LYCOS RETRIEVER 
Warner Oland: Charlie Chan
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Hollywood's favorite Asian sleuth (Warner Oland) is on hand for this collection of perplexing mysteries. "Charlie Chan in London" (1934) finds Chan teaming up with a Scotland Yard detective (who insists on calling him "Mr. Chang") in order to solve a murder at an English estate. E.E. Clive, Ray Milland co-star. Chan tracks down a gang of counterfeiters operating in the maze of sewers beneath the City of Lights, in "Charlie Chan in Paris" (1935). With Keye Luke as #1 son, Lee.
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Warner Oland was the first notable Charlie Chan. He was born in Sweden in 1880 and by the time he assumed the role of Charlie Chan, he had many years of experience as an actor. He played the character Chan from 1931-1938.
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Toler's Chan, rather than merely mimicking the characterthat Warner Oland had portrayed, had a somewhat sharper edge that was well suited for the rapid changes of the times, both political and cultural, that were on the horizon. Charlie Chan now directed well-intentioned sarcasm, usually toward his son Jimmy, when needed. However, there was never any doubt of the love that existed between father and son. Although Mr. Chan might hurl a stinging barb, moments later he could often be seen offering loving comfort.
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At Honolulu Charlie Chan (Warner Oland) sees a plane guided by remote control that Cartwright (John Eldredge) invented. The pilot Edwards is murdered, and Chan and his young son find the plane with the device removed. Chan finds employee Miller murdered, and Hopkins (Jonathan Hale) suspects Arthur Hughes (C. Henry Gordon). Pilot Richard Masters (Allan Lane), Yvonne Roland (Katherine DeMille), and Hughes are on a boat from New York with Olympic athletes that include Lee Chan (Keye Luke). Chan, Hopkins, and Cartwright take planes and the Hindenburg blimp to meet the boat at Hamburg.
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Warner Oland returns as wily, philosophical oriental detective Charlie Chan in this expensive-looking series entry. This time, Chan follows the trail of clues when a "respectable" Honolulu businessman sidelining in blackmail and other unsavory activities is murdered. Like the earlier Black Camel, the film was made virtually in its entirety in Hawaii, save for a brief expository scene in San Francisco. Alas, this is one of four "Chan" films that apparently no longer exist, but stills and existing publicity material indicate that it was an elaborate production, faster-paced than usual, with Heather Angel attractively garbed in a swimsuit in most of her scenes. A few outtakes of Charlie Chan's Greatest Case were preserved for a Fox Studios "blooper" reel, showing Warner Oland reacting in hilarious rage as he muffs his lines. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
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Following the death of Warner Oland, Twentieth Century-Fox began the search for a new Charlie Chan. Thirty-four actors were tested before the studio made their decision to choose Sidney Toler. Twentieth Century Fox announced their choice on October 18, 1938, and filming began less then a week later on Charlie Chan in Honolulu a film that had been originally scripted for Warner Oland and Keye Luke.
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