“Have two ears, but can only hear one thing at time.” (Charlie Chan - “The Shanghai Chest”)

Greetings! Hoping that everyone had a very happy Thanksgiving, the film we will be viewing together this week is “The Shanghai Chest,” starring Roland Winters, with Mantan Moreland as Birmingham Brown, and Victor Sen Yung as Tommy Chan.

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: In San Francisco, Judge Wesley Armstrong is stabbed to death in his study by an intruder, and Victor, the judge's nephew, who has come to see him, is attacked and rendered unconscious. As the police arrive at the Armstrong home, they discover Victor recovering consciousness and holding the murder knife in his hand. This, plus other incriminating evidence, makes him the prime suspect in the murder. When Charlie Chan comes to see the district attorney to apologize about a misadventure with his number two son Tommy and assistant Birmingham Brown, word is received that two sets of fingerprints were found on the knife - Victor's and those of a criminal who was executed six months earlier. Lieutenant Mike Ruark asks for Chan's help with the case.

THE FACTS:
Monogram Pictures Corporation
Distributed: Monogram Pictures Corporation, July 11, 1948
Produced: Early to mid-February 1948
Copyright: Monogram Pictures Corporation, July, 11, 1948; LP1879
Sound: Western Electric Recording
Film: Black and white
Length: 5,872 feet
Running Time: 65 minutes
Production Code Administation Certificate Number: 13021
Source: Based on the character created by Earl Derr Biggers

Producer: James S. Burkett
Director: William Beaudine
Assistant Director: Wesley Barry
Screenplay: W. Scott Darling and Sam Newman
Original Story: Sam Newman
Additional Dialogue: Tim Ryan
Photography: William Sickner
Production Supervisor: Glenn Cook
Camera Operator: William Margulies (not credited)
Stills: James Fullerton (not credited)
Art Director: David Milton
Editor: Ace Herman
Supervising Film Editor: Otho Lovering
Set Decorations: Raymond Boltz, Jr. (not credited)
Musical Direction: Edward J. Kay
Recording: Frank McWhorter
Hair Stylist: Lela Chambers (not credited)
Grip: Harry Lewis (not credited)

CAST:

Roland Winters: Charlie Chan
Mantan Moreland: Birmingham Brown
Tim Ryan: Lt. Mike Ruark
Victor Sen Young: Tommy Chan
Deannie Best: Phyllis Powers
Tristam Coffin: Ed Seward
John Alvin: Victor Armstrong (also called Vic)
Russell Hicks: District Attorney Frank Bronson
Pierre Watkins: Judge Wesley Armstrong
Philip Van Zandt: Joseph Pindello
Milton Parsons: Mr. Grail
Olaf Hytten: Bates
Erville Alderson: Walter Somervale
George Eldredge: Pat Finley
Charlie Sullivan: Officer Murphy (not credited)
Eddie Coke: Thomas Cartwright (not credited)
William Ruhl: Jailer (not credited)
Lois Austin: Landlady (not credited)
Chabing: Receptionist (not credited)
John Shay: Stacey (not credited)
Paul Scardon: Cemetery Custodian (not credited)
Willie Best: Himself (not credited)
Louis Mason: Custodian

FILM NOTES: This film's working title was “Murder by Alphabet.” Louis Mason is listed in the Call Bureau Cast Service in the role of the cemetery custodian, but the part was actually played by Paul Scardon.

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, “The Shanghai Chest,” IS available at DailyMotion, but in two parts. PART ONE can be found at this address: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xv35rq_chan-the-shanghai-chest-part-1_shortfilms
PART TWO can be found at this address:
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xv366n_chan-the-shanghai-chest-part-2_shortfilms

NEXT WEEK (Monday, December 7) our featured film will be “The Golden Eye.”

Please have a very pleasant and safe Monday, and let’s get together at the Chat for another Chan-filled evening together!

Sincerely,
Rush Glick