Mystery & Crime Series 30's & 40's (3 Viewers)

[Bob Gu]

TV Boston Blackie had a lovely traveling companion in Lois Collier, and also had an odd looking sportscar that would have not looked out of place on Rocky Jones...Space Ranger.

 

[Mysto]

TV Boston Blackie also had a lovely traveling companion in Lois Collier, and also had an odd looking sportscar that would have not looked out of place on Rocky Jones...Space Ranger.

Great controversy of what car this was on the internet. Based on discussions and pictures - I'm going with a Willys. My grandma had a Willys but it looked nothing like BB's car.

For another great car check out the movie Topper.

1936 Buick Special.

 

[ponset]

BOSTON BLACKIE was also a popular radio series.

1944 Summer series started the movie actors.
Chester Morris as Blackie.
Lesley Woods as Mary.
Richard Lane as Inspector Faraday.

When the series returned in the spring of 45, a whole new cast of actors were used.
Richard Kollmar as Blackie.
Jan Minor as Mary.
Maurice Tarplin as Inspector Faraday.

This series lasted until the summer of 49.

Over 200 episodes were produced.

 

[Jeff Flugel]

Yes, it's the radio series that I remember best. Have yet to see a Boston Blackie movie...but would like to!

 

[Mysto]

Yes, it's the radio series that I remember best. Have yet to see a Boston Blackie movie...but would like to!

Good Evening Jeff -
I know you know this but your post reminded me to post a blurb about the website archive.org. as it's a place that has BB movies, TV and radio broadcasts as well as many others.

archive.org is a website devoted to preserving public domain materials. I have mentioned it several times in my posts. They have many things but for the purposes of this thread they have movies, tv and radio broadcasts FREE for legal download. Many of these materials are almost impossible to get anywhere else because being public domain no one wants to care for them. Most of these are not of high enough quality for large projection (although it has happened) but at least you get a chance to view.

This website is a great place to start to see if you enjoy many of these series and if you do then you can purchase non pd items (or in some cases higher quality) from appropriate sources.

When you use the site - use the search not the wayback machine searchbar at the top of the page. You can then filter for movies, etc.
Save the "B"s.

 

[Jeff Flugel]

Hi Marv! Thanks for the reminder about archive.org. Good info!

What have you been viewing this past week on your home theater screen? I've been too busy with work (and tired in the evenings) to spin many films recently, but have been slowly working my way through some British TV stuff, some of it mystery-related, an episode or so at a time.

 

[Mysto]

Hi Marv! Thanks for the reminder about archive.org. Good info!

What have you been viewing this past week on your home theater screen? I've been too busy with work (and tired in the evenings) to spin many films recently, but have been slowly working my way through some British TV stuff, some of it mystery-related, an episode or so at a time.

Been watching your posts on the Brit stuff - I like a lot of it as well. I hope you get some rest soon - so much to watch.
Last night we finally got to watch This is Cinerama - I originally saw it as a school outing when I was a kid.Night before was Disney night, Cinderella.
Also this week a Sarah Keate movie While the Patient Slept - I may write that series up next.
We're also trying to catch up on TV - finishing up on Deception and catching up on Elementary.
And our "in bed" just before we watch the news viewing this week has been Hollywood - the BBC series on silent movies.

 

[Jeff Flugel]

Been watching your posts on the Brit stuff - I like a lot of it as well. I hope you get some rest soon - so much to watch.
Last night we finally got to watch This is Cinerama - I originally saw it as a school outing when I was a kid.Night before was Disney night, Cinderella.
Also this week a Sarah Keate movie While the Patient Slept - I may write that series up next.
We're also trying to catch up on TV - finishing up on Deception and catching up on Elementary.
And our "in bed" just before we watch the news viewing this week has been Hollywood - the BBC series on silent movies.

Some good stuff there. This is Cinerama is a lot of fun, and the Blu-Ray looks great! I have that Warner Archive Horror/Mystery Double feature set that has Mystery House and The Patient in Room 18 (with Ann Sheridan as Sarah Keate), but haven't got around to watching them yet.

 

[Matt Hough]

Hollywood - among the greatest TV documentaries ever made. I never tire of watching the segments.

 

[Mysto]

Sarah Keate

While the Patient Slept
The Murder of Dr. Harrigan
Murder by an Aristocrat
The Great Hospital Mystery
The Patient in Room 18
Mystery House

The Mystery about the Sarah Keate Mystery Series is … is it really a series?

Author Mignon G. Eberhart birthed Sarah Keate (nurse amateur detective) in 1929 but it wasn’t until 1935 when she premiered in her first movie. This series was probably spawned by the success of the RKO Hildigard Withers films. The set-ups were similar with a layman female detective (Withers a school teacher and Keate a nurse) each with a working relationship of sorts with the police. The Keate novel preceded Withers by two years but hit the screen 3 years later.

But the series movies are not the same. Sarah’s situation/position changes from film to film – her role in the solving of the crime changes (she just mostly helps in the first two but solves the next) - her police/detective accomplice changes or in some cases is almost non existent – the film studio changes once – heck even her name changes. In addition to all that, out of six films there are five different actors in the role. It turns out this tenuous link isn’t that uncommon in the mystery series world. The Philo Vance & Bulldog Drummond series are loosely connected and the Mike Hammer and Phillip Marlowe series are really only related by the protagonist.

At the top of this post is the picture of the first movie with Aline MacMahon -Sarah Keate - in While the Patient Slept. Here are the rest:

Murder of Dr. Harrigan – Kay Linaker – Sally Keating

Murder by an Aristocrat – Sally Keating – Marguerite Churchill

Great Hospital Mystery - Jane Daarwell – Sarah Keats
20th Century Fox All the others were Warner Bros

Patient in Room 18 & Mystery House - Ann Sheridan - Sara Keate

I have found all of the Sarah Keate films quite watchable. Some have a stronger mystery element than others. As is the case with many of these B movies, there is a fair amount of comedy, they are short and move along nicely. Each has its own unique personality except for the matching last pair. Although they vary in story quality, I have enjoyed them all and have watched each one at least twice. While they aren’t Hildegard Withers or Miss Marple – they were worth the view and they might be for you too.

It's fun to see that Guy Kibbee as Police Lance O'Leary is highlighted in the first trailer but he disappears from the next film (both Guy and O'Leary) but Sarah carries on.



The first – While the Patient Slept and the last two - Patient in Room 18 and Mystery House are available from Warner Archive. The others show up from time to time on TCM and are available from DVD alternate sources (just Google them).

 

[Matt Hough]

Marv, you're providing a valuable service with this information. I've never HEARD of these, much less seen them, but I'll be on the lookout for them now.

 

[Mysto]

Marv, you're providing a valuable service with this information. I've never HEARD of these, much less seen them, but I'll be on the lookout for them now.

Thank You. That is very kind of you Matt.
I have gotten a lot of joy out of these old series so I thought I would share the fun. There are only about 5 people that post in here so I hope there are others that are getting some good out of these posts.
Besides I enjoy the chit chat that goes with it.

 

[Mysto]

BOSTON BLACKIE was also a popular radio series.

1944 Summer series started the movie actors.
Chester Morris as Blackie.
Lesley Woods as Mary.
Richard Lane as Inspector Faraday.

When the series returned in the spring of 45, a whole new cast of actors were used.
Richard Kollmar as Blackie.
Jan Minor as Mary.
Maurice Tarplin as Inspector Faraday.

This series lasted until the summer of 49.

Over 200 episodes were produced.

I'm sorry was late on this reply - I wanted to ask if you are an OTR fan or just like the Boston Blackies.
I'm old enough that I remember when radio and TV co-existed. You would watch Jack Benny and he would plug his radio show and vice versa. Loved Lone Ranger, Amos and Andy, and Inner Sanctum (but didn't love the nightmares)
I used to travel for work and that's when I got my OTR listening in. Great that so much of it still exists.

 

[Mysto]

Yet another reason to go to archive.com. Doing a little research on a series I ran across pdf files of the Harrison's Reports there. For those of you that have never seen one - these are movie news and reviews that were done at the time of release. Covers late 20's to early 60's. Covers a wide range of movies. Fascinating reading.

 

[ponset]

I'm sorry was late on this reply - I wanted to ask if you are an OTR fan or just like the Boston Blackies.
I'm old enough that I remember when radio and TV co-existed. You would watch Jack Benny and he would plug his radio show and vice versa. Loved Lone Ranger, Amos and Andy, and Inner Sanctum (but didn't love the nightmares)
I used to travel for work and that's when I got my OTR listening in. Great that so much of it still exists.

Yes, I LOVE listening to Old Time Radio.
Admittedly BOSTON BLACKIE is not one of my favorites to listen too. Its OK once in a while.
My Favorites show are:
WESTERNS: Gunsmoke, The Six Shooter(Jimmy Stewart), Fort Laramie, and Frontier Gentlemen.
DETECTIVES: Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar, Philip Marlowe, Sam Spade, Dragnet,.
COMEDY: Jack Benny, Phil Harris-Alice Faye Show, Jack Carson Show, The Great GIldersleeve.
OTHER: X-Minus One, SUSPENSE, ESCAPE, The Whistler.

 

[Mysto]

Charlie Chan

Warner Oland

Charlie Chan Carries On
The Black Camel
Charlie Chan’s Chance
Charlie Chan’s Greatest Case
Charlie Chan in London
Charlie Chan in Paris
Charlie Chan in Egypt
Charlie Chan in Shanghai
Charlie Chan’s Secret
Charlie Chan at the Circus
Charlie Chan at the Race Track
Charlie Chan at the Opera
Charlie Chan at the Olympics
Charlie Chan on Broadway
Charlie Chan at Monte Carlo

Sidney Toler

Charlie Chan in Honolulu
Charlie Chan in Reno
Charlie Chan at Treasure Island
City of Darkness
Charlie Chan’s Murder Cruise
Charlie Chan at the Wax Museum
Charlie Chan in Panama
Murder Over New York
Dead Men Tell
Charlie Chan in Rio
Castle in the Desert
Charlie Chan in the Secret Service
The Chinese Cat
Meeting at Midnight (Black Magic)
The Jade Mask
The Red Dragon
The Scarlet Clue
The Shanghai Cobra
Dangerous Money
Dark Alibi
Shadows Over Chinatown
The Trap

Rowland Winters

The Chinese Ring
The Docks of New Orleans
The Shanghai Chest
The Golden Eye
The Feathered Serpent
The Sky Dragon

I have avoided the elephant in the room for a while because there is so much in this series, but here goes. I hope the length is not too objectionable.

Sherlock Holmes may be the best known detective and Agatha Christie may be the Queen of Crime but for a B movie mystery series the king is Charlie Chan.


This Asian detective was a box office favorite in the 30’ and 40’s. In many cases, although a “B”, it was the reason people went to the theater not the A headline pix . Charlie Chan is not an action hero. He doesn’t carry a gun and doesn’t fist fight or kung-fu. Charlie Chan is a real detective and these stories are mysteries. Unlike many other movies in this genre we have to follow the clues to find out “who dunnit” at the end and many of them are well hidden and very surprising. Charlie was a solo at first but in later films was accompanied by a family member(s), usually a son.

Because these films are so well known – I thought it would be fun to do the rest of this review as a quiz. See if you can guess the answers as we go along.

1. Earl Derr Biggers wrote the first Charlie Chan story House Without a Key in 1925. How many Charlie Chan novels did he write and how many movies were made?

2. Was Charlie Chan purely fiction or based on a real life person?

3. The Charlie Chan movies have the dubious distinction of having some of the truly lost sound films. Can you name the lost film(s) in the series?

4. Three actors played Charlie Chan in the talkie series. Can you name them? (No fair looking back)

5. A running gag in the CC movies was his very large family. How many were in his family?

6. In many of the movies, Charlie was assisted by members of his family, usually his sons. Can you name the sons and the actors that played them?

8. The CC movies were produced at two different studios. Can you name them?

9. The Chan films were so popular they spawned two Asian detective copies. What were they?

10. In recent years, the Chan films have suffered from controversy. Do you know the two major complaints?

Answers:

1. Earl Derr Biggers wrote the first Charlie Chan story House Without a Key 1925. How many Charlie Chan novels did he write and how many movies were made?

A massive 44 movies makes this one bigger than James Bond and among the largest continuous movie series of all time. The creation of Earl Derr Biggers, Charlie came on the scene in the novel, House Without a Key 1925. There were only six novels total but they spawned one of the most memorable crime solvers of all time.



These are only the movies considered part of the series and does not include the two silent films House without a Key 1926 and The Chinese Parrot in 1927 (both lost films). And we have not included Behind that Curtain 1929. In that film Charlie Chan makes a brief appearance when the film is almost over. Most people consider the real series start with the films of Warner Oland. (Charlie Chan Carries On – a Lost film) There have also been later use of the characters, There was a 39 episode TV series in the late 50’s with J. Carrol Naish, a failed TV pilot with Ross Martin, a cartoon series, and a spoof – Charlie Chan and the Curse of the Dragon Queen with Peter Ustinov.

2. Was Charlie Chan purely fiction or based on a real life person?

Mr. Biggers’ inspiration for Charlie Chan came from real life detective Chang Apana based in Honolulu, Hawaii. There is a book about it: Charlie Chan: The Untold Story of the Honorable Detective and His Rendezvous with American History by Yunte Huang.

3. The Charlie Chan movies have the dubious distinction of having some of the truly lost sound films. Can you name the lost film(s) in the series?

Four of the first five Warner Oland Films were lost in the great 20th Century Fox film storage fire in 1937. These do not include the first two silent films also lost.

Charlie Chan Carries On – Although there is a Spanish Language version Erin Trece with a different cast

Charlie Chan’s Chance

Charlie Chan’s Greatest Case

Charlie Chan’s Courage

4. Three actors played Charlie Chan in the talkie series. Can you name them?

Warner Oland
Warner played Charlie in 16 films. He was an alcoholic, was in the midst of a divorce, suffered a nervous breakdown and walked off the set during the unfinished Charlie Chan at Ringside. (Parts of the film already shot were used in Mr. Moto’s Gamble.) Shortly thereafter the divorce was completed and he returned to his native Sweden and within the year died.

Sidney Toler
Sidney starred in 22 films. He was diagnosed with cancer and completed his last three films in pain and so weak he could barely walk. His last film was The Trap and he died less than a year after its release.

Roland Winters
Roland Winters completed the series with 6 films. By the time he took over, times were changing, and the lack in production values at Monogram Studios were really showing. The last film The Feathered Serpent finished in 1948 but Rowland Continued to work into the early 1980’s.

5. A running gag in the CC movies was his very large family. How many were in his family?

A wonderful part about Charlie Chan is his history – his past. After a few films we really felt we knew him. Although we only see the family together in a couple of films, in many others we see pictures of the massive brood. When the movies started he had 12 kids but at the end he had a whopping 14.

6. In many of the movies, Charlie was assisted by members of his family, usually his sons. Can you name the sons and the actors that played them?

The first three were the frequent players and the ones we remember.

Lee Chan #1 Son played by Key Luke in Warner Oland Films. 8 films + 2 with Winters

Jimmy Chan #2 Son played by Victor Sen Yung 13 films. He became Tommy Chan in Winters films

Tommy Chan #3 Son played by Benson Fong 6 Films.

#4 Eddie Chan – Edwin Luke

#5 Tommy Chan (he went from 5 to 3 to 2 don’t try to figure it out) - Layne Tom Jr. who was also Charlie Jr. and #7 Willie Chan.

Once in a while we were graced with the pretty addition of the female part of the clan.

#1 Daughter – Ling Florence Ung

#2 Daughter – Iris Wong

Francis Chan – Francis Chan

7. In many of the movies, there was an African American helper (usually a chauffer). They added comedy and helped with story line explanations. How many of them can you name?

The one we all remember was the wonderful Mantan Moreland as Birminghan Brown but there were a couple of others

Stepin Fetchit played Snowshoes in CC goes to Egypt

Willie Best played Chattanooga Brown in The Red Dragon

8. The CC movies were produced at two different studios. Can you name them?

Charlie Chan was born at Fox later 20th Century Fox. When 20th Century Fox was going to end the series, after Castle in the Desert, Sidney Toler (the then current Chan) bought the rights and took it to Monogram where it became one of their most successful franchises.

9. The Chan films were so popular they spawned two Asian detective copies. What were they?

Mr. Moto with Peter Lori

Mr. Wong with Boris Karloff

Many film historians claim that many other B detective series not with Asians still used the Charlie Chan film model as it was so successful.

10. In recent years, the Chan films have suffered from controversy. Do you know the two major complaints?

Charlie Chan was really the first positive Asian roll model in American films. Prior to him, Asians in American movies were shown as servants or villains.

When Warner Oland visited China he was welcomed and addressed as “Mr. Chan”. Not long after they made a CC series of their own, copying the idiosyncrasies of the American Chan. But in recent times, some Asian Americans (most notable George Takei) have complained about the Charlie Chan films. The two complaints are: He was not played by an Asian and the character is a racist stereotype.

Fellow HTF poster Brian Camp (Prado) wrote a well thought out article on non Asians playing Asians:

https://briandanacamp.wordpress.com/2016/11/01/asian-detectives-in-1930s-hollywood/

Jon L. Breen wrote a great article on the complaint at the Mystery Scene – you can read it here:

https://www.mysteryscenemag.com/blog-article/119-charlie-chan-the-case-of-the-reviled-detective

My general feeling about all of this – much is a tempest in a tea pot. As far as stereotypes – yes Charlie spoke with halting (never pigeon) English, he was very polite (unless facing a criminal) and spouted proverbs but that was his stichk just like Poirot was a dandy and Monk was compulsive. These are traits that made him interesting and different from all the other detectives. How can people complain that CC reinforced stereotypes when his sons (who were all played by Asians) were as American as apple pie? It’s all piffle to me. As far as being played by non-Asian, that’s the way it was done in the 1930’s. That horse has already left the barn. Hopefully we do better in the 21st century.

I really don’t mind if some people disapprove – DON’T WATCH THEM but don’t be a book burner. Leave history alone and let others make up their own minds – you don’t decide what we can purchase or watch.

I love this series. I have watched all of them multiple times (many are on my over 10 times list). I hope that someday they will be released in Blu Ray. For now you can watch many on Youtube and all are available on DVD in pretty good quality on Amazon.

 

[Matt Hough]

An entertaining and informative quiz. Thanks for going to the trouble to do this.

 

[Mysto]

An entertaining and informative quiz. Thanks for going to the trouble to do this.

I'm glad you enjoyed it Matt. It was fun to do. How else would I have found out that the series with the most movies is... wait for it...Hopalong Cassidy at 66. I never would have guessed.

I found places on the net that claimed film series like Godzilla but they aren't even close. I guess if it's old it's not worth considering.

 

[Mysto]

Brass Bancroft

Secret Service of the Air
Code of the Secret Service
Smashing the Money Ring
Murder in the Air

How often do you get to see a president in your B movie? Well here’s your chance – it’s Ronnie Regan as Secret Service agent Brass Bancroft. These are not mysteries, but crime action thrillers. Brass along with his “humorous” sidekick “Gabby Watters” (Eddie Foy Jr.) stops human trafficking, counterfeiting, and espionage to make America safe again. Great film these are not. More like mini serials, a series of deadly circumstances that Brass manages to escape in a nick of time. Last night we watched the lowest rated of the series, Code of the Secret Service. Actual Treasury printing plates for $10's and $20's have been stolen. They need paper, so they know the crooks must bleach dollar bills and reprint on them to make perfect counterfeits. There is an agent that has tracked them to south of the border and Brass is sent to help get the bad guys and the plates. Action train segment - check. Jumping from train – check. Horse chase – check. Car chase – check. Barely escaping explosion – check. Getting handcuffed to a beautiful girl – check. Being shot and saved by a book in your pocket – check (say what!). And all of this in about an hour - quick programmers from the Saturday Matinee days. If you enjoy the simplicity of the old B action serials you should enjoy Brass, just understand this is not literature, it’s action. Sometimes the action is pretty good – sometimes it’s silly but it’s always happening. Eddie Foy is not too funny in these – probably the worst sidekick in any of these series for me. The copies, on the other hand, from Warner Archives are pretty nice, projected well and the set of four is currently going for only about $20. I enjoyed the view, taking them for what they are, but these are movies that I will not re-visit for a while.

 

[Mysto]

The B movie collector's Lament

Well I just got a package from Nostalgia Merchant. My existing collection of Ellery Queen movies was almost unwatchable. I found a listing and it said "New and Updated" and "Collector's will appreciate this new collection." It came in a nice case with a copyright notice and everything. Let me say it is utter crap. These deficient copies are copies of copies made from poor 16mm prints that have seen much better days.
It is so sad that with so many of these films now in PD and other Orphans that the copyright owners don't care about or expect BIG bucks from, that they are dying and soon may no longer exist or buyers may no longer exist.

We take a lot of shots at Warner Archives but compared to other materials - they are a blessing. At least when you buy one, you know you are getting the best available. I wish the other copyright holders would go the same way and someone would rescue the PD films.

Well as I get off my soapbox and end the rant - we resume our normal program.
I hope you all are enjoying the reviews - we get very little feedback or discussion so it is hard to tell.