A very interesting post all the way around! I recall you saying that you had appeared in some TV productions, and it was great to read your thoughts regarding your experience! And, yes, for actors have no lines in productions, the pay is not much, and when you see that happen onscreen where it would have been natural for a character to at least say a word or two, we can be sure that the production company was seeking to save a few dollars! If you received $35 in the mid-80s, I would guess that Mr. Yung got $20 at most...sad.
Seeing our number Two Son with, as 'TV Guide' called him, Charlie Chan Number Four, is a historic treat! J. Carroll Naish made a long career of playing "ethnic" characters, and the one you described was pretty typical of the work he did. For obvious reasons, this is a lost art today!
Speaking of heavy make-up and Chan actors, I was watching the 1965 film "Around the World in 80 days" tonight, and saw heavily-made-up Chan actor Phillip Ahn (Charlie Chan's son-in-law in "Charlie Chan in Honolulu" and Captain Kong in "The Chinese Ring." It's possible that there could be an obscure Chan son or daughter in the mix of uncredited actors in this movie, as the list 1t IMDb is HUGE!
