The Charlie Chan Family Message Board
Welcome to our Message Board. Please feel free to post your thoughts, questions, or information.
FROM CHARLIE CHAN: “Biggest mistakes in history made by people who didn't think.”
GREETINGS: This week, we will be meeting on a TUESDAY evening (July 5), as Independence Day, the Fourth of July, falls on a Monday this year!
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 in Rio” (1941; 62 minutes)
FEATURE INTRODUCTION: Charlie Chan and son Jimmy visit the exotic city of Rio de Janeiro in order to arrest nightclub singer Lola Dean for a murder committed a year earlier in Honolulu. Later, they find the singer has been stabbed to death in her home. Her jewels have been stolen and a number of clues have been seemingly planted at the crime scene. The suspects are numerous, and Chan must sift through the evidence to unmask the killer.
FEATURE NOTES: Although Ted North's character is called "Carlos Dantas" in the film's onscreen credits and in reviews, in the picture he is called "Clark Denton." According to ‘Hollywood Review’ news items, Virgil Miller was originally assigned as the photographer on this film, but was replaced by Joseph P. MacDonald, who was promoted after serving as an operative cameraman with Twentieth Century-Fox for eight years. An April 30, 1941 ‘Hollywood Reporter’ news item noted that Jeanne Kelly had been loaned by Universal to appear in the next Charlie Chan film, and, while it was presumably this picture, her participation has not been confirmed. “Charlie Chan in Rio” bears a striking resemblance to “The Black Camel,” directed ten years earlier by Hamilton MacFadden, who appears in the cast of “Rio.” It is perhaps of interest to note that MacFadden also appeared briefly in “The Black Camel,” and he also had a minor role in “Charlie Chan in Reno” (1939).
CAST (as credited):
Sidney Toler: Charlie Chan
Mary Beth Hughes: Joan Reynolds (also called Joannie)
Cobina Wright, Jr.: Grace Ellis
Ted North: Clark B. Denton (billed as Carlos Dantas)
Victor Jory: Alfredo Marana (alias of Alfredo Cardosa; also called Alfred)
Harold Huber: Delegado (Captain) of Police Souto (billed as Chief Souto; also called Senhor Souto)
Sen Yung: Jimmy Chan
Richard Derr: Ken Reynolds
Jacqueline Dalya: Lola Dean (alias of Lola Wagner)
Kay Linaker: Helen Ashby (alias of Barbara Cardosa)
Truman Bradley: Paul Wagner
Hamilton MacFadden: Bill Kellogg
Leslie Denison: Rice
Iris Wong: Lili [Wong]
Eugene Borden: Armando
Ann Codee: Margo
UNCREDITED CAST (alphabetical):
Abdullah Abbas: Police Officer
James Carlisle: Night Club Patron
Jack Deey: Night Club Patron
Harold Miller: Night Club Patron
Barry Norton: Night Club Patron
Victor Romito: Police Officer
THIS WEEK’S IMAGE: After finding the lifeless body of Lola Dean, Helen Ashby, supported by Charlie Chan, faints.
IF YOU LACK A COPY OF OUR FEATURE: Often our features can be found online, and happily, the good news continues! Our feature IS available through the link provided at our Chat Room.
FROM HAWAII STEVE…THIS WEEK’S EXTRAS: 'Charlie Chan in Rio' is not the only movie released by Twentieth Century-Fox (TCF), in 1941, with a Latin theme.
On April 11, 1941, TCF released That Night in Rio starring Don Ameche, Alice Faye, J. Carrol Naish, and Carmen Miranda. This film was released five months before Charlie Chan's visit to Rio.
Here are a couple of songs (film clips) that appear in both movies “That Night in Rio” and “Charlie Chan in Rio which I have listed below
In order for the Chan family to be in a festive Brazilian frame of mind, may I present you with the following songs? If these songs don't get your feet moving, I don't know what will.
SONG: 'Chica Chica Boom Chic'
This is the theme song of “Charlie Chan in Rio” (1941). According to author Ken Hanke, “Chica Chica Boom Chic” is heard during the opening and closing credits of the Chan film.
Chica Chica Boom Chic - Wikipedia
From: That “Night in Rio,” here are Carmen Miranda and Don Ameche.
That Night In Rio (1941) - "Chica Chica Boom Chic" - YouTube
Running Time: 5:33.
==============================
SONG: 'They Met in Rio'
This song is sung by an actress in the Chan film.
From: “That Night in Rio,” here are Don Ameche and Alice Faye.
That Night In Rio (1941) - "They Met in Rio (A Midnight Serenade)" - YouTube
Running Time: 3:50.
==============================
SONG: 'I, Yi, Yi, Yi, Yi (I Like You Very Much)'
I, Yi, Yi, Yi, Yi (I Like You Very Much) - Wikipedia
From: “That Night in Rio,” here is Carmen Miranda performing I, Yi, Yi, Yi, Yi (I Like You Very Much)
That Night In Rio (1941) - Carmen Miranda - "I, Yi, Yi, Yi, Yi (I Like You Very Much)" - YouTube
Running Time: 2:26.
==============================
In 1941, both films “That Night in Rio” and “Charlie Chan in Rio” helped in the building a supportive relationship between South America and the USA. Both films were released prior to the US entry into World War Two.
REFERENCE
Charlie Chan in Rio (1941 TCF).
Charlie Chan in Rio (1941) - IMDb
And ...
Charlie Chan in Rio - Wikipedia
OUR MONTHLY POLL: Please take a moment to cast your vote in our JULY 2022 POLL, right here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/7CW752H
LAST MONTH’S POLL RESULT: To see our JUNE 2022 Poll result as well as ALL of our polls going back to 2003, please use this link: http://www.charliechan.info/id93.html
NEXT WEEK (July 11): Please join us as we continue our Charlie Chan Film Tour 2022 with a shared viewing of “Castle in the Desert”!
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 on TUESDAY, July 5 for this week’s feature, “Charlie Chan in Rio”
AS ALWAYS: THANK YOU SO MUCH…
Sincerely,
Rush Glick