Dear Roy,

Yes, it does, indeed, feel like an early Christmas, doesn't it? After holding our heads a bit low for the past three years following the caving of Fox Movie Channel to the misguided special interest pressure groups, this event is a welcome gust of fresh air. I think that we can also thank the brave folks at MGM Home Entertainment who paved the way by releasing the Chanthology two summers ago. I am sure that Fox paid attention and saw that there is still a magical love of Charlie Chan held by the American public as well as the world community.

Interesting research that you pulled up regarding Hamilton MacFadden's mother! All I have on the junior MacFadden's death is that he passed away in January of 1977. There are probably more details to be found, but, as you may note from information that is readilly available, his trail seems to go silent by the mid-1940s. It is possible that he returned home to Massechusetts, as you suggest. A worthy subject for future research, to be sure!

I think that the set would have had more trailers were they available, as you suggest. A few years ago there was a rumor that the trailer to "Charlie Chan Carries On" existed. It was a pretty well-substantiated rumor, and I think that the folks at Fox just didn't know of its existance. Also, as this film could not appear in the set (except for its Spanish-language sister, "Eran Trece" - which, by the way, is mistranslated as "THEY Were Thirteen" in stead of "THERE Were Thirteen" in the written material). I do know that there are a number of later trailers that DO exist, and those will probably appear in the releases of the next set or sets. Still, it was a treat to have the "Charlie Chan in London" previews, along with the exit music for the movie.

How wonderful that your son is showing an interest in Charlie Chan. Not only will he be watching first-rate detective films, he will also be exposed, in a very concrete manner, snippits of our history from that era.

I am sure that you are having lots of fun, and that is great. I think that we all deserve to enjoy the moment, hoping that it will be followed by more such moments of elation in the near future.

Sincerely,
Rush

Rush, You are a star! Nice job.

Tony

Dear Tony,

"Thank you so much," but, I feel that I was just doing something of my duty to the cause of casting Charlie Chan in the bright light that he deserves, especially so following the savagely negative campaign waged by special interest groups a few years ago. If all of us who appeared onscreen helped in our small way to counter the half-truths and outright falsehoods that have, at the hands of these misguided folks, been heaped upon the memory of the venerable detective, then we have done our part. Now, it is up to all of us to further prove the positivity and continued popularity of Charlie Chan by buying - and enjoying - the DVD set, and letting the powers that be at 20th Century-Fox know that they made the right decision in releasing these fine films. Happily, this seems to be the case from the get-go, as current sales are through the proverbial roof.

Again, thank you, yes, but, more importantly, please enjoy!

Sincerely,
Rush

Some of us have been lucky enough to have known Rush for several years now.

Believe me that, yes, Rush is a star who's finally getting the appreciation that he richly deserves for all the scholorship he's done on The Chan Family Home.

Plus Rush is one of the nicest people I've ever known--and the rest of the family ain't too shabby either!