FROM CHARLIE CHAN: “Most happy to celebrate - even without reason.”

GREETINGS… as we set sail with Charlie Chan into the sunset for a MURDER CRUISE. This week’s adventure is a “remake” of the “lost” film, “Charlie Chan Carries On,” containing an important element also seen in “Charlie Chan in Paris.”

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’s Murder Cruise” (1940; 75 minutes) along with our “extra,” the NINTH episode of “Lost City of the Jungle” with Keye Luke! (1946; 16 minutes [Begin viewing at the 0:00 mark, finishing at the 16:50 mark!]).
“Charlie Chan’s Murder Cruise” CAST:

CAST (as credited)

Sidney Toler: Charlie Chan
Marjorie Weaver: Paula Drake
Lionel Atwell: Dr. Suderman
Sen Yung: Jimmy Chan
Robert Lowery: Dick Kenyon
Don Beddoe: Frederick Ross (incorrectly billed as James Ross)
Leo Carroll: Professor Gordon
Cora Witherspoon: Suzie Watson
Kay Linaker: Mrs. Pendleton
Harlan Briggs: Coroner
Charles Middleton: Mr. [Jeremiah] Walters
Claire Du Brey: Mrs. [Sarah] Walters
Leonard Mudie: Gerald Pendleton
James Burke: Wilkie
Richard Keene: Buttons
Layne Tom, Jr.: Willie Chan
Montague Shaw: Inspector [John] Duff

UNCREDITED CAST (alphabetical):

Wade Boteler: Honolulu Police Chief Inspector

Cliff Clark: Lt. Wilson

John Dilson: Police Doctor

Sherry Hall: Radio Operator

J. Anthony Hughes: Detective

Paul McVey: Mrs. Pendleton's Doctor

Walter Miller: Ship's Officer

Harry Strang: Guard

Emmett Vogan: Hotel Manager

FEATURE SUMMARY: Charlie Chan, working with the U.S. government, poses as a maker of Panama hats. Amidst a backdrop of suspicion, espionage, and murder, Chan seeks to thwart a plot which would destroy part of the Panama Canal, thus trapping the Navy fleet on its way to the Pacific.

FEATURE NOTES: “Charlie Chan's Murder Cruise” is a much looser adaptation of Earl Derr Biggers' novel, “Charlie Chan Carries On” (1930), than was Fox studios' original adaptation, also titled “Charlie Chan Carries On,” from 1931, which was closely scripted to reflect the original Biggers Chan mystery. The working titles of this film were variously “Charlie Chan's Cruise,” “Charlie Chan's Oriental Cruise,” and “Chan's Murder Cruise.” According to materials contained at the UCLA Produced Scripts Collection at the UCLA Theater Arts Library, Robert Ellis and Helen Logan wrote the first treatment for this film, which was followed by a treatment and screenplay written by John Larkin. Their contribution to the final film has not been determined.

TRIVIA: Unlike “Charlie Chan Carries On,” the “lost” film, as well as the original story of the same name by Earl Derr Biggers which “Charlie Chan’s Murder Cruise” is based on, Charlie Chan appears right at the beginning of the movie, rather than entering the story beyond the halfway point.

THIS WEEK’S TERM: Han dynasty - The Han dynasty lasted four hundred years, from 206 B.C. to 220 A.D. The Han dynasty is the East Asian counterpart of and contemporary with Rome in its golden age. During this dynasty, China officially became a Confucian state, prospered domestically, and extended its political and cultural influence over Vietnam, Central Asia, Mongolia, and Korea before finally collapsing under a mixture of domestic and external pressures.

Professor Gordon: "Your beautiful game has suffered many changes since its introduction in the Han dynasty."

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 JUNE 2020 POLL, found as you scroll down our Entrance Page (http://www.charliechan.info/index.html)! To paraphrase this month’s poll question: “Do you picture yourself as more like Charlie Chan or Birmingham Brown?” Be sure to cast your vote in this month’s poll!

OUR MAY POLL RESULT:

QUESTION: Has the viewing of Charlie Chan's adventures helped you to ease some of the realities of isolation brought on by the current virus situation?

Yes 100%

No 0%

(NOTE: Rarely do we have such a one-sided result!)

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, June 8, as we gather for the ever-spooky, “Charlie Chan at the Wax Museum”!.”

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." Updated each month, it can be found at this address: https://thepostmanonholiday.com/

THE CHARLIE CHAN FAMILY NEWSLETTER FOR THE YEAR 2019 REMAINS 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 join “Charlie Chan’s Murder Cruise.”

THANK YOU SO MUCH…

Sincerely,

Rush Glick