Cobra Chan

THE SHANGHAI COBRA-1945-Charlie Chan is called in by an old friend to help stop “The Cobra Killer” who uses snake venom. All three victims worked for the same bank. Chan relates a flashback at the bombing of Shanghai when he assisted in the arrest of a murderer named Jan Van Horn who's disfigured during the bombings. Unfortunately Van Horn escaped and has a new face. The president of the bank Fletcher (Ray Gordon) seems a likely subject because of a white streak in his hair (Van Horn had one too). Chan also checks up on a stock of radium the bank has. Later he investigates PI Ned Stewart (James Cardwell) who was hired by a mysterious Mr. Rodgers to shadow a woman, Paula Webb (Joan Barclay) who seems to have some connection to a bank guard (Addison Richards). Then a police detective posing as a janitor (Cyril Delavanti) disappears. Morgan (Gene Roth) and Taylor (Joe Devlin) are two suspicious characters hanging around. Tommy (Benson Fong) and Birmingham Brown (Mantan Moreland) get into some trouble in the sewer beneath the bank but do help out a bit. After almost dying in a sewer cave-in Charlie exposes the ringleader. James Flavin and George Chandler have small roles.

Director Phil Karlson made DARK ALIBI the next year and later KANSAS CITY CONFIDENTIAL and THE PHENIX CITY STORY, a TV movie ALEXANDER THE GREAT with William Shatner & Adam West, two Matt Helm/Dean Martin entries and WALKING TALL.

Next up: DARK ALIBI:

https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/4609335177952045780/7392331601685477603?hl=en

Thanks for reading!