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Charlie Chan Night At Work: The Aftermath

Hi everyone! well it has been more than 24 hours since Charlie Chan Night and this is what happened. We had 42 people show up. Far from being the worst attended it is also far from being the best either. I don't think Black And White was an issue but could be. I doubt seriously that it was the length of the film(80 Min.), as the best attendence here goes to the showing of "Titantic" which is 3 hours? But even though it was a small crowd, they were still enthusiastic about it. The ages of the crowd ranged from 65 to about 91. My fellow employee, Ken Wong, who seemed so against Charlie Chan was a no show(He called in sick to work).After the movie and featurette was over, it was discussion time. One thing that got me mad was that I forgot my Charlie Chan Reference Books, so I had to use my foggy memory. Despite the small crowd, they seemed very knowledgeable. One gentleman, who is 72 years old, had a very interesting story to tell. He grew up in San Jose, CA. and his father took him to see Charlie Chan Films at a movie theater in the late 1940's seeing the Monogram Charlie Chan Films(He fondly remembers Birmingham Brown being in the movies). They were double features. He also remembers that a local Second Run Movie Theater in San Jose also played the older Fox Charlie Chan Films with both Warner Oland and Sidney Toler as late as the mid 1950's. I don't know if this is true or if he was stretching the truth? Does anyone know if that could be possible for the studios to show old movies of the 1930's in the 1950's at Movie Theaters? He then finished his conversation with the corniest Charlie Chan impression. He squinted his eyes like Roland Winters but imitated Warner Oland's voice perfectly. At this point, I was actually happy Ken Wong didn't show up. I don't know what he would have felt seeing an old Caucasian Man imitate a Chinese Detective. Most of the audience however remember Charlie Chan on TV. Apparently, Sacramento NBC Affiliate, KCRA Channel 3 had a Charlie Chan Theatre at 11:30PM on Saturday Nights around 1970 with a "Geoff Wong" as host. He showed all of the Fox Chans. I was a little young for it, so I don't remember that show. Later this week, my boss will let me know if I can show more Charlie Chan Films.

Re: Charlie Chan Night At Work: The Aftermath

Hi Sam,

It sounds like it went pretty well. 42 is not bad. There are a lot of factors that could have played into some not showing up, including the conclusion of a holiday week (with visiting family, good weather, etc.).

Yes, it is very possible (and likely) that films from the 30s and 40s were being shown in the 50s. In those pre home video days, studios often reissued popular titles to the theatrical circuit. People talk about how neat it would have been to see the Chan films first run, but the flip side is that once they left town, chances are you'd never see it again unless it was reissued.

Reissues continued into the 60s and 70s although they weren't as frequent as TV came into play and started to show these on the "late show".

Again, congraulations on what sounds, to me, to be a successful evening and best wishes for many more.

Steve

Re: Charlie Chan Night At Work: The Aftermath

Dear Sam,

Very good! It seems, from your description, that the evening was far from being a failure, and that most in attendance had a good time!

I believe that the gentleman who described watching Charlie Chan films at a local theater up to the mid-1950s was not imagining things. I went to see old Flash Gordon movies during matanees at a theater near where I lived in the mid-1960s. These films were certainly available to theaters throughout the years, just as they would be today should someone wish to show them, although it may be in 16mm format.

Anyway, I hope that you will be able to have more Chan showings, and, maybe you could make it a "theme" evening of some sort. I am sure that the aim of the movie showings is to have fun, and, even though it may have been corny, that one gentleman's attempt at a Chan impersonation probably provided him the opportunity to cut loose!

Again, I believe that you offered something very special to the people that evening, and, hopefully you will be allowed if noit encouraged to do more of the same! Maybe even a Monogram Chan film or two would be appropriate, as at least one person in attendance recalled those from his youth.

At any rate, if I might be of some modest assistance to you from my long distance end, I would be more than honored to have the opportunity to do so...

Sincerely,
Rush

Sincerely,
Rush