They surely must have done it on purpose. They have done this “Easter egg” “tip of the hat” to other movies they made within other franchises. I cannot remember the other examples specifically but there is a reference to Charlie Chan in Honolulu in a Mr. Moto film. I think the reference is a shot of a theater listing of upcoming shows. Also in Charlie Chan in Reno there is a shot of one of the characters. I believe it is “Tombstone” (Slim Summerville) reading a magazine. The magazine is an issue of Llberty magazine wherein the first installment of the serialized story “Death Makes a Decree” on which Charlie Chan in Reno is based is contained.
