FROM CHARLIE CHAN: “Problems rarely wait for clearing weather.”

NOTE: PLEASE vote in our SEPTEMBER Poll! The poll can be reached at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/H3BZY6C

GREETINGS: This week we join Charlie Chan and company (Jimmy and Birmingham Brown's cousin Chattanooga) on a VERY eventful South Seas voyage!

OUR CHAT ROOM is located at: 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 along with one or more “extras” (Thank you so much, Hawaii Steve, as always!) that relate in some way to our feature presentation. Then, at precisely 8:15 ET, we begin our feature film simultaneously starting our personal or online copies of this week’s feature!

THIS WEEK’S PRESENTATION: “Dangerous Money” (1946; 66 minutes)

FEATURE INTRODUCTION: Aboard a passenger ship in the South Seas, undercover agent Scott Pearson tells Charlie Chan that he is being sent to Samoa to investigate the sudden appearance of money and artworks stolen from Philippine banks during the Japanese invasion. Later, while the passengers gather in the salon for a ceremony to celebrate the crossing of the equator, Pearson is stabbed in the back and killed. Chan, along with Number Two Son, Jimmy, and assistant Chattanooga Brown, works to find the killer who lurks among the passengers.

FEATURE NOTES: The film's working title was Hot Money. The title card reads, “Charlie Chan in ‘Dangerous Money’.” ‘Hollywood Reporter’ news items add the following information about the production: Prior to his appearance in this film, Rick Vallen served a term in the U.S. Coast Guard. Restaurateur "Don the Beachcomber" gave technical advice on the South Sea Islands. It was the wish of Jack De Witt, the actual writer of the screenplay, to credit his wife, Miriam Kissinger as the writer.

CAST (as credited):

Sidney Toler: Charlie Chan
Gloria Warren: Rona Simmonds
Victor Sen Young: Jimmy Chan
Rick Vallin: Tao Ericson
Joseph Crehan: Captain Black
Willie Best: Chattanooga Brown
John Harmon: Freddie Kirk
Bruce Edwards: Harold Mayfair
Dick Elliot: P.T. Burke
Joe Allen, Jr.: George Brace
Amira Moustafa: Laura Ericson
Tristam Coffin: Scott Pearson
Alan Douglas: Mrs. Whipple (alias for Joseph Murdock)
Selmer Jackson: Ship's Doctor
Dudley Dickerson: Big Ben
Rito Punay: Pete
Elaine Lange: Mrs. Cynthia Martin
Emmett Vogan: Professor Henry Martin
Leslie Dennison: Reverend Whipple (alias for Theodore M. Lane)

UNCREDITED CAST (alphabetical):

Ted Billings: Barfly

Kit Carson: Seaman
Helen Dickenson: Ship Passenger
Herbert Evans: Man at the Mango Inn
Jerry Groves: Polynesian
Stuart Hall: Ship Passenger
Don McCracken: Junior Officer
Matthew McCue; Barfly
Sol Murgi: Barfly
Mavis Russell: Freddie Kirk's Assistant

THIS WEEK’S IMAGE: (Attached) In Pago Pago, American Samoa, Charlie Chan and Captain Black visit Tao Ericson's Mango Inn.



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’S DESK…THIS WEEK’S EXTRAS & INFO:

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FEATURE FILM: Charlie Chan in "Dangerous Money"

Dangerous Money is the tenth Charlie Chan film made with Sidney Toler at Monogram Pictures. It was released on October 12, 1946 in the USA.

Dangerous Money - Wikipedia

(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dangerous_Money)

OPENING FILM CREDITS from Monogram Pictures

The film print is from Monogram Pictures, as stated in the opening titles. There is no copyright notice to this film. It is copyright free, in the public domain.

FILMING LOCATION/FICTITIOUS SETTING

Filmed at Monogram's sound stages, Hollywood. Recreated Ocean Liner in the South Pacific.

Featuring stock footage of Pago Pago, American Samoa.

FILM NOTES

This film shows the first signs that Sidney Toler is not well. His Chan suit is oversized around the shoulders indicating that Toler has lost weight. Also, Toler's movements are slightly slower in this film.

STORYLINE OF FILM: Ship passenger Charlie Chan invests a murder aboard an ocean-liner.

THEME OF FILM: Hot Goods in American Samoa.

CURTURAL AND HISTORIC CONNECTION between Feature Film and Short Extras

Please see below.

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Charlie Chan in "Dangerous Money" (1946)

One of the exciting elements about this film is the South Pacific theme including Hawaiian-themed music and stock footage of Pago Pago, American Samoa.



EXTRA #1: "Fairest Eden" (1931 travelogue) Pago Pago.

A vintage travelogue featuring the life-styles of the Samoan people.

AMERICAN SAMOA 1931 TRAVELOGUE TUTUILA COPRA HARVEST 46374 - YouTube

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Fg5v7Baq5Q)

Running Time: 8:37 Periscope Film, 2016.

Willie Best (1913-1962)

Another exciting element about this film is the return of comic actor Willie Best. This is his second appearance in a Chan film. Once again, he plays Chattanooga Brown.

Willie Best - Wikipedia

(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Willie_Best)



EXTRA #2: Wilie Best in "Feet First" (1930) film clip

A clip from "Feet First" (1930) starring Harold Lloyd, the famous silent comedian.

Harold Lloyd in Feet First (1930) - The Climbing Scene, Part 1 - YouTube

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nVzewhsmM0)

At the 2:50 VIDEO MARK, Best makes his entrance.

Running Time: 8:24 Vaudeville Fanatic, 2012.



EXTRA #3: Home Movies of American Samoa (1940s) silent

This home-movie footage features vintage footage of Pago Pago, American Samoa.

In the home movie, we see the radio tower, which is also featured in the Chan film.

1940s Pago Pago, American Samoa, Street Scenes, Cruise Ship Travelogue, 16mm - YouTube

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tVRjVf6USNE)

Running Time: 1:28 Kino Library, 2022.



EXTRA #4: Actor-Comedian Willie Best (1941) in color !!!

Here is a brief film clip of Willie Best from "High Sierra" with Hollywood icon Humphrey Bogart.

High Sierra (1941) Raoul Walsh , Willie) Best, Scene 1 - YouTube

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhAveiChU4U

Running Time: 0:27 Eddie's Movies, 2016.

On-Line Viewing of Charlie Chan Film here

TITLE: Dangerous Money (1946 Monogram).

Charlie Chan - Dangerous Money - YouTube

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kgEElXjTKgU)

Running Time: 1:06:03 Inter-Pathe.

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OUR MONTHLY POLL: Please take a moment to cast your vote in our SEPTEMBER 2022 POLL, right here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/H3BZY6C

LAST MONTH’S POLL RESULT: To see our AUGUST 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 (September 26): Please join us in the tropics as we continue our Charlie Chan Film Tour 2022 with a shared viewing of “The Trap.”

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, “Dangerous Money.”

AS ALWAYS: THANK YOU SO MUCH…

Sincerely,

Rush Glick