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Our Weekly Chat/Film Viewing: "Charlie Chan in the Secret Service"

FROM CHARLIE CHAN: "Trouble with modern children, they do not smart in right place.”

THIS WEEK it is wartime, and we find Charlie Chan, now based in Washington, D.C., working for the United States Secret Service, a position he will hold for the duration. Just as Number Three Son, Tommy (Benson Fong), and Number Two Daughter, Iris (Marianne Quon), have arrived to visit their Pop, he is called off to an important case! The Chan siblings follow, and what ensues is a true family affair which includes murder and mortal danger!

As is our custom, we begin arriving at 7:30 Eastern Time, we will be sharing, before our featured presentation, an “extra” in the form of a vintage Charlie Chan continuing radio drama! Following our “extra,” we will collectively run our feature at 8:15!

OUR PRESENTATIONS:

“The Landini Murder Case” (part 39 – FINAL episode!) radio program (1936; Runtime: 15:02)
“Charlie Chan in the Secret Service” (1944; Runtime: 65 minutes)
FEATURE SUMMARY: A scientist, George Melton, is working on an important new invention which will protect Allied shipping from German U-boat attacks. Although he has been assigned Secret Service security protection he is murdered in his Washington, D.C. home. Charlie Chan, now working for the Secret Service in Washington, is assigned to the case. Chan is soon joined by two of his children, Number Three Son, Tommy, second daughter, Iris, as well as Birmingham Brown, the chauffeur of one of the guests. When the autopsy reveals the Melton was electrocuted, Chan must determine who among the numerous suspects is the guilty party.

FILM NOTES: This was the first Charlie Chan film that Sidney Toler made at Monogram Pictures after leaving Twentieth Century-Fox following the cancellation of the Charlie Chan film series at that studio. Toler, who had starred as Chan in many of the Fox films, bought the screen rights to the character from the widow of writer Earl Derr Biggers and continued to star as Chan for Monogram until his death in 1947, after which time Roland Winters assumed the role. This film also marked the beginning of Charlie Chan's work with the U.S. Secret Service for the remainder of the war. Mantan Moreland also made his debut as Birmingham Brown, a character who would become a mainstay of the series for the remainder of its run. Benson Fong appeared for the first time as Number Three Son Tommy, while his sister Iris, portrayed by Marianne Quon, made her sole series appearance in “Charlie Chan in the Secret Service.”

TIME: We begin with arrivals and greetings at 7:30 EASTERN TIME. Then, we share our “extra,” which will be followed at exactly 8:15 (EDT) when we share our featured presentation “Charlie Chan in the Secret Service.”

LOCATION: Our Charlie Chan Family Chat Room, which is accessed at http://www.charliechan.info/id17.html.

IF YOU LACK A COPY OF OUR FEATURE: Often our features can be found available online. GOOD NEWS! Our feature for this week, “Charlie Chan in the Secret Service,” is available online at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XUad-bMfSN4&t=569s. Also, our “extra” can be found at: https://www.oldtimeradiodownloads.com/crime/charlie-chan/charlie-chan-39-landini-final

NEXT WEEK: “The Chinese Cat” starring Sidney Toler, and we begin a new Charlie Chan radio drama, “The Baffling Murder of Colonel Willoughby.”

PLEASE accept this invitation share part of your Monday evening with us as we share and enjoy “Charlie Chan in the Secret Service.”

Sincerely,

Rush Glick