FROM CHARLIE CHAN: “Smart fly keep out of gravy.”

NOTE: PLEASE vote in our OCTOBER Poll! The poll can be reached at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/DMXNNJ3

GREETINGS: This week, we celebrate the annual running of the famous Melbourne Cup horse race, we continue along together on our CHARLIE CHAN FILM TOUR 2022! For many years now the Melbourne Cup has provided us with an evening of fun and a very real-time connection with Charlie Chan and Number One son, Lee, as they take part in a very real way in the intrigue and life-threatening dangers present amidst the darker side of the Sport of Kings! As we watch our film for this week, “Charlie Chan at the Race Track,” we will be drawn at random from the numbers of each of the 24 horses taking part in the actual race. Each person in attendance will receive at least one, probably two numbers. As the results of the race in Melbourne come in later, we will know who holds the “winning ticket.” The person holding the winning number will receive a commemorative 1935 U.S. silver half-dollar, honoring Charlie Chan’s 50-cent bet placed on Avalanche as seen in our movie!

The plot behind “Charlie Chan at the Race Track” itself has historical connections. It was very probably inspired by the true account of the famous New Zealand racehorse, Phar Lap (the 1930 winner of the Cup), and his mystery-shrouded demise in 1932 which received international coverage.

As is our custom, arriving at 7:30 Eastern Time, we will be sharing, before our featured presentation, a series of “extras.”

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 “eerie extras” 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 spooky feature!

THIS WEEK’S PRESENTATION: “Charlie Chan at the Race Track” (1936; 70 minutes)

FEATURE NOTES: The Roxy Theatre in New York billed this film as At the Race Track with Charlie Chan. Variety reviewed the movie as Chan at the Race Track. According to Motion Picture Herald and Liberty, some scenes in the film were shot at Santa Anita Racetrack in Arcadia, California, and the film contained footage of "some of the most spectacular events of the recent racing season." Motion Picture Herald also notes that the film "has a semi-topical significance in as much as a great antipodean horse, Pharlap, brought to this country a few years ago [from Australia], died under circumstances that have never been fully explained." Liberty notes that Technical Director Monroe Liebergold had been a jockey for the well-known horse breeder H. P. Whitney. Although Hollywood Reporter production charts list Neil Fitzgerald and John Mooney as additional actors, only Neil Fitzgerald's participation in the final film has been confirmed.

Horses are, by nature, not loners. It has long been a common practice for thoroughbred racehorses to be paired with a horse known as a companion pony which provides both a source of friendship and support. However, as we see in the case in "Charlie Chan at the Race Track" of Streamline’s pet monkey, Lollipop, these companion animals are not limited to horses. Other animals, such as dogs, goats, sheep, and, yes, monkeys, have been known to provide companionship to racehorses. In her article What is a Companion Pony? Jill Pellettieri notes that the famous horse Seabiscuit had a number of different companion animals and a horse named Pumpkin enjoyed the company of a dog named Pocatell and a spider monkey named Jo-Jo.

FEATURE INTRODUCTION: An ocean liner sinks near Hawaii and Allen Colby, heir to the family fortune, is presumed dead. However, as he 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.

CAST (as credited):

Warner Oland: Charlie Chan
Keye Luke: Lee Chan
Helen Wood: Alice Fenton
Thomas Beck: Bruce Rogers
Alan Dinehart: George Chester
Gavin Muir: Bagley
Gloria Roy: Catherine Chester
Jonathan Hale: Warren Fenton
G.P. Huntley, Jr.: Denny Barton
George Irving: Major [Gordon] Kent
Frank Coghlan, Jr.: Eddie Brill
Frankie Darro: "Tip" Collins
John Rogers: Mooney
John H. Allen: "Streamline" Jones
Harry Jans: Al Meers

UNCREDITED CAST (alphabetical):

Sidney Bracey: Waiter
James Eagles: Chick Patton
Bob Ellsworth: Police Officer
Eddie Fetherston: Reporter #2
James Flavin: Detective
Sammy Finn: Gangster
Neil Fitzgerald
Paul Fix: Lefty
Sam Flint: Ship's Captain [Captain Blake]
Jack Green: "Blackton" Man
Bobby Hale: Race Track Patron
Ed Hart: Detective
Holmes Herbert: Melbourne Cup Chief Steward
Lew Hicks: Police Officer
Ray Hanson: Third Officer
Sam Hayes: Track Announcer
Robert E. Homans: Judge
Boothe Howard: Ship's Doctor [Dr. Johnson]
H. Bruce Humberstone: Gambler
Selmer Jackson: J.L. Lansing
Jerry Jerome: Chuck
Josephine the monkey: Lollipop
Colin Kenny: Judge
Al Kikume: Detective
Wilbur Mack: Gangster
George Magrill: Detective
Clyde McAtee: "Blackton" Man
Tom McGuire: Track Official
Ivan "Dusty" Miller: Captain Wade
Lucille Miller: Secretary
Bruce Mitchell: Gateman
Jack Mulhall: Second Purser
Billie Oakley: Seaman
Pat O'Malley: Track Official
Cyril Ring: Race Track Extra
Les Srechley: Seaman
Harry Strang: Detective
Larry Steers: Railbird
Bobby Tanzel: Gilroy
Forrest Taylor: Photo Booth Worker
David Thursby: Steward
Harlan Tucker: Gangster
Max Wagner: Joe
Robert Warwick: Honolulu Police Chief Inspector
Billy Wayne: Smithers
William Wayne: Seaman
Charles Williams: Reporter #1
Norman Willis: Gangster
David Worth: Detective

THIS WEEK’S IMAGE: (Attached) The Chans are held captive at the gambling ring's headquarters as cross-country "fixed" bets are being made.



IF YOU LACK A COPY OF OUR FEATURE: It is available online through a link provided at our Chat Room Page!

THIS WEEK’S EXTRAS:

EXTRA NUMBER ONE:

Melbourne Cup History & Past Winners (4:05)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Vc2Yx01XPQ


EXTRA NUMBER TWO:

Melbourne Cup (1935) (1:19)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h44KpgB93d8



EXTRA NUMBER THREE:

The Story of Phar Lap (3:45)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uu4p8x2mjbY



EXTRA NUMBER FOUR:

Phar Lap wins the Agua Caliente Handicap- 1932 (2:09)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bROtR5ivyZw

MIKE IN DC’s GREAT CHARLIE CHAN QUIZ, PART 7!

Part VII: The Master’s Voice II - 40 pts.

As before, complete these immortal quotes and name the films from which they come. (One point for each correct answer, one for the film, 40 points total.)

A wise man question himself, a fool_____.
Do not challenge supernatural unless armed with____.
Even ____will not speak when stomach is empty.
Favorite pastime of man is___.
Every bird seek its own tree,____.
Hours are happiest when hands_____.
If request music, must be willing____.
Life has been risked for jewels far less valuable than___.
Role of dead man require___.
Small things sometime tell___.
From __ to ___ is reach of man.
Suspicion is only toy___.
Very difficult to explain_____, but hole always there.
Wages of stupidity is ____.
When money talks, few___.
When pilot unreliable, ship cannot keep___.
Joy in heart more desirable than____.
If want wild bird to sing, do not___.
Man without relatives is man without____.
No poison more deadly than____.

THE ANSWERS:

Part VII: The Master’s Voice II - 40 pts.

As before, complete these immortal quotes and name the films from which they come. (One point for each correct answer, one for the film, 40 points total.)

A wise man question himself, a fool_____. [“others”; Charlie Chan in City in Darkness]
Do not challenge supernatural unless armed with____. [“sword of truth”; Treasure Island]
Even ____will not speak when stomach is empty. [“bagpipe”; The Black Camel]
Favorite pastime of man is___. [“fooling himself”; Charlie Chan at Treasure Island]
Every bird seek its own tree,____. [“never tree the bird”; Charlie Chan at the Wax Museum]
Hours are happiest when hands_____. [“are busiest”; Charlie Chan's Murder Cruise]
If request music, must be willing____. [“to pay for fiddler”; Charlie Chan at Treasure Island]
Life has been risked for jewels far less valuable than___. [“friendship”; Murder Cruise]
Role of dead man require___. [“very little acting”; Charlie Chan's Secret]
Small things sometime tell___. [“large stories”; Charlie Chan at the Opera]
From __ to ___ is reach of man. [“life to death”; Charlie Chan in Egypt]
Suspicion is only toy___. [“of fools”; Charlie Chan at the Wax Museum]
Very difficult to explain_____, but hole always there. [“hole in doughnut”; CC in Paris]
Wages of stupidity is ____. [“hunt for new job”; The Black Camel]
When money talks, few___. [“are deaf”; Charlie Chan in Honolulu]
When pilot unreliable, ship cannot keep___. [“true course”; Charlie Chan's Secret]
Joy in heart more desirable than____. [“bullet”; Charlie Chan in Paris]
If want wild bird to sing, do not___. [“put him in cage”; Charlie Chan in Reno]
Man without relatives is man without____. [“troubles”; Charlie Chan in Panama]
No poison more deadly than____. [“ink”; Charlie Chan on Broadway]
Thank you so much, Mike!
OUR MONTHLY POLL: Please take a moment to cast your last-minute vote in our OCTOBER 2022 POLL, right here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/DMXNNJ3

LAST MONTH’S POLL RESULT: To see our SEPTEMBER 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 (November 7): Please join us for “Docks of New Orleans,” starring Roland Winters.

AND… 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 at the Race Track.”

AS ALWAYS… THANK YOU SO MUCH…

Sincerely,

Rush Glick