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...
