Dear Chris,

Thank you for your theories. I have put out these questions to everyone via this Board and through our email list. Hopefully, we will receive a number of responses such as yours, which we will compile and then place in our Bulletin Board page.

Thank you, again, Chris.

Sincerely,
Rush

I just wish I could remember what I said about this Monday night.

Heck, I sometimes can't remember what I said five minutes ago!

So . . . I'll try again!

1. Tommy is Jimmy's little known twin brother. Sort of a Man in the Mask thing, maybe? Or Tommy is Jimmy's look-alike cousin who is (for whatever reason) is taking Jimmy's place in the family.

2. Charlie got sick and tired of his multitudious family and either divorced or deserted them. Or he came out of the closet and either divorced, deserted or just plain left Mrs. C for San Francisco. Or the rest of the family (except maybe for Tommy!) died in the aftermath of a volcano while Charlie was gone in one of his many trips overseas. Or Mrs. C got sick and tired of Charlie going on these trips so SHE divorced/deserted HIM and moved back to Shanghai/China . . . where they became prisoners-of-war . . . . This is more information than I know I want so on to # 3!

3. See # 2!

She-who-clearly-has-too-much-time-on-her-computer!

VA,

Chan came out of the closet? (Not that there is anything wrong with that)

but......VA!

Matt,
That WOULD explain why Charlie, Tommy and Birmingham were living in San Francisco!

NOTE!: This is speculation on our part, isn't it, Rush?!?!

Virginia

Dear Virginia,

VERY much so. Especially in this case!

Sincerely,
Rush

Don't forget my theory that Tommy was on a secret mission for the state department. Fighting by the side of Chiang Kai-shek against the Reds. Tommy eventually marrying Chang's daughter. See the lost adventure: "Charlie Chan in Taiwan". In order to maintain the fiction that Tommy is not undercover, that he is with his father solving cases Jimmy poses for a while as Tommy to maintain the fiction. Everyone plays along. As for Mrs.Chan she is in nearby LA helping to take care of the ill Frances and Iris Chan who have been both severely hurt in a car accident. They are both married and Mrs Chan has taken charge of both their households. One is a widow and the other's husband is overseas serving in the military. Mrs Chan is mentioned all the time by Charlie, just not "on screen" as the time of the Winter's Chans the ladies are well on the mend and the conversations concerning them are very mundane. Of course the "lost" case that takes place right at the tragedy mentions her all the time. It is the "lost" case: "Charlie Chan's Family" Needly to say the "accident" was no accident.

O yes, I forgot to mention all those hospital bills. Charlie retires and goes into private pratice to raise the needed cash to pay all those bills. Especially to pay for that "special operation" that saves Iris's life!

Dear Russell,

Thank you for your theory. You were the first to offer an alternative to the demise of Number Three Son Tommy, I believe.

(If anyone else has their own ideas regarding the original questions mentioned at the top of this thread, please feel free to offer them here.)

Thank you, again, Russell.

Sincerely,
Rush