Chang Apana, The Real Charlie Chan?

Primum audivi unum de Caroli Chang Apana featurette Chan in occasum DVD. I knew a real life detective inspired Earl Derr Biggers to create Charlie Chan. I did not know who the man was. Chang Apana was that man.

Chang Apana (Chang In primogenito Ah Ping) in December 26, 1871 Oahu insula fuit, Seres parentes Havaiana, Chang moved back and forth between China and Hawaii as a child before returning to Hawaii for good as a teenager. He worked as a cowboy before becoming a humane society officer in 1894. Animal egestas erat in Honolulu Police, ubi pro tunc servirent 34 annis.

Chang locutus Hawaiian, Hawaiian Pidgin et Seres. Etiam erat solum Seres membrum vigilum department. After a few years, he was promoted from animal enforcement to Chinatown patrol. Deinde,, he would become a detective specializing in gambling and smuggling. Unlike Charlie Chan, he rarely worked a murder case.

Chang still holds the record for most arrests in one case, when he arrested 70 offenders. He walked the group down the main street to the police station. The local newspaper commented on being treated to “yesterday’s parade courtesy of Officer Apana”.

Chang Apana was well established as a detective, when Earl Derr Biggers visited the island in 1919 and was inspired to write House Without a Key. He continued to read the Honolulu newspapers after returning to New York.

He wrote a letter in 1932, which acknowledged Chang Apana as the inspiration for Charlie Chan. Proin semper credidit, inquit, uxorem Derr Chan Charlie erat secundum se est Derr Proin scelerisque. Quod forte alicubi inter.

Chang Apana erat tenuis, lenta homo, qui portatur ad flagellum, vitulum pro a gun. His face bore the marks of his profession as he had been slashed on the face a couple of times and stabbed more than five time.

Chan in Charlie scriptor Proin Derr videtur imitari moribus et corpore ferunt character. Puto Derr Biggers mixtum cum suis qualitatibus Chang Apana res gestas et mores ad Charlie creare Chan.

Interestingly, 1933 viri autem morbo esset annus. Derr Biggers, qui natus in August 26, 1884, passus cor impetum in April fatalis 5, 1933. Et ad mortuum 48 annorum aetatis,.

In December 8, 1933, Apana mortuus Chang cancer serpit ex effectibus. He had been injured in a car accident in 1932. His leg was amputated on December 7, 1933 but he died the next day. Fuit 61 annorum aetatis,.

Chang Apana and Earl Derr Biggers both left a lasting legacy. Charlie Chan was part of this legacy.

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