The Charlie Chan Family Message Board
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FROM CHARLIE CHAN: “Death one appointment we must all keep, and for which no time set.” (Docks of New Orleans)
VIRGINIA JOHNSON (1952-2021):
Virginia Lea Johnson
June 5, 1952 - May 8, 2021
Fort Worth, Texas
“Virginia Lea Johnson passed away on Saturday, May 8, 2021, at the age of 68. She was born June 5, 1952, in Fort Worth, Texas, the third of six children. She is survived by her sister and four brothers, as well as a host of nieces and nephews.”
Virginia had been a part of our Charlie Chan Family for two decades. I had been in contact with her until, it turns out, just before her passing, when her phone was suddenly inactive. Our family was in the midst of a big change in our lives, and my hope was that I would suddenly hear from Virginia at some point. Sadly, this was not to be. A few days ago, after I had mentioned to HonoluLou my concerns about Virginia, he located the obituary which I have shared above.
For the first years of her participation at our Monday evenings, Virginia was almost always joined by her mother, Becky. The two of them, especially when we engaged in “voice chat,” never failed to add their vibrant personalities to our gatherings! Sadly, in a couple of years, Becky passed away, but Virginia carried on with her unique Texan resolve, and, to be sure, Virginia was a true, no-nonsense Texan in every way! During this time, Virginia cared for her step-father, Don, for several years until he too, passed on. This began a time of hardship in Virginia’s life, when circumstances led to her no longer having the ability to join our Monday evening chat gatherings. However, she remained with us in spirit, always asking me to say “Hi” to everyone, and occasionally adding a virtual snack to her “Virtual beverage Cart,” a feature which older-timers to our chats will remember!
It is never too late to keep Virginia in our thoughts and prayers. May she have found the peace which sadly eluded[R1] her during her final years...
AND SO, FOLLOWING SADNESS, WE MOVE FORWARD WITH…GREETINGS: We join Charlie Chan and his “multitudinous family” as Mr. and Mrs. Chan await the birth of their first grandchild! However, it is a rough road for the detective and Number Two Son, Jimmy as a murder takes precedence!
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
We Begin our evening at 7:30 Eastern Time with a 45-minute time for arrivals and greetings. During this time, we also have the opportunity to engage in open dialogue or perhaps an impromptu sharing of a short video upon request! Then, at precisely 8:15, we begin our feature film simultaneously starting our personal or online copies of this week’s feature!
THIS WEEK’S PRESENTATION: “Charlie Chan in Honolulu” (1939; 68 minutes; Production: October 31 to late November 1938; Previewed: Grauman's Chinese Theatre, Hollywood, California, December 16, 1938).
FEATURE INTRODUCTION: A murder is committed on the passenger freighter ‘Susan B Jennings,’ as it reaches Honolulu. After a circuitous route to the docked ship, Charlie Chan learns that the murdered man's identity is a mystery and that secretary Judy Hayes is the only eyewitness to the fatal shooting. The rest of the freighter's passengers include animal keeper Al Hogan, Mrs. Carol Wayne, psychiatrist Dr. Cardigan, criminal Johnny McCoy, and police detective Joe Arnold, who is taking McCoy back to the U.S. from Shanghai. Another person is murdered and $300,000 has gone missing.
FEATURE NOTES: This film was the first in which Sidney Toler appeared as Charlie Chan. According to a ‘Hollywood Reporter’ news item, associate producer John Stone had chosen Toler to be the successor to Warner Oland, who had played Chan from 1931 until his death in 1938, after seeing him play a Chinese character in the Paramount film “King of Chinatown.” Toler was the thirty-fifth actor tested for the role, with ‘Hollywood Reporter’ noting that others considered for the role included Leo Carrillo, Cy Kendall, and J. Edward Blomberg who appeared in “Charlie Chan on Broadway” (1937). Toler continued to play Chan until his death in 1947. This was also the first film in which Sen Yung played Jimmy Chan. Yung had replaced Keye Luke, who had portrayed Lee Chan in earlier entries in the series. Luke left the series after Oland's death, when he and Twentieth Century-Fox disagreed on his new contract. According to ‘Hollywood Reporter’ news items, the search for Luke's replacement was "frantic," and led to casting director James Ryan seeking applicants among the Los Angeles university students and Chinatown residents. The ‘New York Times’ had speculated that “Charlie Chan in Honolulu” would cost $300,000 to produce, and that Toler would receive $15,000 per Chan film. Many reviewers applauded Toler's and Yung's performances and noted that followers of the series would be satisfied with the new actors. The ‘Motion Picture Herald’ review remarked on the novelty of a Chan film being previewed at Grauman's Chinese Theatre, and stated that the December 16, 1938 showing was very well received by the "top-ranking executives, the most sought after reviewers and commentators and invited guests" who attended. According to a ‘Hollywood Reporter’ news item, Richard Lane was originally signed to play the "romantic lead" opposite Phyllis Brooks. A tribute to Warner Oland appears in the film “Mr. Moto's Last Warning,” starring Peter Lorre. During that picture's production in August 1938, cast and crew learned of Oland's passing in his native Sweden while on the final leg of a tour of Europe. Oland was set to resume his role as Charlie Chan upon his return in a film that was to have been “Charlie Chan in Honolulu.” In one scene during a quick passing shot over the title "Charlie Chan in Honolulu," starring Warner Oland, on the bill of the Sultana Theatre of Variety, they placed the banner "Last Day."
CAST (as credited):
Sidney Toler: Charlie Chan
Phyllis Brooks: Judy Hayes
Sen Yung: James [Jimmy] Chan
Eddie Collins: Al Hogan
John King: [Chief Officer George] Randolph
Claire Dodd: Mrs. Carol Wayne (alias Mrs. Elsie Hillman)
George Zucco: Dr. Cardigan
Robert Barrat: Captain Johnson
Marc Lawrence: Johnny ["Mac"] McCoy
Richard Lane: Joe Arnold
Layne Tom, Jr.: Tommy Chan
Philip Ahn: Wing Foo
Paul Harvey: [Chief] Inspector Rawlins
UNCREDITED CAST (alphabetical):
Richard Alexander: Tough Sailor with Cigar
Martin Cichy: Crewman
Ruth Clifford: Nurse
David Dong: Chan Son
Frank Dong: Chan Son
James Flavin: Desk Officer
Grace Hayle: Stout Woman
Allan Hoo: Chan Son
Eugene Hoo: Chan Son
Frances Hoo: Chan Daughter
Hippie Hoo: Chan Daughter
J. Anthony Hughes: Doctor
Grace Key: Mrs. Chan
Al Kikume: Police Officer
Faye Lee: Number Four Chan Daughter
Margie Lee: Number Five Chan Daughter
Arthur Loft: Peabody
Shirley Louie: Telephone Operator
Mike Morelli: Stevedore
Anton Northpole: Crewman
James Pierce: Police Officer
Constantine Romanoff: Stanislav Usepopokovski
James Spencer: Hawaiian Peddler
Florence Ung: Ling
Blue Washington: Crewman
Billy Wayne: Crewman
Iris Wong: Number Two Chan Daughter
Barbara Jean Wong: Number Three Chan Daughter
Sinclair Yip: Older Chan Son
THIS WEEK’S IMAGE: Charlie Chan and Number Two Son, Jimmy, with animal keeper Al Hogan.
IF YOU LACK A COPY OF OUR FEATURE: Often our features can be found online. CONTINUED GOOD NEWS! Our feature IS available through the link provided at our Chat Room.
OUR MONTHLY POLL: Please take a moment, before it closes at the end of this month, to cast your vote in our MARCH 2022 POLL, right here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/DSV6RPV
LAST MONTH’S POLL RESULT: To see our March Poll result as well as ALL of our polls going back to 2003, please use this link: http://www.charliechan.info/id93.html
NEXT WEEK (May 2): Please join us as we continue our Charlie Chan Film Tour 2022 with a shared viewing of “Charlie Chan in Reno.”
AND, AS ALWAYS… 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
OUR 2022 CHARLIE CHAN FAMILY NEWSLETTER!
This year’s Charlie Chan Family Newsletter, chronicling the year 2021, is now available! Thank you so much, Lou, for your continued, masterfully hard work and dedication! It can be accessed at the following link:
https://thepostmanonholidayhome.files.wordpress.com/2021/12/2021-newsletter-lou-final.pdf
AND, FINALLY, REMEMBER: PLEASE JOIN US for this week’s feature “Charlie Chan in Honolulu.”
AS ALWAYS: THANK YOU SO MUCH…
Sincerely,
Rush Glick
