The text of our Charlie Chan Family Chat for November 25, 2024
Feature: Mr. Wong, Detective
Note: Boris Karloff’s birthday
Chat Number: 1,283
Extra:
Boris Karloff – This Is Your Life (1957) complete version
Participants:
Barbie Dahl
Elron
Godwinshelley
hounder
Paul Minturn
Rush
tenman
11-25 18:04
Rush:
11-25 18:05
Rush:
Good evening, Elron! Welcome back! I will be back a little later….see you then!
11-25 18:27
Elron:
Hey Rush! how are you doing?
did you start the program?
11-25 18:27
Rush:
Hello, Elron!
How are you and how have you been?
11-25 18:28
Elron:
Doing well. I know its been a long time. I am off this week.
11-25 18:28
Rush:
We start the movie in 45 minutes, but we will start our extra in about 15 minutes.
11-25 18:29
Rush:
Well, GREAT to have you here!
we will be watching a Mr. Wong movie tonight.
11-25 18:29
Elron:
nice! Wish they made more Mr. Wong movies
11-25 18:29
Rush:
The extra, which I will post the link to here, is a “This is Your Life” TV episode with Boris Karloff.
11-25 18:30
Elron:
nice.
11-25 18:30
Rush:
That would have been great if they had made more!
11-25 18:30
Elron:
I have that cued right now.
11-25 18:30
Rush:
They were all made while Chan movies were still being made at Fox.
11-25 18:31
Rush:
The extra runs about 25 minutes, so we will start it at about 20 before the hour.
11-25 18:32
Rush:
8 minutes…
It may only be a few of us at the start of the extra…
11-25 18:32
Elron:
Just when i am about to have dinner too. But I will stick around as long as I can. Have to love the time changes. It was better when I was on 3 hours behind NY.
11-25 18:33
Rush:
AH! That is similar for me!
I was on Pacific time till 2021 when we moved to Iowa.
11-25 18:34
Elron:
oh. That would have worked for me.
11-25 18:34
Rush:
11-25 18:34
Rush:
5 minutes…
11-25 18:35
Rush:
Most people arrive just before the feature starts….
WAY most!
11-25 18:35
Elron:
This extra no one should miss. 
11-25 18:36
Rush:
I agree.
11-25 18:37
Rush:
Boris Karloff – This Is Your Life (1957) complete version
I think you will like this one!
11-25 18:37
Rush:
2 minutes…
11-25 18:38
Elron:
ok.
11-25 18:38
Rush:
We see Karloff in “CC at the Opera”
11-25 18:39
Rush:
And we also see him in the 1929 “Behind That Curtain.”
50 seconds…
40 seconds…
11-25 18:40
Rush:
30 seconds…
25….
20…
15…
10…
5…
ENJOY!!!
11-25 18:40
Barbie Dahl:
Hello Rush!👋🏻
11-25 18:40
Elron:
looks good for being 1957. I wasn’t even born then.
11-25 18:41
Barbie Dahl:
Hello Elron👋🏻
11-25 18:41
Elron:
Hello Barbie!
11-25 18:41
Rush:
Hello, BD!
We just started the extra!
Please join us!
1:20 in…
WELCOME to you!
11-25 18:42
Barbie Dahl:
Yes, I’m in. Tome not showing up but that’s ok.
11-25 18:42
Rush:
The link is above…
11-25 18:43
Barbie Dahl:
Yes, chatting with one phone and watching with another.
11-25 18:43
Rush:
AH!
11-25 18:45
Rush:
I always mention this, but my uncle was a member of Karloff’s rugby team in Los Angeles, back in the ’30s.
11-25 18:45
Barbie Dahl:
Kewl!
11-25 18:46
Elron:
sweet. did he get a picture with Karloff?
11-25 18:46
Rush:
If he did, I never saw it.
11-25 18:46
Elron:
awwww
11-25 18:46
Barbie Dahl:
Karloff was one of the founders of SAG
11-25 18:46
Elron:
SAG?
11-25 18:47
Barbie Dahl:
Screen Actors Guild
11-25 18:47
Rush:
AH!
11-25 18:47
Elron:
Any of his offspring acting now?
11-25 18:50
Rush:
A unique gift.
11-25 18:51
Barbie Dahl:
He can mount it on his bathroom door, sure to touch it every day!😝
11-25 18:51
Rush:
He “paid his dues”!
11-25 18:52
Rush:
Maybe he did!
11-25 18:55
Rush:
He looks a lot like Leo Gorcey’s dad!
11-25 18:55
Barbie Dahl:
Yes
11-25 18:57
Barbie Dahl:
What a treat it would have been to see him in Arsenic and Old Lace. Great movie!
11-25 18:58
Barbie Dahl:
His role was duplicated in the movie by Raymond Massey
11-25 19:00
Rush:
It is nice to see how humble Baris Karloff was.
11-25 19:01
Barbie Dahl:
Class act 👌🏻
11-25 19:03
Rush:
There you go, BD!
Card number 9 of SAG.
11-25 19:04
Barbie Dahl:
Yup. Bela Lugosi was also an early member, too.
11-25 19:04
Paul Minturn:
good evening
11-25 19:04
Rush:
And, there we have it!
11-25 19:05
Elron:
yeah! that was good.
11-25 19:05
Rush:
Next, we will have our feature, “Mr. Wong, Detective”….
11-25 19:05
Barbie Dahl:
Hello Paul 👋🏻
11-25 19:05
Rush:
As we note Boris Karloff’s birthday this evening.
11-25 19:06
Rush:
WELCOME, Paul!
9 minutes till our feature….
11-25 19:06
Barbie Dahl:
Happy Birthday to the great Boris Karloff!
11-25 19:06
Rush:
Yes!
11-25 19:06
Rush:
FEATURE NOTES:
The plot of “Mr. Wong, Detective” provided the basis of the story for the Charlie Chan picture, “Docks of New Orleans.”
11-25 19:06
Barbie Dahl:
Bela Lugosi had SAG card #28
11-25 19:07
Rush:
AH! TYSM, BD!
11-25 19:07
Barbie Dahl:
Yes, the two scripts are “eerily” similar!😝
11-25 19:07
Rush:
Indeed!
11-25 19:08
Barbie Dahl:
They got lazy with Docks of New Orleans, basically just changed the names to protect the innocent, so to speak. Lol
11-25 19:08
Rush:
So, that is another reason we watch this film each year, so close to our “screening” of “Docks of New Orleans”!
11-25 19:08
Godwinshelley:
Happy Karloff birthday to you all
11-25 19:08
Rush:
AH! WELCOME, GS!!!
11-25 19:08
hounder:
hi everyone. Happy birthday Boris
11-25 19:08
Barbie Dahl:
Hello Godwinshelley!👋🏻
11-25 19:08
Rush:
Welcome to YOU….Hounder!!!
11-25 19:09
Barbie Dahl:
Hello Hounder!👋🏻
11-25 19:09
Rush:
If you have never seen it, I humbly suggest you watch tonight’s extra later!
5 minutes to go….
11-25 19:09
Godwinshelley:
I believe the Mr Wong stories are public domain and you can find them
11-25 19:09
Barbie Dahl:
It was very kewl!
11-25 19:10
Godwinshelley:
I think the author was Hugh Wiley (or something similar)
11-25 19:10
Rush:
If you need a link to tonight’s movie….
11-25 19:11
Rush:
4 minutes…
11-25 19:11
hounder:
if i don’t remember later Happy Thanksgiving to all
11-25 19:11
Barbie Dahl:
Yes! Happy Thanksgiving to everyone! 🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃
11-25 19:11
Rush:
Oh, YES!
11-25 19:11
Elron:
Happy Thanksgiving to all!
11-25 19:12
Godwinshelley:
I found 6 Chan dvds at a thrift store – selling dvds at 5 for a dollar!! Weird mix – Black Camel, Race Track, Dead Men Tell, City in Darkness, Castle in the Desert, & Wax Museum
11-25 19:12
Rush:
May everyone have a very HAPPY Thanksgiving!!!!
3 minutes…
11-25 19:12
Elron:
Nice Godwinshelley!
11-25 19:12
Rush:
GREAT find, GS!!!
11-25 19:12
Barbie Dahl:
Good score, GS!
11-25 19:12
Rush:
I am always on a similar lookout!
11-25 19:12
tenman:
Hola!
11-25 19:13
Rush:
2 minutes….
11-25 19:13
hounder:
nice gs
11-25 19:13
Rush:
Everyone ready?
11-25 19:13
Elron:
yep
11-25 19:13
hounder:
ready
11-25 19:13
Godwinshelley:
They were from 20th Century Fox Cinema Archive individually boxes
Yes
11-25 19:13
Rush:
90 seconds…
11-25 19:13
tenman:
Amazing find, GS
11-25 19:14
Rush:
75 seconds…
60 seconds…
11-25 19:14
Barbie Dahl:
The 42 Chan dvd collection I got works well except for the monster movies dvd. I’m hoping the seller will send me a working disc, had Dracula, Frankenstein, the Wolfman, the mummy and invisible man. All the Universal greats.
11-25 19:14
Rush:
50 seconds…
40 seconds…
30 seconds…
11-25 19:14
Barbie Dahl:
The extra Sherlock Holmes one works, too.
11-25 19:14
Rush:
25…
20…
15…
10…
11-25 19:15
Rush:
5…
GO!!!
Title….
Music…
CREDITS….
11-25 19:16
Rush:
“Mr. Wong, Detective” (1938; 69 minutes)
Nice opening….
11-25 19:17
Rush:
Remember, this movie’s plot was the basis for “Docks of New Orleans” nearly ten years later!
Tenman!!!
WELCOME!
11-25 19:17
Godwinshelley:
We were watching Edward Robinson in “Illegal” today and my husband said, didn’t that actor play a detective in a chan movie too!
11-25 19:17
Barbie Dahl:
Almost word for word and scene for scene
11-25 19:17
Rush:
Yes.
11-25 19:18
Barbie Dahl:
Hello Tenman!👋🏻
11-25 19:18
Paul Minturn:
hey GS…i got my confirmation for Summer Monsterbash
11-25 19:18
Rush:
That one actor looks similar to George Raft!
“Perry White” again!
11-25 19:18
Barbie Dahl:
Yes, like a younger brother
11-25 19:18
Godwinshelley:
I saw that Paul. I have a hotel room reserved but haven’t bought my tickets yet
11-25 19:18
tenman:
Hola! I can’t believe you got a cd with all the Universal great monsters!
11-25 19:18
Rush:
No matter the year, he always looked the same to me!!!
11-25 19:18
Barbie Dahl:
Perry White
11-25 19:19
Rush:
11-25 19:19
Godwinshelley:
Perry White was in Maltese Falcon – saw that last night
11-25 19:19
Rush:
We see some of Karloff’s versatility here…
YES!
One of my favorite movies!
11-25 19:19
Barbie Dahl:
Unfortunately, Tenman, the Universal Monsters disc isn’t readable so I’m hoping the seller will send me a new one.
11-25 19:20
Rush:
I REALLY like “The Big Sleep,” though!
11-25 19:20
Godwinshelley:
Love the bookstore sequence in that
11-25 19:20
Rush:
YES!
And the mood set by the rain storm.
11-25 19:21
Godwinshelley:
More food in Wong films than Chan
11-25 19:21
Rush:
I like Mr. Wong’s exquisite food suggestions here!
11-25 19:21
tenman:
BD, I’m just amazed they made it! What a find!
11-25 19:22
Barbie Dahl:
Hold that almond duck order.
11-25 19:22
Rush:
Recall the same basic scene in “Docks”!
11-25 19:23
Barbie Dahl:
It was disappointing because I had brought the set to a friend’s house and after a couple of Sherlock Holmes movies we were gonna watch Dracula.
11-25 19:23
hounder:
..
11-25 19:23
Rush:
Here comes the contract change!
Don’t sign!
11-25 19:24
tenman:
Always sounded fishy to me, like an invitation to be murdered
11-25 19:24
Barbie Dahl:
Then we watched about four Charlie Chan movies and turned her 22 yo son onto them,he enjoyed CC very much.
11-25 19:24
Rush:
Exactly, TM!
11-25 19:25
Rush:
Wonderful, BD!
11-25 19:25
Rush:
“And, don’t call me CHIEF!”
11-25 19:25
Barbie Dahl:
They ripped him off. Can’t blame him for being so mad.
11-25 19:26
Rush:
They sure did!
11-25 19:26
Barbie Dahl:
These flat feet walk in lockstep
11-25 19:26
Rush:
11-25 19:27
Barbie Dahl:
11-25 19:28
Barbie Dahl:
I think I’m fast, what’s the time Rush?
11-25 19:28
Rush:
You may be a little ahead, BD…but you are correct!
11-25 19:28
Godwinshelley:
Barbie did you join the HP Lovecraft Historical Society?
11-25 19:28
Rush:
maybe about 30 seconds?
11-25 19:29
Rush:
a
11-25 19:29
Barbie Dahl:
No, not yet, GS.
Time check!
11-25 19:29
Rush:
She should be more upset about the sudden death!
14:50
15:00
11-25 19:30
tenman:
a piece of gloss. What??
11-25 19:30
Rush:
15:10
11-25 19:30
Barbie Dahl:
Got it, Rush.
11-25 19:30
Rush:
Very good!
11-25 19:30
Barbie Dahl:
Glass, TM
11-25 19:30
Rush:
Hm…a piece of thin glass….
“Siddown…”
11-25 19:31
Barbie Dahl:
Vacuum tubes in Docks…
11-25 19:31
hounder:
really high lame on that bunsen burner
11-25 19:31
Rush:
Yes
11-25 19:31
Godwinshelley:
This film is from 1938. The British Horror Film Ban started in 1935 which resulted in the stoppage of American horror films starting in 1936 – hence horror actors such as Karloff being loaned out for other roles
11-25 19:32
Rush:
I see!
11-25 19:32
tenman:
No, gloss. Must have been a paint chip. lol
11-25 19:32
Rush:
Thank you, GS!
11-25 19:32
Rush:
Watch out for that flame!
11-25 19:33
Rush:
The 3.5-degree?
11-25 19:34
Barbie Dahl:
😝
11-25 19:34
Rush:
Word association thrown in!
11-25 19:35
Rush:
Wong is right!
11-25 19:35
tenman:
Poison gas? Who knew???
11-25 19:35
Barbie Dahl:
“If loving you is Wong I don’t wanna be right.”
11-25 19:36
Rush:
11-25 19:38
hounder:
11-25 19:38
Rush:
Wong is unique in that he is fluent in British English…as he studied in England.
11-25 19:40
Rush:
And he just happened to die minutes later….
11-25 19:41
Rush:
Funny.
11-25 19:43
Rush:
Coquina bark!
11-25 19:43
hounder:
the white shirt and flower really stand out in this scene
11-25 19:44
Rush:
Or…as he called it: COCHINA bark!
11-25 19:44
Barbie Dahl:
Everybody was smoking coquina bark, it was all the rage!
11-25 19:45
Rush:
Seems so!
11-25 19:46
Rush:
Our old friend…Lee Tung Foo…
11-25 19:47
Rush:
The parrot set it off!
Wong is on to something!
11-25 19:47
tenman:
Once upon a time, all Indians speaklng english had heavy British accents, due to the Brit presence there.
11-25 19:48
Barbie Dahl:
Can’t find any references for conchina bark in cigarettes
11-25 19:48
Barbie Dahl:
I like how all they do is add a monocle and then voila! A Baron is born.
11-25 19:49
tenman:
I like the countess better in this one
11-25 19:49
Rush:
Right. I have been looking, too. The closest I have found is cinchona bark.
Yes, TM?
11-25 19:49
Barbie Dahl:
Better fashions in the Docks, though. Much better hats, too.
11-25 19:50
Godwinshelley:
Yes the monocle does that – even Baron Barracuda on the old Diver Dan tv series had one
11-25 19:50
Rush:
Note how Wong holds his cigarette.
European style.
11-25 19:50
tenman:
It is indeed often all about the hats. Like CC in Rio
11-25 19:51
Barbie Dahl:
👍🏻👍🏻
Yes, Rush. Backwards and underhanded, rightm
11-25 19:51
Rush:
Non-speaking bit part…saved on a little money!
11-25 19:51
Barbie Dahl:
Anyone else get a commercial ot two?
11-25 19:51
tenman:
yup
11-25 19:51
Rush:
I am watching the DVD copy.
No commercials.
11-25 19:52
Barbie Dahl:
Show off!😝
11-25 19:52
Rush:
Sadly, those are a fact of life in the online versions all too often!
11-25 19:53
Rush:
The Mr. Wong DVD collections are not too expensive at online sellers I believe.
11-25 19:53
Barbie Dahl:
I just ordered a portable DVD player to make it easier to watch and chat, too. This one is nice, 15.5 inch swivel screen and remote control.
11-25 19:53
hounder:
cool barbie
11-25 19:54
Barbie Dahl:
Rush, there’s only six or seven Mr. Wong movies, right?
11-25 19:54
Rush:
11-25 19:54
Barbie Dahl:
It arrives on Wednesday.
11-25 19:54
Rush:
This one at eBay is the set I have.
Yes, BD!
11-25 19:55
Rush:
The final one stars Keye Luke as a young Mr. Wong.
We share that one during our year as well!
11-25 19:55
Rush:
It is the ONLY film that Keye Luke received top billing!
11-25 19:55
Barbie Dahl:
That’s kewl, Rush. Gonna have to get that one, too.
11-25 19:55
Rush:
Yes!
11-25 19:56
Barbie Dahl:
11-25 19:56
Rush:
TYSM….BD!
11-25 19:56
Godwinshelley:
Does everyone have their Ross Martin Chan film for the end of the year?
Now is the time to order it
11-25 19:56
Rush:
Yes.
11-25 19:57
Barbie Dahl:
Matt has better timing… 😉
Which one is that, GS?
11-25 19:57
Rush:
We will also be watching, for the FIRST TIME, “Charlie Chan and the Curse of the Dragon Queen” from 1981.
11-25 19:57
Godwinshelley:
Oh no, I’ll need to get that
11-25 19:57
Rush:
It is available online.
11-25 19:57
Barbie Dahl:
Is that the one with Ustinov?
11-25 19:57
Rush:
Yes.
11-25 19:57
Godwinshelley:
Is it “Charlie Chan Returns” or “Happiness is a Warm Clue” for Ross Martin, Rush
11-25 19:58
Rush:
THAT will be our final film of the year for 2024.
11-25 19:58
Rush:
Yes…that will be the second-to-last movie this year!
It is also available online if needed!
11-25 19:59
Barbie Dahl:
Return of Charlie Chan (1973)
11-25 20:00
Rush:
Yes.
11-25 20:00
Barbie Dahl:
Wiki says 1973
IMDB says 1972
11-25 20:00
Rush:
Here is the eBay link to copies of “Dragon Queen”
Between $6-12.
11-25 20:02
Barbie Dahl:
Just ordered it now for $10.87 total.
11-25 20:02
Rush:
There you go, BD!
11-25 20:03
Rush:
“Dragon Queen” is something of a camp-mystery-spoof, but it should be of interest.
Honestly, I ahve a copy, but have never viewed it…yet!
11-25 20:04
Rush:
I hope to be pleasantly surprised!
11-25 20:04
Barbie Dahl:
Looks like a lot of us will be popping our cherries on that one, Rush!
11-25 20:05
Rush:
Popping corn, perhaps….
11-25 20:05
Godwinshelley:
We could always include “Murder By Death” if we want a Peter Sellers Chan
11-25 20:05
Rush:
Perhaps….
11-25 20:05
Barbie Dahl:
That, too, Rush.🍿
11-25 20:05
Godwinshelley:
The shoulders of her coat looks like Carol Burnett
11-25 20:05
Rush:
BLACK fur….
11-25 20:05
Barbie Dahl:
I remember seeing that in the theater as a kid, GS.
11-25 20:06
Godwinshelley:
in the Gone with the Wind parody
11-25 20:06
Rush:
Here is the docks scene…
11-25 20:06
Barbie Dahl:
With the drapery rod, right, GS?
11-25 20:06
Rush:
DARK fox fur….
11-25 20:07
Rush:
“Wong”
“Right!”
11-25 20:07
Godwinshelley:
Yes BD
11-25 20:08
Rush:
Here’s where Wong gets surprise visitors….
11-25 20:10
Rush:
Nice lighting on Wong there….
11-25 20:11
Barbie Dahl:
11-25 20:11
Rush:
Douse those sirens!!!!!
11-25 20:12
Rush:
Yes…BD… you will prove correct again….!
11-25 20:12
Barbie Dahl:
Dammit! Timecheck, again, please.
11-25 20:13
Rush:
58:00
58:10….
58:20…
11-25 20:13
Barbie Dahl:
First I was ahead, now I’m behind. I give up on this one. Grrrrr.
11-25 20:13
Rush:
58:30
That’s okay, BD…
11-25 20:13
Barbie Dahl:
Thanks, Rush.
11-25 20:13
Rush:
You are close enough!
11-25 20:14
Rush:
She meant the Chinese Reataurant for dinner!
11-25 20:15
hounder:
horseshoes am
nd hand granades barbie
11-25 20:15
Rush:
The “guests” arrive…
11-25 20:15
Rush:
unlike CC, Wong has this planned from the start….
11-25 20:16
Rush:
Sounded like a dove….
11-25 20:17
Rush:
Chan’s lines as well here…
11-25 20:18
Rush:
I love Karloff’s gracefull actions…
11-25 20:19
Rush:
Power of suggestion as we saw with CC on “Docks”
Wong is much more “into” the moment.
11-25 20:20
Barbie Dahl:
Karloff is a consummate actor
11-25 20:20
Rush:
YES!
11-25 20:20
tenman:
INDEED!
11-25 20:21
Rush:
Wong is about to reveal a surprise!
11-25 20:21
tenman:
LOVE THAT SPEECH!
11-25 20:21
Rush:
Yes!
11-25 20:21
Barbie Dahl:
A lot of broken glass in that room, Wong… wear your slippers!
11-25 20:22
Rush:
11-25 20:23
Barbie Dahl:
Yays!
11-25 20:23
tenman:
Just a cup of tea…
11-25 20:23
Godwinshelley:
The end
11-25 20:23
tenman:
Nytol!
11-25 20:23
Barbie Dahl:
Case solved.good night everybody! 👋🏻👋🏻👋🏻🐈🐈
11-25 20:23
Rush:
I have a minute left….
11-25 20:24
hounder:
yay. nite all and happy thanksgiving
11-25 20:24
Barbie Dahl:
What?!
11-25 20:24
Rush:
As I reach the end….I wish everyone a peaceful evening and a VERY happy Thanks giving!
next week….
“The Golden Eye”
11-25 20:24
Barbie Dahl:
Good night, Rush. Happy Thanksgiving! 🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃
11-25 20:25
Rush:
As we end with “just a cup of tea…”
11-25 20:25
Barbie Dahl:
Good night Hounder and Tenman👋🏻👋🏻👋🏻
11-25 20:25
Rush:
Thank you ALL1
11-25 20:25
Godwinshelley:
Stay safe everyone (wash hands frequently and don’t cross contaminate)
Night all
11-25 20:25
Rush:
Another fun evening of murder and detction!
11-25 20:25
Barbie Dahl:
Good night, GS.👋🏻🦃
11-25 20:25
Godwinshelley:
Night BD
11-25 20:25
Rush:
Take care, everyone!
See yoy in December!
11-25 20:26
Barbie Dahl:
Thanks for the extra, too, Rush. That was a good one.
11-25 20:26
Rush:
As we wrap up another year together….
Happy you liked it, BD!
Very informative!
11-25 20:26
Rush:
Welcome back, Elron!
11-25 20:26
Barbie Dahl:
Heading into the holidays…
Yes, it was, Rush.
11-25 20:27
Rush:
i hope you can be with us often!
11-25 20:27
Barbie Dahl:
Oh, yes, good night, Elron.👋🏻🦃
11-25 20:27
Rush:
TYSM, as well, Paul!
Thank you all again!
Take care….be happy and safe….
11-25 20:27
Barbie Dahl:
I always hate when these end. Thanks again, Rush. Good night and have a GREAT Thanksgiving.
11-25 20:28
Rush:
You as well, BD!
Good night!
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