The Charlie Chan Family Message Board
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Dear Chanfans: I was reading the introduction to Charlie Chan on wikipedia. I thought it could be improved upon. This is what I wrote: "Created by writer Earl Derr Biggers, who was inspired by the exploits of Honolulu policeman Chang Apana, Charlie Chan is a fictional master detective who was born in China and immigrated to Hawaii when very young. He is a faithful husband and proud patriarch of a “multitudinous family” of fourteen children. Seen as kindly, insightful and wise, a teetotaler and dispenser of appropriate aphorisms. Ancient Chinese philosopher say, "Hope is sunshine which illuminate darkest path." (Charlie Chan at the Olympics) Identified in early stories as a sergeant he was quickly promoted and known afterward as lieutenant or inspector. In later films he is often seen working as a special agent for the U.S. government and toward the end of the run is portrayed as being in private practice. During the course of the series he traveled to over two dozen cities, five of the 7 continents and is mentioned as having worked on a case in Australia. Far from a negative stereotype Charlie Chan stood like a beacon, a positive example, in an era when most Asians were thought as nothing more than house boys, laundrymen or inscrutable villains in the Fu Man Chu mold. Appearing in more than three dozen films from the silent era to the late 1940s Chan outlasted many imitators and competitors rising to the ranks of the greatest movie investigators to stand alongside Sherlock Holmes, Nick Charles, The Thin Man and Sam Spade."
I added this part to the end:
"Starting in 2006 four DVD sets of remastered and restored films have been released to good response. Far from being "dead" Charlie Chan lives and his reputation as an American icon continues to increase".
