FROM CHARLIE CHAN: “Money talks.”

GREETINGS! This week, our adventure has Charlie Chan taking on a case in which he races against the clock to prove a condemned man’s innocence! Will he do so in time to save an innocent man from the hangman’s noose?

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 PRESENTATION: “Charlie Chan in London” (1934; 79 minutes); along with our “extra,” a Charlie Chan radio mystery, “Steamship Laconia Mystery - Murder in cabin 15. (15 minutes).

FEATURE INTRODUCTION: When a young Englishman, Paul Gray, is convicted of murder and sentenced to hang, his sister, convinced of his innocence, asks Charlie Chan, who is visiting London, to investigate and find the real murderer. To that end, Chan visits a large country manor house in England where the killing occurred. There are a number of suspects among the large group of fox hunters who are staying at the manor, and it soon becomes clear that the killer is still actively trying to avoid capture. Charlie Chan must work fast to discover the real murderer's identity and save Paul Gray from the gallows.

FEATURE NOTES: This was the first film in the Charlie Chan series that was not based on a particular novel by Chan's creator, Earl Derr Biggers. The ‘New York Times’ commented that this film, written by Philip MacDonald, a noted detective novelist himself, "maintains the Chan tradition." “Charlie Chan in London” is the second-oldest film in the Charlie Chan series that we have available to us today for viewing as the intervening three following “The Black Camel” (at his time the oldest existing title in the Charlie Chan series, as the initial picture in the series, “Charlie Chan Carries On” is considered lost as are “Charlie Chan’s Chance” (1932), “Charlie Chan’s Greatest Case” (1933), and “Charlie Chan’s Courage” (1934).

CAST (as credited):

Warner Oland: Inspector Charlie Chan
Drue Leyton: Pamela Gray
Raymond Milland: Neil Howard
Mona Barrie: Lady Mary Bristol
Alan Mowbray: Geoffrey Richmond
Murray Kinnell: Phillips (alias Captain Seton)
Douglas Walton: Paul Gray (incorrectly billed as Hugh Gray)
Walter Johnson: Jerry Garton
E. E. Clive: Detective Sergeant Thacker
George Barraud: Major Jardine
Madge Bellamy: Mrs.[Betty] Fothergill
David Torrence: Sir Lionel Bashford
John Rogers: Lake
Paul England: Bunny Fothergill
Elsa Buchanan: Alice Perkins
Perry Ivans: Kemp

UNCREDITED CAST (alphabetical):

Frank Baker: Police Officer
Arthur Clayton: Warden
Phillis Coghlan: Nurse
J.C. Fowler: Fox Hunter
Mary Gordon: Prison Matron
Helena Grant: Miss Judson
Claude King: RAF Commandant
Margarett Mann: Housemaid
Harold Miller: Manor Guest
Montague Shaw: Doctor
Reginald Sheffield: Commander King
Doris Stone: Manor Guest
Carlie Taylor: Manor Guest
FOR COMPLETE INFORMATION ON OUR FEATURE: Please go to http://www.charliechan.info/id24.html

TRIVIA: “Charlie Chan in London” is referenced in the 2001 mystery film “Gosford Park.” It is mentioned because a fictional Hollywood producer named Morris Weissman travels to Gosford Park to do research on British customs. Actor Alan Mowbray, a cast member in “Charlie Chan in London,” is also mentioned.

THIS WEEK’S IMAGE: Charlie Chan and Geoffrey Richmond look on as Detective Sergeant Thacker enters.



For a viewing of more than 500 images from ALL films in the Charlie Chan series, please visit our Gallery: http://www.charliechan.info/id448.html

IF YOU LACK A COPY OF OUR FILM: Often our features can be found online. GOOD NEWS, “Charlie Chan in London” IS AVAILABLE online! You may access it above at “THIS WEEK’S PRESENTATION” and also at our Chat Room as a link.

OUR MONTHLY POLL: Please take a moment to cast your vote in our January 2021 POLL, found as you scroll down our Entrance Page (http://www.charliechan.info/index.html)!

OUR DECEMBER POLL RESULT:

QUESTION: Which of these "warm locale" Fox Charlie Chan films would you choose to view to ease the chill of a winter's day?

The Black Camel 20%
Charlie Chan in Egypt 12%
Charlie Chan in Shanghai 0%
Charlie Chan in Honolulu 28%
Charlie Chan in Panama 28%
Castle in the Desert 12%
Please cast your vote in our JANUARY Poll before it closes!

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: TWO episodes from “Charlie Chan in Paris”

OUR CHARLIE CHAN FAMILY NEWSLETTER for this year!

This is our third annual Charlie Chan Family Newsletter! It contains the work of a number of Charlie Chan Family members and friends. Thank you so much to Lou Armagno, aka, HonoluLou, who has put together and published yet another masterpiece! Please use this link to access this year's newsletter which covers the year 2020. Please enjoy!

AND… DON’T MISS THIS GREAT CHARLIE CHAN BLOG!: AND… DON’T MISS THIS GREAT CHARLIE CHAN BLOG!: A great blog site, The Postman on Holiday, is 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: www.thepostmanonholiday.com

SO, REMEMBER, PLEASE JOIN US for this week’s feature, “Charlie Chan in London.”

THANK YOU SO MUCH…

Sincerely,

Rush Glick