Please join with us for our film for this week’s Monday Evening Chat and Film Viewing, “Mr. Moto’s Gamble,” starring Peter Lorre and featuring Keye Luke as Lee Chan in a had begun as “Charlie Chan at the Ringside,” the next entry in the Chan series. Early into production, Warner Oland had shown erratic behavior. Production moved along slowly, and scenes not requiring Mr. Oland were shot in his absence sp the production could continue. Finally, Oland walked off the set, never, as fate would have it, to return again. Despite all the theories about alcohol, Keye Luke, in later interviews points to the probability of a nervous breakdown. Nevertheless, 20th Century-Fox salvaged what they could of the scenes without Oland that had already been shot, and, turning the product into a Mr. Moto movie recouped their losses with “Mr. Moto’s Gamble.” Look quickly for a movie poster for “Charlie Chan in Honolulu,” starring Warner Oland which is briefly visible in this film! Yes, Warner Oland – and Keye Luke – were originally slated to be in that film which was to begin production upon Oland’s return from Europe in the late summer of 1938. Again, fate took a cruel turn…
Our Chat Room is located HERE at our Charlie Chan Family Home. Please use any of the “Chat Room” links to join us. We begin with arrivals and greetings at 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, and we roll our personal copies of “Charlie Chan at the Olympics” exactly 30 minutes later.
Even if you do not happen to have a copy of the above-noted film, please do join us anyway, as you will NOT be left out of our ongoing chat and festivities. (Many of our films may be found available for viewing online through such outlets as You Tube, etc.) Also, as is our custom, newcomers are offered the seat of honor at our humble table.
"Thank you so much," and let’s get together for yet another fun Monday evening as we gather to watch “Mr. Moto’s Gamble.”
(PLEASE NOTE: If you would like to receive weekly email announcements regarding our Monday Evening Chats, as well as receive high-quality scanned movie still images (one per week) from our films of the week, please email us at: charliechanfamily@yahoo.com)
Thanks for posting the cool still of Keye Luke in the East Sides Kids boxing drama "Bowery Blitzkrieg" (released 9/08/1941).
This is Luke's only appearance with the gang and it's a memorable one. There are several key scenes (pun intended) featuring Luke, but the final scene with the gang wrestling with Leo Gorcey is a hoot. Because the gang ad-libbed so much, Luke looks a bit confused as to what to do. But he adds greatly to this minor B-programmer.
By the way, that's Pat Costello, Lou's brother, as the boxing trainer. Pat doubled for Lou in the early Abbott & Costello comedies. In the movie still, Pat is on the right side, across from Luke.
As Lee Chan would say, "the real title of this screen comedy is 'Lou Costello's Brother Meets the East Side Kids and Number One Son,' or something like that."
