As this topic has come up during our Weekly Chats for many years, I have finally started to compile the "sayings" and witticisms of our beloved assistant to Charlie Chan, Birmingham Brown. Thus far, I have completed the entry of material from the first three Charlie Chan films from Monogram Pictures: "Charlie Chan in the Secret Service," "The Chinese Cat," and "Black Magic" ("Meeting at Midnight"). You can find the entries placed just after Charlie Chan's aphorisms and "other worthy statements" for each of these films. Just click on the link to "The Films" at the top of each page, or go to our Directory and click on "The Films of Charlie Chan" Then, scroll down, and click on the link to each movie!
In transcribing Birmingham's dialogue, I tried to capture his distinctive style of speech, and It is my hope, during these hyper-sensitive times, that this will be taken as it was intended: out of a deep fondness for both the character as well as for Mantan Moreland, a comic genius, whose presence in these films added so much to the enjoyment of audiences two generations ago as well as to that of viewers today!
