The director and three principle cast members are also the same in 'Kill at the Broadcasting Station' (1939) and 'Charlie Chan Breaks the Conceal Down' (1941).

Director :
Xu Xinfu

Screenwriter :
Xu Xinfu

Actor :
Gong Qiuxia
Xu Ziyuan
Meijun Gu

You particularly light Guangzhao

Photography :
Poetry Week Zhou Mu Shimu

Here's the exciting but poorly translated synopsis...

Placido XIE *** days of the regular radio program. Always disguised by radio, the radio company nor the true facts. Blessed to celebrate the fifth anniversary of the multi-radio
Efforts end to the *** promised in Taiwan to-date real face meeting with the audience, many fans excited. Japanese *** stage, theater lighting sudden collapse Fuming
When *** dead. Please check Chan detective sergeant father to the detection of the ceremony. Chen took over the investigation shortly ceremony, another woman radio announcer was assassinated. Through the investigation found Chen Zha ceremony
*** in the plan and recently engaged woman HU Li Ying, Hu Li Ying has another boyfriend. Chen Zha ceremony wholesaler, and Fei Ren launched a life-and-death struggle ...

A second poor automatic translation is copied below.

I think it seems to say that Detective Chan is assisted by his daughter. The plot seems to be that there is a famous broadcaster named *** who has been on the radio for five years. No one knows his identity, but he promises to meet his audience finally face-to-face. However, at the theater where he is to reveal his identity to the public, he is killed by a falling studio light. Charlie Chan and his daughter investigate. Another radio annoncer, a woman, is also killed by someone unknown. There is some sort of life-and-death struggle at the end.


Translation
Placido XIE *** days of the regular radio program. Always disguised by radio, so even the radio
Nor his true colors. Blessed to celebrate the fifth anniversary of the radio's effort, making benefits
Days promised in Taiwan to-date real face meeting with the audience, many fans excited. Yes
Japan *** stage, theater lighting sudden collapse fuming when *** dead. Please check detective sergeant Chen
Father and daughter to the detection of the ceremony. Chen took over the investigation shortly ceremony, another woman radio announcer was dark
Kill. Through the investigation found Chen Zha *** ceremony of the project recently with the woman engaged Hu Li Ying,
Hu Li Ying has another boyfriend. Chen Zha ceremony wholesaler, and launched a life-and-death Feiren stroke

Babel fish translation has done a bit better. Maybe there is no Number 1 daughter in this after all, but it is difficult to tell which 'female' asks 'Chen Chali' to help.


The singer day often arrives the broadcasting station to make the program. Because always puts on makeup the broadcast, therefore continually broadcasting station's people have not seen its original appearance. In order to celebrate constructs a fifth anniversary, the broadcasting station diligently, finally causes *** Tian to comply in every way in to celebrate the date meets by the real facial features and the audience, the numerous singer fans are not excited already. Is the date benefit day mounts the stage, in the theater the light suddenly extinguishes, regains eyesight when *** Tianyi dies. female asks Chen Chali the father to assist to solve a case. Chen Chali takes over soon, the broadcasting station another female radio announcer is assassinated. Through investigated Chen Chali to send day this plan to recently to become engaged with female Hu Liying, Hu Liying actually in addition had the boyfriend. Chen Chali follows up a clue, has launched the life-and-death fight with the bandit... ...

How exciting. A "new" Chan film. Is this film availble for purchase? I guess it is too much to hope that it would be and also one day be availble for import with English subtitles. But then, maybe some Hong Kong company might be persuaded to make it available in the West.

And not just one "new" Chan film. There appears to have been a series of them made in Shanghai. I'm quite confident now that there were at least six. Two other titles are possibilties, based on the correspondence of the principal cast members, director/screenwriter, and brief descriptions that they were detective films of some sort.

As to whether prints of any of these films today actually survive, that's an entirely separate matter. I have read in various places online that the survival rate of Chinese-made films from the 1930s and 1940s is not so great.

Hopefully, at least one bona fide Charlie Chan film made in Shanghai still exists. We could get a general impression of the whole series if there is at least one example to view. Maybe after we view one, we won't care if any others are found!



I will attempt to learn more soon.