Dear Chanfans: I have tried to send Rush a photo of my Charlie Chan display at the Norristown (Penna.)Preservation Society sponsored “History Day“, this past Saturday, April 14. I hope he is able to receive and view it and maybe even copy and post it. I included many lobby card scenes and poster art of the films as well as bios of the various actors who have portrayed Charlie on the screen. I am not sure how the display went over. There was a pretty impressive array of things shown with matchbooks, photographs, videos, post cards, bottles, collectors plates, books, newspapers and more on hand. My little thing was overshadowed. I did have a DVD player set up playing Charlie Chan in Shanghai, but the noise in the hall prevented it from being heard. Next time out I will do better. I will add some of my antique telephones, the kind Charlie would’ve used. Since the DVD player did not work out I will bring my CD player with recordings of some of Charlie’s sayings. I might add another display about telephones featuring photos of Charlie Chan speaking on various period instruments. I will try even harder to get “the word” out about America’s greatest detective. Sherlock Holmes, Miss Marple, Hercule Poirot. They’re all foreign. Nero Wolf is good, but a bit of a jerk really. Perry mason is great, but not really a detective. Ellery Queen comes close, but has had no definitive actor to portray him. When it comes to Americas greatest detectives Charlie Chan is Number One. I humbly suggest you might agree. Sincerely yours, Russell Rubert

Dear Russell,

Thanks to Rush I have had an opportunity to see your history day display. Words can not adequately convey my admiration for your work! It is exceedingly well done and you should be very proud of it.

This was clearly a labor of love for you and the results show this dedication. I can't imagine how many color ink catridges you went through to print all the poster art though :)

I tried to make out the wording of your articles on each of the three actors and "Who Was CC" but despite the clarity of the photograph, I just couldn't make them out. Perhaps you would be so kind as to post a summary on this board?

The folks at the Pennsylvania Preservation Society are lucky to have you among its members.

Steve

Dear Steve: Thank you for those very kind words. The thanks goes mostly to Rush, a couple of other sites and online encyclopedia I gleaned my facts from. The bios on the actors who have played Charlie Chan are simply abbreviated versions of those you can read right here on the Charlie Chan Family Home Page. Just click on the individual actor’s name and you can read it all. Rush’s site has most all the pictures I have in the display and more. Simply go to the Chan film section and click on the photo under the titles. I did a little editing, rewriting and added a bit of my own opinion for good measure. Such as the following reworking of Who was Charlie Chan: A master detective who was born in China and immigrated to Hawaii with his honorable parents at an early age?
A faithful husband and proud patriarch of a "multitudinous family" of fourteen children? A courteous, dignified gentleman, who always had appropriate words of wisdom poised at the tip of his tongue? A world traveler, who solved crimes not only in Hawaii, but on the mainland and in Europe, Mexico, Central and South America, and China? An apparent teetotaler, who would, when in a bar, order sarsaparilla? In truth, Charlie Chan was all of these and more... "The fictional detective Charlie Chan has been attacked and vilified as a negative stereotype in recent years. Nothing could be further from the truth. When Charlie first appeared in print and in movies the stereotype was one of inscrutable villainy. The insidious Fu Man Chu, the dreaded Ming of Mongo or one of subservience, the Chinese houseboy, the broken English speaking laundryman. Inspector Chan changed all that. He was in command. An intelligent, thoughtful, amiable, brilliant and respected police detective. His sons and daughters often serving as comic relief also served as examples of typical American children complete with all the slang of era.Charlie Chan was a great step forward and remains today one of the classic great detective of literature and film"." That last part being added by me. I have a short bio of Earl Derr Biggers. A mention of the Radios shows and 1950s TV program and the Ross Martin 1970s TV movie. Now aren't you sorry you asked? I could go on and on about Charlie Chan. And I think I just did. Sincerely yours, Russell

Russell,
I'm curious as to how the crowds reacted to your display. Did many younger people even know who the character was? Did older folks remember? I wish I could have attended.

Dear bradford@nytimes.com: I am sorry I didn't reply straight away, but there is really little answer to your questions. People looked at the display to be sure. Of course the children had no clue. The adults did recognize Chan, but as I said there were many other artifacts in the hall which overshadowed my modest display. I wish I was more agressive in questioning them to see what they thought and felt about the character. I take it as a first step success. I was there and tried. Next time I hope to do better. The more I think about it the more ambitious I get. I might try my hand at creating a fantasty. How does this sound: "Charlie Chan in Norristown". That might get them to sit up and take notice.