FROM CHARLIE CHAN: “When prepared for worst, can hope for best.”

GREETINGS… on this Memorial Day as we share, appropriately, a film with patriotic undertones, “Charlie Chan in Panama.” Can Charlie Chan stop a plot by enemy agents to destroy a section of the Panama Canal?

OUR CHAT ROOM: Our Chat Room can be accessed the same way that we accessed by going to our “Chat Room” link at charliechan.info, or use this direct link: http://www.charliechan.info/id17.html

THIS WEEK’S PRESENTATIONS: “Charlie Chan in Panama” (1940; 67 minutes) along with our “extra,” the EIGHTH episode of “Lost City of the Jungle” with Keye Luke! (1946; 16 minutes [Begin viewing at the 42:10 mark, finishing at the 54:38 mark!]).

“Charlie Chan in Panama” CAST:

CAST (as credited):

Sidney Toler: Charlie Chan (also posing as Fu Yuen)
Jean Rogers: Kathi Lenesch (also known as Kathi von Tzardas and Baroness von Tzardas)
Lionel Atwill: Clivedon Compton
Mary Nash: Miss Sarah Finch (billed as Miss Jennie Finch; alias Reiner)
Sen Yung: Jimmy Chan
Kane Richmond: Richard Cabot
Chris-Pin Martin: Lieutenant Montero (billed as Sergeant Montero)
Lionel Royce: Dr. Rudolph Grosser
Helen Ericson: Stewardess
Jack La Rue: [Emil] Manolo (alias Ramon Gonzalez)
Edwin Stanley: Governor [D.C.] Webster (also known as Colonel D.C. Webster)
Don Douglas: Captain Lewis
Frank Puglia: Achmed Halide
Addison Richards: [R.J.] Godley
Edward Keane: Dr. Fredericks

UNCREDITED CAST (alphabetical):

Eddie Acuff: Sailor

Jimmy Aubrey: Drunk at Club

Brooks Benedict: Nightclub Dancer

Lane Chandler: Officer at Powerhouse

Russell Custer:: Soldier

Alan Davis: Soldier

Alphonso DuBois: Waiter

Franklin Farnum: Marine Officer

Edward Gargan: Plant Workman

Harold Goodwin: Military Police Officer

Sol Gorss: Soldier

Bobby Hale: Prisoner

Chuck Hamilton: Dancer

Alberto Morin: Hotel San Pablo Desk Clerk

Philip Morris: Plainclothesman

Anthony Natale: Vendor

Gloria Roy: Hostess

Charles Sherlock: Soldier

Bhogwan Singh: Prisoner

Charles Stevens: Spy on Dock

Sid Troy: Sailor

Max Wagner: Soldier

FEATURE SUMMARY: Charlie Chan, working with the U.S. government, poses as a maker of Panama hats. Amidst a backdrop of suspicion, espionage, and murder, Chan seeks to thwart a plot which would destroy part of the Panama Canal, thus trapping the Navy fleet on its way to the Pacific.

FEATURE NOTES: “Charlie Chan in Panama” provides a glimpse at the stresses experienced by the United States in the stages that led to the eventual entry of our nation into World War II. At this point, the United States was "neutral" in the war which had already begun in both Europe and in the Far East. We note the hints throughout the movie as to the identities of the hostile nations, although no definite references are provided in the interest of appearing neutral.

TRIVIA: Film footage containing sequences of U.S. Navy warships, including the USS ‘Arizona’ and USS ‘Lexington’ passing through the Panama Canal, is seen in this picture.

THIS WEEK’S TERM: bubonic plague - A contagious, often fatal epidemic disease caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis, transmitted from person to person or by the bite of fleas from an infected rodent, especially a rat, and characterized by chills, fever, vomiting, diarrhea, and the formation of buboes.

Jimmy Chan: "Bubonic plague!"

LOCATION: Our Charlie Chan Family Chat Room, which is accessed at http://www.charliechan.info/id17.html.

IF YOU LACK A COPY OF OUR FILM: Often our features can be found online. Fortunately, OUR FEATURE IS AVAILABLE ONLINE, so please use the link provided at our Chat Room.

OUR MONTHLY POLL: Please take a moment to cast your vote in our MAY 2020 POLL, found as you scroll down our Entrance Page (http://www.charliechan.info/index.html)! This month’s question: Which of these two Charlie Chan films better exemplifies the current coronavirus threat that we are now experiencing in our time? Be sure to cast your vote in this month’s poll!

OUR APRIL POLL RESULT:

QUESTION: Which of these two Charlie Chan films better exemplifies the current coronavirus threat that we are now experiencing in our time?

The threat of the bubonic-infected rats in Dr. Grosser's laboratory (Charlie Chan in Panama) 79%

The threat of an enemy poison gas attack on Paris (Charlie Chan in City in Darkness) 21%

DO YOU HAVE A POLL QUESTION? Please feel free to suggest a Monthly Poll question! Send your ideas to: charliechanfamily@lyahoo.com.

OUR CCF CHAT ARCHIVE: Please take a look at our growing collection of CCF Chat Texts from previous years and this year: http://www.charliechan.info/id630.html

NEXT WEEK: Please join us on Monday, June 1, as we travel together on “Charlie Chan’s Murder Cruise.”

AND… DON’T MISS THIS GREAT CHARLIE CHAN BLOG!: Continuing strongly in 2020, great blog site, The Postman on Holiday, offered by our own Charlie Chan and Earl Derr Biggers expert, Lou Armagno which is: "A place to explore all things surrounding Detective Charlie Chan, his creator Earl Derr Biggers, and their connection with Hawaii, Cleveland, and mystery fiction." Updated each month, it can be found at this address: https://thepostmanonholiday.com/

THE CHARLIE CHAN FAMILY NEWSLETTER FOR THE YEAR 2019 REMAINS AVAILABLE! HonoluLou has edited and produced this year's recap of the past year, 2019, for all things Charlie Chan. This tour de force issue can be accessed at: https://thepostmanonholidayhome.files.wordpress.com/2019/12/2019-newsletter-master1-dec-28.pdf ENJOY!

SO, PLEASE JOIN US for this week’s Monday Evening Chat and Film Viewing as we join “Charlie Chan in Panama.”

THANK YOU SO MUCH…

Sincerely,

Rush Glick