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Posts about films which played first on a double bill between 1931 and 1949.
Charlie Chan in the Secret Service (1944) is the first Charlie Chan film produced by Monogram Pictures. Sidney Toler reprises his role as Inspector Charlie Chan. After Twentieth-Century Fox decided to cancel the series after Castle in the Desert (1942), Sidney Toler bought the production rights. He successfully shopped the rights for the series to Monogram. Sidney Toler made eleven
Sherlock Holmes in Washington (1943) is the third (affiliate link) of twelve Universal Picture productions of the Sherlock Holmes franchise. Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce starred as Holmes and Watson respectively in two films for Twentieth-Century Fox and twelve more for Universal Pictures. This film is again set in the 1940s. Holmes and Watson have traveled to Washington, D.C. to
Charlie Chan at Treasure Island (1939) (affiliate link) is the third Twentieth-Century Fox film starring Sidney Toler as Charlie Chan. Inspector Chan and Jimmy Chan, played by Victor Sen Yung, are flying to the San Francisco World Exposition in 1939 as the film opens. The bumpy ride is making Jimmy very nervous. Also on the flight is Charlie’s friend Paul
The series of the Charlie Chan films starring Warner Oland were probably the strongest films in the Charlie Chan series. Sidney Toler made several good films also but eventually the series would become low-budget “B” films produced by Monogram Pictures. Charlie Chan’s Secret (1936) (affiliate link) was one of the earlier Twentieth-Century Fox films about Charlie Chan. The production values
The Black Camel (1931) is the oldest surviving Charlie Chan film (affiliate link) starring Warner Oland. It was the second film in the series for Fox Films. The first, third, fourth and fifth films are lost although a Spanish language version of Charlie Chan Carries On (Eran Trece, 1931) does exist. The Black Camel was released on June 21, 1931.
I first heard about Chang Apana in a featurette on one of the Charlie Chan DVD sets. 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 (born Ah Ping Chang) on December 26, 1871 on the island of Oahu was
Charlie Chan at the Wax Museum (1940) starring Sidney Toler as Charlie Chan is my favorite Charlie Chan film. Charlie Chan is searching for a murderer in a wax museum. The wax museum is a front for a plastic surgeon, who changes the appearance of wanted criminals for a price. The surgeon Dr. Cream, played by C. Henry Gordon, also hosts
Eran Trece (1931) is the Spanish language version of Charlie Chan Carries On. Charlie Chan Carries On has not survived or at least has not been found yet, so this film (affliliate link) gives us our only look at the lost film. While it was based on the same story, the film had a completely different cast. Charlie Chan does
Charlie Chan in Panama (1940) stars Sidney Toler as Inspector Charlie Chan. In this film, Inspector Chan is on the trail of the spy Riner. Riner intends to carry out an act of sabotage, when the American fleet passes through the canal. Inspector Chan experiences an unusual situation, when he is arrested for the death of an American agent in
This movie is the first in a series (affiliate link) of six films from Monogram Pictures released between 1938 and 1940. The series was a “B” formula film offering. The film would have been shown first on a double bill. The first five films starred Boris Karloff as Mr. James Lee Wong, while in the sixth film Keye Luke portrayed