FROM CHARLIE CHAN: “All play and no work make Charlie Chan very dull policeman.” (“Charlie Chan at the Olympics”)

GREETINGS! On Monday, March 29, Charlie Chan races across two oceans and a continent to reach Germany ahead of the liner carrying the U.S. Olympic team. There, he meets with Number One Son, Lee, a member of the team, as the duo trod a very dangerous path dotted with murder and espionage! THEN, the following week, on April 5, as Charlie Chan and Lee return home following the Olympic Games, they stop over in New York City, landing themselves into a net of political corruption and murder!

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:

March 29 - “Charlie Chan at the Olympics” (1937; 71 minutes); along with our “extra,” a Charlie Chan radio mystery, “The Landini Murder Case: The Premature Corpse”. (1936; 15 minutes).

March 29 - “Charlie Chan on Broadway” (1937; 65 minutes); along with our “extra,” a Charlie Chan radio mystery, “The Landini Murder Case: Blackmail”. (1936; 15 minutes).

FEATURE INTRODUCTION: “Charlie Chan at the Olympics” - During flight tests over Honolulu an experimental airplane is hijacked and its pilot murdered. When the missing plane is chanced upon by Charlie Chan and son Charlie, Jr., it is discovered that the new guidance device, designed to allow military planes to fly unmanned, is missing. The detective traces the strategically important invention to the summer Olympic Games in Berlin, where spies, enemy agents, and other criminals are trying to obtain it, intent on selling it to another government. Chan's son, Lee, a member of the U.S. Olympic swim team, is on hand to help his father recover the device and solve the mystery.

FEATURE NOTES: “Charlie Chan at the Olympics” - This film contains newsreel footage of the dirigible “Hindenburg” which exploded only two weeks before the release of “Charlie Chan at the Olympics,” as well as several highlights of the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games, including a sequence featuring American runner Jesse Owens participating in the 4x100 relay. John Carradine is listed as a cast member in ‘Hollywood Reporter’ production charts, but his participation in the final film has not been confirmed.

CAST (as credited):

Warner Oland: Charlie Chan
Katherine De Mille: Yvonne Roland
Pauline Moore: Betty Adams
Allan Lane: Richard [Dick] Masters
Keye Luke: Lee Chan
C. Henry Gordon: Arthur Hughes
John Eldredge: Cartwright
Layne Tom, Jr.: Charlie Chan, Jr.
Jonathan Hale: Hopkins
Morgan Wallace: Honorable Charles Zaraka
Fredrik Vogeding: Captain Strasser
Andrew Tombes: Police Chief [E.R.] Scott
Howard Hickman: Dr. Burton

UNCREDITED CAST (alphabetical):

Luigi Beccali: Himself (1500 Meters Gold Medalist, Italy) (archive footage)
Bill Beggs
Brooks Benedict: Henchman
Stanley Blystone: New York Police Officer
Walter Bonn: Berlin Police Radio Car Officer
Don Brody: Navy Radio Announcer
Frank Bruno: Footman
Glen Cavender: Berlin Police Radio Car Officer
George Chandler: Ship's Radio Operator
Glenn Cunningham: Himself (1500 Meters Silver Medalist, U.S.A.) (archive footage)
Foy Draper: Himself (Third U.S.A. 4x100 Meter Relay Team Member) (archive footage)
Constant Franke: Attendant
Arno Frey: Carlos
Hans Fuerberg: Berlin Police Radio Officer
Theresa Harris: Black U.S.A. Olympic Athlete Cheering for Jesse Owens
O.G. "Dutch" Hendrian: Miller
Ben Hendricks: Coast Guard Officer
David Horsley: Edwards
Selmer Jackson: Navy Commander Wright
Hans Joby: Berlin Police Radio Car Officer
Edward Keane: Colonel Webster
Al Kikume: Honolulu Police Radio Officer
Tommy Klein: Page Boy
John Lovelock: Himself (1500 Meters Gold Medalist, New Zealand) (archive footage)
Earle Meadows: "Richard Masters" Pole Vaulting (archive footage)
Tony Merlo
Ralph Metcalfe: Himself (Second U.S.A. 4x100 Meter Relay Team Member) (archive footage)
Phillip Morris: New York Police Officer
Louis Natheaux
Virgil B. Nover: Sign Language Expert
Jesse Owens: Himself (First U.S.A. 4x100 Meter Relay Team Member) (archive footage)
Paul W. Panzer: Berlin Undercover Officer Posing as Snack Vendor
John Peters: Berlin Police Radio Officer
Caroline "Spike" Rankin: Honolulu Hotel Landlady
Fritz Schilgen: Olympic Torch Runner (archive footage)
Ferdinand Schumann-Heink: Officer on the Hindenberg
Perry E. Seeley: Sign Language Expert
Lee Shumway: New York Teletype Division Police Officer
Minerva Urecal: Gang Member Posing as Olympics Dormitory Matron
Dale van Sickel
Emmett Vogan: Ship's Radio Officer
William von Brincken: Berlin Police Officer Posted as a Guard
Billy Wayne: Ship's Steward Guarding Stateroom
Frank Wycoff: Himself (Fourth U.S.A. 4x100 Meter Relay Team Member) (archive footage)
FOR COMPLETE INFORMATION ON THIS FEATURE: Please go to http://www.charliechan.info/id32.html

TRIVIA: The naval ship seen briefly in the search footage is the U.S.S. “Preble” (DD-345)

TERM: filibuster - An adventurer who engages in a private military action in a foreign country.

Hopkins: "He's a notorious filibuster..."

AN IMAGE FROM “CHARLIE CHAN AT THE OLYMPICS”: (Attached) Among the gathering at Chief Scott's office, Hopkins points out that Arthur Hughes' name is on the passenger list of the Clipper flight that departed for the mainland that morning.



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

IF YOU LACK A COPY OF OUR FILMS: Often our features can be found online. CONTINUED HAPPINESS! “Charlie Chan at the Opera” and “Charlie Chan on Broadway” ARE AVAILABLE online! You may access either one 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 MARCH 2021 POLL, right here: APRIL 2020 POLL

OUR MARCH POLL RESULT:

QUESTION: Which of these police officials was the most helpful to Charlie Chan?

Inspector Duff (“Charlie Chan Carries On,” “Charlie Chan's Murder Cruise”) 13%

Inspector Nelson (“Charlie Chan on Broadway”) 7%

Chief of Police Souto (“Charlie Chan in Rio”) 60%

Lt. Mike Ruark (“The Shanghai Chest,” “The Golden Eye,” “The Sky Dragon”) 20%

Sheriff Mack 0%

DO YOU HAVE A POLL QUESTION? You are invited 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/id830.html

FEATURE INTRODUCTION: “Charlie Chan on Broadway” - Billie Bronson, having left the country hurriedly a year earlier when sought as an important witness in a political scandal, has returned to New York City to "blow the lid off the town." Later, Billie is mysteriously murdered and Charlie Chan is summoned from a police banquet in his honor. While seeking a motive for her murder, a second killing is discovered in the hotel room of Chan and son Lee. A package is missing from the detective's trunk and it is realized that it must have contained Billie Bronson's inflammatory diary. Chan must piece together a string of clues in order to find the killer.

FEATURE NOTES: “Charlie Chan on Broadway” - Thomas Beck is listed as a cast member in early Hollywood Reporter cast charts, but his participation in the final film is doubtful.

CAST (as credited):

Warner Oland: Charlie Chan
Keye Luke: Lee Chan
Joan Marsh: Joan Wendall
J. Edward Bromberg: Murdock
Douglas Fowley: Johnny Burke
Harold Huber: Inspector [James] Nelson
Donald Woods: Speed Patten
Louise Henry: Billie Bronson
Joan Woodbury: Marie Collins
Leon Ames: Buzz Moran
Marc Lawrence: Thomas Mitchell
Tashia Mori: Ling Tse
Charles Williams: Meeker
Eugene Borden: Louie

UNCREDITED CAST (alphabetical):

Victor Adams: Gangster
Norman Ainsley: Steward
Sam Ash: Waiter
James Blaine: Detective
Esther Brodelet: Dancer
Don Brodie: Reporter
Harry Burns: Policeman
Allan Cavan: Doorman
Lon Chaney, Jr.: Desk Reporter
Jack Clifford: Detective
Harry Depp: Candid Camera Snapper
Lester Dorr: Photographer
Jack Dougherty: Policeman
Eddie Dunn: Policeman
Carl Faulkner: Policeman
Sidney Fields: Porter
James Flavin: Detective
Allen Fox: Reporter
George Guhl: Smitty, Policeman
Charles Haefeli: Pickpocket
Creighton Hale: Reporter
Sherry Hall: Reporter
Chuck Hamilton: Policeman
Beulah Hutton: Telephone Operator
William Jeffrey: Coroner
Kenner G. Kemp: Candid Camera Photographer at Hottentot Club
Robert Lowery: Reporter
Robert Middlemass: Police Official
Art Miles: Porter
Philip Morris: Customs Officer
Billy O'Brian: Copyboy
Paddy O'Flynn: Photographer
Henry Otho: Detective
Franklin Parker: Reporter
George Regas: Hindu
Cyril Ring: Candid Camera Photographer at Hottentot Club
Don Rowan: Policeman
Gloria Roy: Hat Check Girl
Lee Shumway: Policeman
Edwin Stanley: Laboratory Expert
Monte Vandergrift: Detective
Blue Washington: Doorman at Hottentot Club
Billy Wayne: Reporter
Allen Wood: Bellhop
FOR COMPLETE INFORMATION ON THIS FEATURE: Please go to http://www.charliechan.info/id33.html

TERM: Hottentot - (1) A Khoikhoin. (2) Any of the Khoisan languages spoken by the pastoral people of Namibia and South Africa.

Billie Bronson: "The Hottentot Club."

AN IMAGE FROM “CHARLIE CHAN ON BROADWAY”: (Attached) As Charlie Chan looks on, Inspector Nelson questions Buzz Moran.


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

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/id830.html

IN TWO WEEKS (April 12): “Charlie Chan at Monte Carlo”
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: 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 our features for the next two weeks, “Charlie Chan at the Opera” and “Charlie Chan on Broadway.”

THANK YOU SO MUCH…

Sincerely,

Rush Glick