FROM CHARLIE CHAN: “Happiest walk in life of mailman are on holiday.”

GREETINGS! We now follow Charlie Chan on a strange case that takes him and his assistants, Number Two Son, Tommy and Birmingham Brown through a maze of twists and turns as they are on the trail of a killer who was thought to be deceased!

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 PRESENTATION: “The Shanghai Chest” (1948; 65 minutes; SORRY, NO ONLINE COPY IS AVAILABLE THIS WEEK!) along with our “extra,” the EIGHTH episode of “The Adventures of Smilin’ Jack” with Keye Luke…and Sidney Toler! (1943; 19 minutes).

FEATURE SUMMARY: In San Francisco, Judge Wesley Armstrong is stabbed to death in his study by an intruder, and Victor, the judge's nephew, who has come to see him, is attacked and rendered unconscious. As the police arrive at the Armstrong home, they discover Victor recovering consciousness and holding the murder knife in his hand. This, plus other incriminating evidence, makes him the prime suspect in the murder. When Charlie Chan comes to see the district attorney to apologize about a misadventure with his number two son Tommy and assistant Birmingham Brown, word is received that two sets of fingerprints were found on the knife - Victor's and those of a criminal who was executed six months earlier. Lieutenant Mike Ruark asks for Chan's help with the case.

FEATURE NOTES: This film's working title was “Murder By Alphabet.”

CAST (as credited):

Roland Winters: Charlie Chan
Mantan Moreland: Birmingham Brown
Tim Ryan: Lt. Mike Ruark
Victor Sen Young: Tommy Chan
Deannie Best: Phyllis Powers
Tristam Coffin: Ed Seward
John Alvin: Victor Armstrong (also called Vic)
Russell Hicks: District Attorney Frank Bronson
Pierre Watkins: Judge Wesley Armstrong
Philip Van Zandt: Joseph Pindello
Milton Parsons: Mr. Grail
Olaf Hytten: Bates
Erville Alderson: Walter Somervale
George Eldredge: Pat Finley

UNCREDITED CAST (alphabetical):

Lois Austin: Landlady
Willie Best: Willie Best
Chabing: Receptionist
Eddie Coke: Thomas Cartwright
Tom Colemen: Mortuary Owner
Louis Mason: Custodian
William Ruhl: Jailer
John Shay: Dr. Stacey
Cap Somers: Convict
Charlie Sullivan: Officer Murphy

FOR COMPLETE INFORMATION ON OUR FEATURE: Please go to http://www.charliechan.info/id63.html

TRIVIA: American Film Institute Catalog of Feature Films 1941-1950 credits Paul Scardon as playing the role of the cemetery custodian, but this role is actually played by Louis Mason.

THIS WEEK’S IMAGE: (Attached) Charlie Chan questions funeral parlor director, Mr. Grail.



For a viewing of more than 500 images from ALL films in the Charlie Chan series, please visit our Gallery: http://www.charliechan.info/id448.html

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. Sadly, OUR FEATURE IS NOT AVAILABLE ONLINE!

OUR MONTHLY POLL: Please take a moment to cast your vote in our September 2020 POLL, found as you scroll down our Entrance Page (http://www.charliechan.info/index.html)!

OUR OCTOBER POLL RESULT:

QUESTION: Which is your favorite of Jimmy Chan's "case crush" girlfriends?

Choy Wong (Charlie Chan in Reno) 27%

Lili Wong (Charlie Chan in Rio) 53%

San Toy (The Trap) 20%

Please cast your vote in our NOVEMBER Poll!!

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: “The Golden Eye,” starring Roland Winters.

AND… DON’T MISS THIS GREAT CHARLIE CHAN BLOG!: AND… DON’T MISS THIS GREAT CHARLIE CHAN BLOG!: Continuing strongly in 2020, a great blog site, "The Postman on Holiday," is 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: www.thepostmanonholiday.com

SO, REMEMBER, PLEASE JOIN US for this week’s feature, “The Shanghai Chest.”

THANK YOU SO MUCH…

Sincerely,

Rush Glick