointed both East and West, eleven more times. Who dare follow this dark foretoken into the future, or into the past! What is the secret to activate it's wisdom? It has revealed much to those who've traveled it's path and promises great moments … Continue reading Charlie Chan and The Secret of The Black Arrow, an old mystery revealed!
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 … Continue reading A Charlie Chan favorite, Actor Harold Huber’s prolific career!
By now everyone should be aware this year marks the 100th anniversary of Earl Derr Biggers' novel, The House Without a Key, 1925. And that the story was first serialized in seven editions of The Saturday Evening Post, beginning with the January 24, 1925 edition. However, it was not until the next week, January 31, … Continue reading January 31, 1925, The Saturday Evening Post, Chapter 7 – Enter Charlie Chan!
The Postman on Holiday 