FROM CHARLIE CHAN: “Good tools shorten labor.”

GREETINGS! This week we join Charlie Chan and the whole Chan family who take a break from their trip to enjoy a small-time circus on their way to see the Grand Canyon. However, murder under the big top soon sends Charlie Chan and Number One Son, Lee on the trail of a very elusive killer!

OUR CHAT ROOM: Our Chat Room can be accessed the same way that we accessed by going to our “Chat Room” link at charliechan.info, or use this direct link: http://www.charliechan.info/id17.html

THIS WEEK’S PRESENTATIONS: “Charlie Chan at the Circus” (1936; 72 minutes) along with our “extra,” the 10th episode of “The Green Hornet“: “Bullets and Ballots” (18 minutes).

“Charlie Chan at the Circus” CAST:

Warner Oland: Charlie Chan
Keye Luke: Lee Chan
George Brasno: [Colonel] Tim
Olive Brasno: [Lady] Tiny
Francis Ford: John Gaines
Maxine Reiner: Marie Norman
(also known as Marie Normand)
John McGuire: Hal Blake
Shirley Deane: Louise Norman
(also known as Lou; also known as Louise Normand)
Paul Stanton: Joe Kinney
J. Carrol Naish: Tom Holt
Boothe Howard: Dan Farrell
Drue Leyton: Nellie Farrell
Wade Boteler: Lieutenant Macy
Shia Jung: Su Toy
John Aasen: Tower the Circus Giant (not credited)
John Dilson: Doctor (not credited)
Franklyn Farnum: Mike (not credited)
Paul McVey: Ringmaster (not credited)
Esther Brodelet: Circus Performer (not credited)
Anita Thompson: Circus Performer (not credited)
Anna Mar: Mrs. Charlie Chan (not credited)
Florence Ung: Number One Chan Daughter (not credited)
Richard Ung: Number Two Chan Son (not credited)
Frances Hoo: Number Two Chan Daughter (not credited)
Mae Jean Quon: Number Three Chan Daughter (not credited)
Gene Hoo: Number Three Chan Son (not credited)
Stanton Mui: Number Four Chan Son (not credited)
Helen Quon: Number Four Chan Daughter (not credited)
Faye Hee: Number Five Chan Daughter (not credited)
Hippie Hoo: Number Five Chan Son (not credited)
Lily Mui: Number Six Chan Daughter (not credited)
Eunice Soo Hoo: Infant Chan Daughter (not credited)
Charles Gemora: Caesar the Ape

FEATURE SUMMARY: Charlie Chan takes his wife and twelve children, who are sightseeing on the mainland, to a circus owned by kindly John Gaines and his unscrupulous partner, Joe Kinney. Kinney, who had sent Chan free passes to bring him to the circus, tells the detective that he has been receiving threatening letters. Kinney, a man so widely disliked by his co-workers and employees, is murdered, and virtually anyone might have killed him. Convinced to assist the investigation by circus performer Lady Tiny, Chan and Number One Son, Lee, travel with the circus seeking to unmask the killer.

FEATURE NOTES: According to ‘Hollywood Reporter’ news items and production charts, June Lang and John Dilson were to be in the cast, but their participation in the final film has not been confirmed. According to another ‘Hollywood Reporter’ news item, the film was shot "on location at the Al G. Barnes winter quarters," and a ‘Motion Picture Herald’ pre-release article states that "the Barnes Circus [was] used as a background for production settings." In a mid-1980s interview, Keye Luke mentioned that the winter home of the circus used in the film was in the eastern Los Angeles community of El Monte.

TRIVIA: Keye Luke reportedly clashed with director Harry Lachman over the latter's treatment of the circus midgets in the movie.

TERM OF THE WEEK:

Decoration Day - Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, is a day to remember those who have died in our nation's service. After the Civil War many people in the North and South decorated graves of fallen soldiers with flowers. Decoration Day was officially proclaimed on May 5, 1868 by General John Logan and was first observed officially on May 30, 1868. The South did not observe Decoration Day, preferring to honor their dead on separate days until after World War I. In 1882, the name was changed to Memorial Day, and soldiers who had died in other wars were also honored. In 1971, Memorial Day was declared a national holiday to be held on the last Monday in May.

TIME: We begin with greetings at 7:30 EASTERN TIME. Then, we share our “extra” presentation, the 10th chapter (“Bullets and Ballots”) of the movie serial “The Green Hornet,“ which will be followed at exactly 8:15 when we roll our feature film for our Monday evening, “Charlie Chan’s Secret.”

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

IF YOU LACK A COPY OF OUR FILM: Often our features can be found online. Fortunately, OUR FEATURE IS AVAILABLE ONLINE, so please use the link provided at our Chat Room.

OUR MONTHLY POLL: Please take a moment to cast your vote in our MARCH 2020 POLL, found as you scroll down our Entrance Page (http://www.charliechan.info/index.html)! This month’s question relates to “Charlie Chan‘s off-year.” Please be sure to cast YOUR vote!

OUR FEBRUARY POLL RESULT:

How are you like Charlie Chan at times?

I say "Thank you so much." 10%

I use occasional aphoristic statements. 10%

I use Chan-like courtesy at times 30%

From time to time, I do all of the above. 50%

DO YOU HAVE A POLL QUESTION? Please feel free to suggest a Monthly Poll question! Send your ideas to: charliechanfamily@lyahoo.com.

OUR CCF CHAT ARCHIVE: Please take a look at our growing collection of CCF Chat Texts from previous years and this year: http://www.charliechan.info/id630.html

NEXT WEEK: Please join us on Monday, March 16, for a shared viewing of “Charlie Chan at the Race Track”!

AND… DON’T MISS THIS GREAT CHARLIE CHAN BLOG!: Continuing strongly in 2020, great blog site, The Postman on Holiday, offered by our own Charlie Chan and Earl Derr Biggers expert, Lou Armagno which is: "A place to explore all things surrounding Detective Charlie Chan, his creator Earl Derr Biggers, and their connection with Hawaii, Cleveland, and mystery fiction." It can be found at this address: https://thepostmanonholiday.com/

THE CHARLIE CHAN FAMILY NEWSLETTER FOR THE YEAR 2019 IS NOW AVAILABLE! HonoluLou has edited and produced this year's recap of the past year, 2019, for all things Charlie Chan. This tour de force issue can be accessed at: https://thepostmanonholidayhome.files.wordpress.com/2019/12/2019-newsletter-master1-dec-28.pdf ENJOY!

SO, PLEASE JOIN US for this week’s Monday Evening Chat and Film Viewing as we share “Charlie Chan at the Circus.”

THANK YOU SO MUCH…

Sincerely,

Rush Glick