Aloha Charlie!

CHARLIE CHAN IN HONOLULU-1939-This is the first Chan portrayal by Sidney Toler who took over the role after the first series regular Warner Oland died in 1938.The murder mystery takes place mostly on a cargo ship full of circus animals. The story coincides with a sub-plot of the birth of Chan’s first grandchild. The opening scene features Charlie, his wife and their 13 children eating dinner. Victor Sen Young is No. 2 son Jimmy who tries to solve the ship board murder before “Pop” even gets there. He gets some help from No. 5 son Willie (Layne Tom Jr., who’s character should have been in more of the series). George Zucco is at his eerie and eccentric best as Dr. Cardigan, a mysterious scientist with a human brain in his cabin!

Phyllis Brooks (who’s also in the later CC in Reno), John “Dusty” King (who later became a Western star for Monogram), Eddie Collins, Claire Dodd and Marc Lawrence also star. Phillip Ahn (who was actually of Korean descent) plays Chan’s nervous son in law.

This was the only Chan/Toler film directed by H. Bruce Humberstone who had directed three previous ones with Oland.

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