“Small flower receive blessing of rain with thanks.” (Charlie Chan - “The Sky Dragon”)

Greetings, as we move onward toward the end of the year and the end of our present trip through the Charlie Chan film series…and more! Our movie for this edition of our Monday Evening Chat and Film Viewing is “The Sky Dragon,” starring Roland Winters, with Mantan Moreland as Birmingham Brown, and Keye Luke as Number One Son, Lee! This was the first time in a decade that Keye Luke, at Lee Chan, would work solo with his famous pop, Charlie Chan!

So, please accept this humbly offered invitation join with 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 sit with us at our table. 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: Charlie Chan and Number One Son, Lee, are passengers aboard a commercial airliner. There are also two insurance couriers who are carrying a shipment of $250,000. Minutes after drinking coffee that was served, everyone on board the plane falls asleep, including the crew. Lee is the first to awaken and he notices a limp hand protruding from the cockpit door. Upon closer inspection, discovers that one of the couriers has been stabbed to death and that the insurance money has been stolen.

THE FACTS:
Monogram Pictures Corporation
Distributed: Monogram Pictures Corporation, 1949
Production: December 1948
Copyright: Monogram Pictures Corporation, May 1, 1949; LP2407
Sound: Western Electric Recording
Film: Black and white
Running Time: 63-64 minutes
Production Code Administration Certificate number: 13645
Source: Based on the character created by Earl Derr Biggers

Producer: James S. Burkett
Director: Lesley Selander
Assistant Directors: Wesley Barry and Ed Morey, Jr. (latter not credited)
Screenplay: Oliver Drake and Clint Johnston
Story: Clint Johnston
Photography: William Sickner
Camera Operator: John Martin (not credited)
Gaffer: Bob Campbell (not credited)
Stills: Bud Graybill (not credited)
Special Effects: Roy Mercer
Technical Director: David Milton
Film Editors: Roy Livingston and Ace Herman (latter not credited)
Musical Direction: Edward J. Kay
Recording: Tom Lambert and John Kean (latter not credited)
Makeup: Webb Overlander (not credited)
Hair Stylist: Lela Chambers (not credited)
Production Manager: Allen K. Wood
Script Supervisor: Ilona Vas (not credited)
Grip: Harry Lewis (not credited)

CAST:
Roland Winters: Charlie Chan
Keye Luke: Lee Chan
Mantan Moreland: Birmingham Brown
Noel Neill: Jane Marshall
Tim Ryan: Lieutenant Mike Ruark
Iris Adrian: Wanda LaFern
Elena Verdugo: Marie Burke (also known as
Connie Barrett, Constance Jackson, and
Constance LaFern)
Milburn Stone: [Captain] Tim Norton
Lyle Talbot: Andy Barrett (alias Andrew J. Smith,
also called Andrew J. Barrett)
Paul Maxey: John Anderson
Joel Marston: Don Blake
John Eldredge: William E. French
Eddie Parks: Jonathan Tibbetts
Louise Franklin: Lena Franklin
Lyle Latell: Ed Davidson (not credited)
Gaylord Pendleton: Ben Edwards (not credited)
Emmett Vogan: Doctor (not credited)
Edna Holland: Old Maid (not credited)
Joe Whitehead: Doorman (not credited)
Lee Phelps: Plainclothesman (not credited)
Charles Jordan: Assistant Stage Manager
Suzette Harbin: Second Maid (not credited)
George Eldredge: Stacy (not credited)
Bob Curtis: Watkins (not credited)
Frank Cady: Clerk (not credited)

FILM NOTES: The working title of this film was Murder in the Air. The film's title card reads: “Charlie Chan in ‘The Sky Dragon’”. Although Roy Livingston is credited onscreen as editor, ‘Hollywood Reporter’ production charts credit Ace Herman as editor. Keye Luke: "Sky Dragon was the best thing we made down at Monogram. I finished up the series - the forty-sixth, which is The Feathered Serpent, and the forty-seventh, which is ‘Sky Dragon.’ They liked them so well - especially ‘Sky Dragon’ - that they planned to make three more Chans over in London with frozen funds. I was in New York waiting to go over the Atlantic and got a call from them that said, 'Gee, we're sorry but Her Majesty's government devaluated the pound and our frozen funds have taken a dive.' So we never made them. ‘Sky Dragon’ was a good story. It worked out very well and the response to it was so strong that they decided to make three more – ‘Charlie Chan in London,’ ‘Charlie Chan in Paris,’ and ‘Charlie Chan in Rome,’ I think were the titles. Of course, we never did." (Adapted from: Hanke, Ken, Charlie Chan at the Movies: History, Filmography, and Criticism, p. 251).

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…sort of! This week’s film, “The Sky Dragon,” IS available in TWO PARTS at DailyMotion, at these addresses:
PART ONE: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xv1kwx_charlie-chan-the-sky-dragon-part-1_shortfilms
PART TWO: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xv1ldi_charlie-chan-the-sky-dragon-part-2_shortfilms

NEXT WEEK (Monday, December 28) we conclude our Charlie Chan Tour, 2015 with a viewing of “The Return of Charlie Chan” starring Ross martin as Charlie Chan.

Have a happy Monday, and I hope to see you tonight as we share, watch, and discuss “The Sky Dragon,” and, of course, have a goodly portion of FUN along the way!

Sincerely,
Rush Glick

I take it from the Keye Luke quote that noone involved in "Sky Dragon" thought of it as being the end. They got blindsided later.