FROM CHARLIE CHAN: “Humble presence of no more importance than one drop of rain in cloudburst.”

GREETINGS! In a film that began as “Charlie Chan at the Ringside,” Mr. Moto “substitutes” for Charlie Chan as a criminology teacher that is attended by Number One Son, Lee. Action soon follows!

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: “Mr. Moto’s Gamble” (1938; 72 minutes); along with our “extra,” a Charlie Chan radio mystery, “The Landini Murder Case: Who Killed Dr. Swan?”. (1936; 15 minutes).

FEATURE INTRODUCTION: When the #1 heavyweight contender is mysteriously poisoned during a bout, Moto knows that identifying the gambler who placed large bets against him is the key to solving the murder. (IMDb)

FEATURE NOTES: “Mr. Moto’s Gamble” had begun production as “Charlie Chan at the Ringside” in January of 1938, but work was halted when the Warner Oland walked off the set on the 17th of that month. According to news items, there was a dispute between Oland and the studio. Reportedly suffering from a nervous breakdown, Oland spent the month of February in a hospital. In March, having significantly recovered, he signed a contract with Twentieth Century-Fox to make three more Charlie Chan films. It was agreed that the actor would take a break and sail to Europe, and then begin shooting the next Charlie Chan movie, “Charlie Chan in Honolulu,” upon his return. However Oland contracted a fatal case of bronchial pneumonia while visiting the country of his birth, Sweden, passing away on August 6, 1938.

CAST (as credited):

Peter Lorre: Mr. Moto
Keye Luke: Lee Chan
Dick Baldwin: Bill Steele
Lynn Bari: Penny Kendall
Douglas Fowley: Nick Crowder
Jayne Regan: Linda Benton
Harold Huber: Lt. Riggs
Maxie Rosenbloom: Wellington
John Hamilton: Philip Benton
George E. Stone: Connors
Bernard Nedell: Clipper McCoy
Charles Williams: Gabby Marden
Ward Bond: Biff Moran
Cliff Clark: McGuire
Eddie Marr: Sammy (as Edward Marr)
Lon Chaney Jr.: Joey
Russ Clark: Frankie Stanton
Pierre Watkins: District Attorney
Charles D. Brown: Editor

UNCREDITED CAST (alphabetical):

Carol Adams: Tourist
Leon Alton: Boxing Spectator
Irving Bacon: Sheriff Tuttle
Al Bain: Trainer
Brandon Beach: Boxing Spectator
Edward Biby: Boxing Spectator
James Blaine: Policeman
Stanley Blystone: Policeman
Gary Breckner: Announcer
Don Brodie: Ticket Seller
George Chandler: Boxing Spectator
Chester Clute: Ticket Theft Victim
James Conaty: Boxing Spectator
Bing Conley: Second
Russell Custer: Boxing Spectator
Pete De Grasse: Fighter
Dick Dickinson: Knock-Out Timer
Lester Dorr: Reporter
Ralph Dunn: Detective
Edward Earle: Medical Examiner
Dick Elliott: Kansas City Gambler
Matty Fain: Detroit Gambler
Frank Fanning: Turnkey
Paul Fix: Gangster
George Ford: Boxing Spectator
Allen Fox: Reporter
Dick French: Reporter
Arthur Gardner: Elevator Boy
Jack Gargan: Usher
Joe Gray: Fighter
Harrison Greene: Cleveland Gambler
Sherry Hall: Ticket-Taker
Eddie Hart: Policeman
Tommy Herman: Fighter
Olin Howland: Deputy Sheriff Burt
Gladden James: Cashier
Fred Kelsey: Mahoney
Carl M. Leviness: Boxing Spectator
Stanley Mack: Usher
Wilbur Mack: St. Louis Gambler
George Magrill: Policeman
Allen Mathews: Handler
Mike Mazurki: Bit Part
Frank McGlynn Jr.: Detective
Larry McGrath: Referee
Lucille Miller: Boxing Spectator
Adrian Morris: Policeman
Charles Morton: Student
David Newell: Detective
Franklin Parker: Reporter
Bob Perry: Referee
Bob Reeves: Detective
Dick Rich: Pickpocket Detail Cop
Matty Roubert: Elevator Boy
Gloria Roy: Detroit Gambler's Moll
Robert Ryan: Policeman
Syd Saylor: Hotel Desk Clerk
Lee Shumway: Policeman
Edwin Stanley: Doctor
Landers Stevens: Doctor
Jack Stoney: Kid Grant
Harry Strang: Policeman
Brick Sullivan: Detective
Charles Sullivan: Handler
Dan Tobey: Fight Announcer
Emmett Vogan: Fingerprint Man
Max Wagner: Thug

FOR COMPLETE INFORMATION ON OUR FEATURE: Please go to https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0030470/?ref_=ttfc_fc_tt

TRIVIA: Mr. Moto mentions the partial title for this film as it was originally planned as a Charlie Chan movie, “Charlie Chan AT THE RINGSIDE.”

THIS WEEK’S IMAGE: Lee Chan, Lt. Riggs, and Mr. Moto “at the ringside.”



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 FILM: Often our features can be found online. CONTINUED HAPPINESS! “Charlie Chan at Monte Carlo” 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 APRIL 2021 POLL, right here: APRIL 2021 Poll

OUR MARCH POLL RESULT:

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

Lt. Macy (“Charlie Chan at the Circus”) 14%
Sgt. Kelly (“Charlie Chan at the Opera”) 43%
Sheriff “Tombstone” Fletcher (“Charlie Chan in Reno”) 43%

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

NEXT WEEK: “Charlie Chan in Honolulu”

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, “Mr. Moto’s Gamble.”

THANK YOU SO MUCH…

Sincerely,
Rush Glick