Midnight in Monte Carlo. A shot rings out! Who do the local police call to solve the murder? Why, Charlie Chan!
Chan was created in 1925 by Earl Derr Biggers, and soon became a phenomenon. Known for his ice-cream suits, huge family, and timely aphorisms (albeit delivered in broken English), Charlie was modeled on the real-life Honolulu Police detective, Chang Apana.
Based in Hawaii, Chan nonetheless traveled the world solving cases in London, Paris, Egypt, and even the Berlin Olympics.
Despite his popularity (6 novels, 47 motion pictures, and an animated cartoon series), Chan was a controversial figure. Asian American activists claimed he was a stereotype, but Charlie was invariably the most honest, decent, and smartest character in any of the stories.
An
upcoming film
will star Lucy Liu as Charlie's granddaughter, upholding the family business of
crime-busting. Such cross-casting may seem odd, but as Charlie himself once
said, "Woman's intuition like feather on arrow: May help flight to
truth."
Suggested Sites...
- The Charlie Chan Family Home - visit the House on Punchbowl Hill and meet the Chan Family.
- NPR: Giving Charlie Chan a Second Chance - can the detective be rehabilitated?
- Wikipdia: Charlie Chan - information about Chan in all media.
- Charlie Chan and Chang Apana - articles comparing the real life of Detective Apana to his fictional counterpart.
- Earl Derr Biggers - biography of Charlie Chan's creator.
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