FROM CHARLIE CHAN: “If strength were all, tiger would not fear scorpion.”

GREETINGS! Charlie Chan heads to the City by the Bay to assist an old acquaintance to uncover the mystery of a family member who is presumed 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

We Begin our evening at 7:30 Eastern Time with a 45-minute time for arrivals and greetings. During this time, we also have the opportunity to engage in open dialogue or perhaps an impromptu sharing of a short video upon request! Then, at precisely 8:15, we begin our feature film simultaneously starting our personal or online copies of this week’s feature!

THIS WEEK’S PRESENTATION: “Charlie Chan’s Secret” (1936; 71 minutes).

FEATURE INTRODUCTION: An ocean liner sinks near Hawaii and Allen Colby, heir to the family fortune, is presumed dead. However, as his is the only body unaccounted for, Charlie Chan, who is seeking proof of Colby's demise, is not so sure. The detective, working for Henrietta Lowell, the sister of Allen's father flies to San Francisco to investigate further. The missing Colby appears at Colby House ahead of him, but is knifed by a hidden killer in the back before seeing anyone. Further events revolve around spiritualist Mrs. Lowell, her family of suspicious characters, and the spooky Colby House, where the body of Allen Colby dramatically turns up during a séance with Chan in attendance.

FEATURE NOTES: The working title of this film was “Charlie Chan in San Francisco.” In ‘Hollywood Reporter’ production charts, George Schneiderman is listed as photographer and Charles McNaughton as a cast member, but their participation in the final film has not been verified. However, Charles McNaughton is pictured in what appears to be butler's garb in a publicity still for “Charlie Chan's Secret.” The actor's name is absent from the credits on the still while Herbert Mundin, who played Baxter the butler, is among those listed.

CAST (as credited):

Warner Oland: Charlie Chan
Rosina Lawrence: Alice Lowell
Charles Quigley: Dick Williams
Henrietta Crosman: Henrietta Lowell
Edward Trevor: Fred Gage
Astrid Allwyn: Janice Gage
Herbert Mundin: Baxter
Jonathan Hale: Warren T. Phelps
Egon Brecher: Ulrich
Gloria Roy: Carlotta
Ivan Miller: Morton
Arthur Edmund Carew: Professor [Alfred] Bowan

UNCREDITED CAST (alphabetical):

Charles Ernest: Salvage Diver

Francis Ford: Salvage Boat Captain
Bud Geary: Police Officer
Chuck Hamilton: Police Officer
Jerry Miley: Allen Colby
William Norton Bailey: Harris
James T. Mack: Fingerprint Man
Landers Stevens: Coroner
Brick Sullivan: Police Officer

THIS WEEK’S IMAGE: Baxter, Henrietta Lowell's butler, assists Charlie Chan with his luggage.



IF YOU LACK A COPY OF OUR FEATURE: Often our features can be found online. CONTINUED GOOD NEWS! Our feature IS available through the link provided at our Chat Room.

OUR MONTHLY POLL: Please take a moment, before it closes, to cast your vote in our JANUARY 2022 POLL, right here: February 2022 Poll

OUR JANUARY POLL RESULT:

QUESTION: If The Return of Charlie Chan had successfully resulted in a Charlie Chan television series starring Ross Martin, how long do you feel it would have run?

Less than one season 32%

One full season 40%

More than one full season 28%

NEXT WEEK (March 7): Please join us as we begin our Charlie Chan Film Tour 2022 with a shared viewing of “Charlie Chan at the Circus.”

AND, AS ALWAYS… DON’T MISS THIS GREAT CHARLIE CHAN BLOG!: 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

OUR 2022 CHARLIE CHAN FAMILY NEWSLETTER!

This year’s Charlie Chan Family Newsletter, chronicling the year 2021, is now available! Thank you so much, Lou, for your continued, masterfully hard work and dedication! It can be accessed at the following link:

https://thepostmanonholidayhome.files.wordpress.com/2021/12/2021-newsletter-lou-final.pdf

AND, FINALLY, REMEMBER: PLEASE JOIN US for this week’s feature “Charlie Chan’s Secret.”

AS ALWAYS: THANK YOU SO MUCH…

Sincerely,

Rush Glick