“Rabbit run very fast, but sometime turtle win race.” (Charlie Chan - “Charlie Chan at the Race Track”)

It’s Melbourne Cup time again! Yes, as Charlie Chan, son, Lee, and the detectives of the Honolulu Police Department did, we, too, will be looking for a winner of the big race (which will be run about 90 minutes following our gathering)! Our film, as is our tradition, will be “Charlie Chan at the Race Track,” with Warner Oland. As we have been doing for about 15 years, now, all in attendance will receive at least one, probably two, horses, drawn at random from a hat…yes, a Panama hat! The one holding the name of the eventual winner will receive the coveted 1936 silver half-dollar…just like the one used by Charlie Chan to place his famous bet on “Schnozzolola,” better known as avalanche! Good luck, everyone! May your horse be the winner!

So, please join us in our Chat Room which is located at our Charlie Chan Family Home: www.charliechan.info, and 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 our film exactly 15 minutes later (8:15).

SUMMARY: Following the suspicious disqualification of his horse, Avalanche, in the Melbourne Cup, Major Kent, a friend of Charlie Chan, returning to the United States with the thoroughbred via steamship, is found kicked to death in the horse's stall. Chan investigates when the liner stops off in Honolulu. He discovers evidence of foul play, and when the detective uncovers fraud involving another race in Los Angeles, he, along with Number One Son, Lee, seeks to expose an international gambling ring as well as the murderer.

FILM NOTES: The Roxy Theatre in New York billed this film as “At The Race Track with Charlie Chan.” ‘Variety’ reviewed the movie as “Chan at the Race Track.” According to ‘Motion Picture Herald’ and ‘Liberty,’ some scenes in the film were shot at Santa Anita Racetrack in Arcadia, California, and the film contained footage of "some of the most spectacular events of the recent racing season." ‘Motion Picture Herald’ also notes that the film "has a semi-topical significance in as much as a great antipodean horse, Pharlap, brought to this country a few years ago [from Australia], died under circumstances that have never been fully explained." ‘Liberty’ notes that Technical Director Monroe Liebergold had been a jockey for the well-known horse breeder H. P. Whitney. Although ‘Hollywood Reporter’ production charts list Neil Fitzgerald and John Mooney as additional actors, and only Neil Fitzgerald's participation in the final film has been confirmed.

THE FACTS:
Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation
Distributed: Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation, August 7, 1936
Production: May 18 to mid-June 1936
Copyright: Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation, August 7, 1936; LP6667
Sound: Western Electric Noiseless Recording
Film: Black and white
Length: 7 reels, 6,300 feet
Running Time: 70 minutes
Production Code Administration Certificate Number: 2353
Source: Based on the character "Charlie Chan" created by Earl Derr Biggers

Director: H. Bruce Humberstone
Assistant Director: Aaron Rosenberg
Associate Producer: John Stone
Screenplay: Robert Ellis, Helen Logan, and Edward T. Lowe
Story: Lou Breslow and Saul Elkins
Photography: Harry Jackson
Art Direction: Duncan Cramer
Film Editor: Nick DeMaggio
Costumes: Herschel
Sound: Alfred Bruzlin and Harry M. Leonard
Musical Direction: Samuel Kaylin
Contributing Writer: Joseph Hoffman (not credited)
Technical Director: Monroe Liebgold (not credited)
Cameraman: Lucien Andriot (not credited)

CAST:
Warner Oland: Charlie Chan
Keye Luke: Lee Chan
Helen Wood: Alice Fenton
Thomas Beck: Bruce Rogers
Alan Dinehart: George Chester
Gavin Muir: Bagley
Gloria Roy: Catherine Chester
Jonathan Hale: Warren Fenton
G.P. Huntley, Jr.: Denny Barton
George Irving: Major [Gordon] Kent
Frank Coghlan, Jr.: Eddie Brill
Frankie Darro: "Tip" Collins
John Rogers: Mooney
John H. Allen: "Streamline" Jones
Harry Jans: Al Meers
Robert Warwick: Honolulu Police Chief Inspector (not credited)
Billy Wayne: Smithers (not credited)
Sam Flint: Ship's Captain [Captain Blake] (not credited)
Selmer Jackson: J.L. Lansing (not credited)
Ivan "Dusty" Miller: Captain Wade (not credited)
Ed Hart: Detective (not credited)
George Magrill: Detective (not credited)
David Worth: Detective (not credited)
James Flavin: Detective (not credited)
Harry Strang: Detective (not credited)
Al Kikume: Detective (not credited)
Boothe Howard: Ship's Doctor [Dr. Johnson] (not credited)
Sidney Bracey: Waiter (not credited)
Jack Mulhall: Second Purser (not credited)
William Wayne: Seaman (not credited)
Les Srechley: Seaman (not credited)
Billie Oakley: Seaman (not credited)
Charles Williams: Reporter #1 (not credited)
Eddie Fetherston: Reporter #2 (not credited)
Max Wagner: Joe (not credited)
Jerry Jerome: Chuck (not credited)
Harlan Tucker: Gangster (not credited)
Sammy Finn: Gangster (not credited)
Wilbur Mack: Gangster (not credited)
Norman Willis: Gangster (not credited)
Paul Fix: Lefty (not credited)
Holmes Herbert: Melbourne Cup Chief Steward (not credited)
Colin Kenny: Judge (not credited)
Robert E. Homans: Judge (not credited)
H. Bruce Humberstone: Gambler (not credited)
Lew Hicks: Policeman (not credited)
Bob Ellsworth: Policeman (not credited)
Lucille Miller: Secretary (not credited)
James Eagles: Chick Patton (not credited)
Bobby Tanzel: Gilroy (not credited)
Bruce Mitchell: Gateman (not credited)
Clyde McAtee: "Blackton" man (not credited)
Jack Green: "Blackton" man (not credited)
Pat O'Malley: Track Official (not credited)
Tom McGuire: Track Official (not credited)
David Thursby: Steward (not credited)
Forrest Taylor: Photo Booth Worker (not credited)
Ray Hanson: Third Officer (not credited)
Sam Hayes: Track Announcer (not credited)
Cyril Ring: Race Track Extra (not credited)
Larry Steers: Railbird (not credited)
Neil Fitzgerald (not credited)
Josephine the monkey: Lollipop (not credited)
John Mooney (?) (not credited)

THE MELBOURNE CUP FIELD:

1 Snow Sky

2 Criterion

3 Fame Game

4 Our Ivanhowe

5 Big Orange

6 Hartnell

7 Hokko Brave

8 Max Dynamite

9 Red Cadeaux

10 Trip To Paris

11 Who Shot Thebarman

12 Sky Hunter

13 The Offer

14 Grand Marshal

15 Preferment

16 Quest For More

17 Almoonqith

18 Kingfisher

19 Prince Of Penzance

20 Bondi Beach)

21 Sertorius

22 The United States

23 Excess Knowledge

24 Gust Of Wind


EVEN IF you cannot access 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. Also, as is our custom, new comers are offered the seat of honor at our humble table. Many of our films, such as this week’s entry, may be found available for viewing online through such outlets as YouTube, etc.

HAPPY NEWS…this week’s film, “Charlie Chan at the Race Track,” IS available at Youtube at this address: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMJF_QJHEh8

NEXT WEEK (Monday, November 9) we will be sharing two episodes from “The New Adventures of Charlie Chan” starring J. Carrol Naish and James Hong: “The Sweater” and “Death at High Tide.”

So, get ready for another evening of fine film, fillies, and…FUN! See you there!

Sincerely,
Rush Glick

Just want to THANK YOU all for the very warm welcome tonight! My first time in the chatroom with you all and I had such a fun time!! A wonderful way to start the week!

Thank YOU, Sadie!

Your contributions added greatly to our evening! It was a great pleasure to meet you, and may you begin each week as a valued member of our Monday Evening Chats!

Sincerely,
Rush Glick

Thank you so much, Rush!! I had such a great time watching the movie with you all and then listening to the Melbourne Cup online (my horse Max Dynamite came in 2nd!!! ). A really enjoyable way to start the week. I'll definitely be spending time with you all on Monday evenings.