He was an Oriental version of Sherlock Holmes, only with more humor and wisdom
Charlie Chan was amazingly popular over the course of two decades, spanning from the silent film era through the late 1940s. The Chan character combines mixture Sherlock Holmes detective work, Oriental wisdom and humerous expressions like "number two son." On the big screen, Chan's character was played by six different actors -- none of which were Chinese.
Chan also appeared in comics, comic books, radio shows and an antimated television series. Over the years Charlie Chan has been the subject of imitators as well as parodies, making an understanding of the series key to understanding a multitude of cultural references.
Best Charlie Chan Web Sites
Here's the best of the best, honorable fan.
- Charliechan.net
- Nice Flash site has listings of movies with corresponding Chan actors, bios of the actors, listing of #1 through #4 sons and their actors, history of the origins of the Chan series by Biggers, and a fan forum.
- Charlie Chan Family Home
- Offers a chat room & message board, bios of Chan actors, complete cast list, collection of still images, Chan chronology, glossary, archive of Chan Sunday comics, a list of Chan aphorisms (sayings) and more.
- Howard M. Berlin's Charlie Chan Movie Web Site
- A site by author and Chan historian Howard Berlin including links to articles by Berlin on various Charlie Chan topics.
- Charlie Chan, the enduring detective by Marv Lachman
- As Lachman so truely states for the British mystery fanzine CADS, "Except for Sherlock Holmes, Charlie Chan was once arguably the world's most famous detective." A good overview of Charlie Chan with a consise explanation of why Chan movies have been rejected by many because of negative stereotypes of Asians and Blacks.
- Charlie Chan Annex
- Detailed, home grown information about Chan actors and locations, as well as what the name Charlie Chan looks like in traditional Chinese characters.
Great Chan Links
Trivia, quizes and lists of Chan wisdom
- Charlie Chan Trivia Quiz
- How well do you know Chan trivia? Test yourself.
- Charlie Chan Comics Archive
- Read the Sunday Charlie Chan comic strip.
- The Complete Sayings of Charlie Chan
- From the Charlie Chan Family Home site.
Chat about Chan
Here are some places you can discuss Charlie Chan
CharlieChan.net Message Board
Charlie Chan Family Message Board
In addition, there are a number of Yahoo Groups related to Charlie Chan.
Also, consider becoming a fan of Charlie Chan on Facebook. You can post items on the Wall, start a discussion, or see who else is a fan. Humble Detective Subject of Twitter Tweets
Somebody's talking about Charlie Chan on Twitter
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- patriciaftw
- "Toby? Toby Wong? Toby Wong. Toby Chung? Charlie fucking Chan. I’ve got Madonna’s big dick comin’ out of..." http://tumblr.com/xim4ctqx7
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- ePatientDave
- An impossible sentence two yrs ago: RT @norskedoc [snip] VIkings and Favre rock! <="Contradiction please," to quote Charlie Chan :)
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- breakfasteater
- http://twitter.com/OfficialJuni breakfast = chineese food from Charlie Chan's ! Lol
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- OfficialJuni
- breakfast = chineese food from Charlie Chan's ! Lol
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- timyneutron
- finished eating dinner charlie chan,spaghetti meatballs nd yc pizza @ the hospital, still @ WARD7
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- gracedisgrace
- says Manhattan Meatlovers, Charlie Chan & Mojos. (mmm) Thank you @jericpo & friend LOL http://plurk.com/p/2strht
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- MateBBB
- Your letting klik klak, ding dong and charlie chan walk off with what's her face!! Goodbye pusscake!!
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- Doddskee
- Don't be a puss-cake & let your girl just run off with click-clack, ding-dong, & Charlie Chan over there!
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- carolinescover
- charlie chan pasta and hot wings :) mmmmm. yummeh. :P
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- Megaupload_Vids
- Charlie Chan at Treasure Island (1939) On Megaupload [MU] http://bit.ly/5dtBSM
Charlie Chan Movie Previews
Use these clips to get a flavor of Chan movies
Charlie Chan Movie Checklist
Check off which movies you've watched. Order the ones you haven't.
Hyperlinks in the list below will take you to the International Movie Database (IMDB) where you can view the writers, actors and plot summary for each movie.
After selecting your favorites, find Charlie Chan movies on Netflix to add to your queue, order a Chan DVD set through Amazon, or see what your local library (USA) has available for check out.
- The House Without a Key (1925)
- The Chinese Parrot (1927)
- Behind That Curtain (1929)
- Charlie Chan Carries On (1931)
- The Black Camel (1931)
- Charlie Chan's Chance (1932)
- Charlie Chan's Greatest Case (1933)
- Charlie Chan's Courage (1934)
- Charlie Chan in London (1934)
- Charlie Chan in Paris (1935)
- Charlie Chan in Egypt (1935)
- Charlie Chan in Shanghai (1935)
- Charlie Chan's Secret (1936)
- "Charlie Chan at the Circus (1936)
- Charlie Chan at the Race Track (1936)
- Charlie Chan at the Opera (1936)
- Charlie Chan at the Olympics (1937)
- Charlie Chan on Broadway (1937)
- Charlie Chan at Monte Carlo (1937)
- Charlie Chan in Honolulu (1938)
- Charlie Chan in Reno (1939)
- Charlie Chan at Treasure Island (1939)
- City in Darkness (1939)
- Charlie Chan in Panama (1940)
- Charlie Chan's Murder Cruise (1940)
- Charlie Chan at the Wax Museum (1940)
- Murder Over New York (1940)
- Dead Men Tell (1941)
- Charlie Chan in Rio (1941)
- Castle in the Desert (1942)
- Charlie Chan in the Secret Service (1944)
- The Chinese Cat (1944)
- Black Magic, also known as Meeting at Midnight (1944)
- The Jade Mask (1945)
- The Scarlet Clue (1945)
- The Shanghai Cobra (1945)
- The Red Dragon (1945)
- Dark Alibi (1946)
- Shadows Over Chinatown (1946)
- Dangerous Money (1946)
- The Trap (1947)
- The Chinese Ring (1947)
- Docks of New Orleans (1948)
- The Shanghai Chest (1948)
- The Golden Eye (1948)
- The Feathered Serpent (1948)
- The Sky Dragon (1949)
Charlie Chan on DVD
Order pizza. It's time for a movie marathon!
The Charlie Chanthology
Six of the best Charlie Chan movies featuring actor Sidney Toler as Chan
Charlie Chan and Political Correctness
Portrayls of minorities have limited Charlie Chan's popularity today
Several points are worthy of consideration as one reviews Charlie Chan movies from a cultural perspective. First, as journalist by Burl Burlingame stated in a recent article for the Honolulu Star Bulletin, "Is Chan a racist stereotype? Maybe. But he'll track down whoever killed you and solve the case." Secondly, with three dozen movies and a multitude of spin-offs in radio, comics and print, the character of Charlie Chan has made an indelible mark on our culture, well apart from the smaller number of negative ethnic portrayls in the movie seres. In fact, one must understand Charlie Chan to understand a wide range of references in television shows, commercials and parodies from the 1960s through today.
Hopefully, an upcoming revival of Charlie Chan on the big screen will help rehabilitate the Chan legend and allow movie goers to appreciate the deduction, wisdom and humor of Charlie Chan apart from these cultural issues of the past.
Charlie Chan Radio Drama
Listen in the car, your hospital room, or outer space
20 Classic Charlie Chan Detective Old Time Radio Broadcasts on DVD (over 6 Hours 35 Minutes running time)
Amazon Price: (as of 11/30/2009)![]()
Listen to Charlie Chan when you can't watch... or after you've watched everything!
Charlie Chan Film Encyclopedia
The Charlie Chan Film Encyclopedia
Amazon Price: $39.95 (as of 11/30/2009)![]()
An authoritative, definitive book of all things Chan. This should be on every fan's bookshelf where it can serve as ready reference during Chan movie marathons.
Charlie Chan's Words of Wisdom
Charlie Chan's Words of Wisdom
Amazon Price: $14.99 (as of 11/30/2009)![]()
Read the introduction by Howard Berlin to this book of Charlie Chan proverbs, wisdom and aphormisms. Then enjoy Chanisms such as "Always harder to keep murder secret than for egg to bounce on sidewalk."
Vote on Your Favorite Charlie Chan Saying
Memorize some for your next party (just don't overdo it)
Chalie Chan is known for his wise sayings. Vote on your favorite below using the up and down arrows, or add your own favorite using the button at the bottom of the list. Be sure to include what movie the proverb is from in parentheses. You can also view the complete list of Charlie Chan sayings or view or add sayings to the Wikiquote site (a division of Wikipedia).
If man places self in way of finger of suspicion, must not be surprised if he receive poke in the eye. (Charlie Chan in the Secret Service)
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Always pleasant journey which ends among old friends. (Charlie Chan's Courage)
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Books by Earl Derr Biggers
Read the original novels
Warner Oland
Chan in 16 films during the '30s
Warner Oland (October 3, 1879 - August 6, 1938) was a Swedish actor most remembered for his role as Charlie Chan.
Sidney Toler
Chan in 11 films from 1938-1942
Sidney Hooper Toler (April 28, 1874 ? February 12, 1947) was an American actor, playwright, and theatre director. Primarily Scottish ancestry, he was the second non-Asian actor to play the role of Charli...
Roland Winters
Starring as Chan in 6 films in the late 1940s
Roland Winters (1904-1989) was an American actor who portrayed Charlie Chan in six films....
Chang Apana - the Real Charlie Chan
The character of Chan was based on a real Hawaiian detective
Apana was a colorful character who carried a horse whip instead of a gun. He joined the Police Force in 1898 and became a detective in 1916. He worked to combat opium smuggling and illegal gambling with particular success due to his fluency in multiple languages and ability to develop informers.
The first Chan novel was published in 1925. Derr Biggers acknowledged Chang as the inspiration for his character in a letter to the Honolulu Advertiser in 1932, the year Apana retired from the police force. He died a year later.
A video biography of Chang Apana is included on some DVD editions of Charlie Chan movies.
Charlie Chan in Popular Culture
Charlie Chan, the Animated Series
Charlie Chan Stuff from CafePress
Wise fan buy cool stuff featuring #1 detective
Comments & Feedback
What's your favorite Chan movie? Favorite saying? Something we overlooked? Give us your rating for this page (above) and your feedback or suggestions (below):
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Reply
- Timewarp Timewarp May 5, 2009 @ 2:43 pm
- Cool lens, I came over from the forums to see what the twitter module was all about.
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Reply
- mysticmama mysticmama Apr 14, 2009 @ 8:35 pm
- very fun...I used to watch these with my grandpa when I was a little kid...thanks for bringing back those great memories 5*
Charlie Chan T-Shirts on eBay
Wear Chan for the world to see
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The latest listing from eBay
Fetching new data from eBay now... please stand byGreat Online Encylopedia Wikipedia Has Wise Words about Detective Charlie Chan
Charlie Chan is a fictional Chinese-American detective created by Earl Derr Biggers in 1923 for a novel published in 1925. Biggers conceived of the character as an alternative to Yellow Peril stereotypes; unlike such villains as Fu Manchu, Chan is portrayed as non-threatening and benevolent. However, he is also portrayed as portly and asexual, and while Chan often encounters racism, he does not always speak openly against it.
Over four dozen films featuring Charlie Chan have been made, beginning in 1926. The character was at first portrayed by Asian actors, and the films were met with little success. In 1931, the Fox Film Corporation cast Swedish actor Warner Oland as Chan in Charlie Chan Carries On; the film was a success, and Fox went on to produce 15 more Chan films with Oland in the title role. Following Oland's death, Scottish American actor Sidney Toler was cast as Chan; Toler made 22 Chan films, first for Fox and then for his own Monogram Studios. After Toler's death, six more films were made, starring Roland Winters. In addition, a number of Spanish- and Chinese-language Chan films were made during the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s, and American Chan films were shown in China, where the character was popular and respected. More recent film adaptations, in the 1990s, have been unsuccessful. The character has also been featured in several radio programs, two television shows, and a number of comics.
The character has, however, been controversial, with some critics and commentators arguing that Chan portrays Asians in a positive light and others arguing that the character is an offensive stereotype. Those who take the former view argue that Chan is portrayed as intelligent, benevolent, and honorable, in contrast to most depictions of Chinese at the time the character was created. Others argue that Chan, despite his good qualities, is one-dimensional, and that, further, Chan is portrayed as effeminate and subservient to whites while the film version of the character has only been successful when portrayed by white actors.
Collect Chan Comics
For those who want to collect a unique niche within comics and movie history
Fetching new data from eBay now... please stand byCharlie Chan Movie Posters
Own your own classic Chan lobby poster
New Charlie Chan movie planned for 2011
A new Chan movie (IMDB entry) tentatively is scheduled for release in 2011 based on a screenplay by Michael Dougherty and Dan Harris. The granddaughter of a renown detective makes a name for herself in the world of crime-busting.
The review site Rotten Tomatos explains Lucy Liu will play Chan.


























