Charlie Chan: The Untold Story of the Honorable Detective and His Rendezvous with American History

Charlie Chan: The Untold Story of the Honorable Detective and His Rendezvous with American History
Author: Yunte Huang
Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
Total Pages: 385
Release: 2011-08-15
Genre: Biography & Autobiography
ISBN: 0393340392

A biography of cinematic hero Charlie Chan, based on the real-life Chinese immigrant detective, Chang Apana, whose bravado inspired mystery writer Earl Derr Biggers to depict his fictional sleuth as a wisecracking and wise investigator rather than a stereotype.

Hollywood Goes Oriental

Hollywood Goes Oriental
Author: Karla Rae Fuller
Publisher: Wayne State University Press
Total Pages: 308
Release: 2010-08-16
Genre: Performing Arts
ISBN: 0814335381

An in-depth look at the portrayal of Asian characters by non-Asian actors in classical Hollywood film. In the "classical" Hollywood studio era of the 1930s to the 1960s, many iconic Asian roles were filled by non-Asian actors and some—like Fu Manchu or Charlie Chan—are still familiar today. In Hollywood Goes Oriental: CaucAsian Performance in American Film, Karla Rae Fuller tracks specific cosmetic devices, physical gestures, dramatic cues, and narrative conventions to argue that representations of Oriental identity by Caucasian actors in the studio era offer an archetypal standard. Through this standard, Fuller shed light on the artificial foundations of Hollywood's depictions of race and larger issues of ethnicity and performance. Fuller begins by investigating a range of Hollywood productions, including animated images, B films, and blockbusters, to identify the elaborate make-up practices and distinct performance styles that characterize Hollywood's Oriental. In chapter 2, Fuller focuses on the most well known Oriental archetype, the detective, who incorporates both heroic qualities and darker elements into a complex persona. Moving into the World War II era, Fuller examines the Oriental character as political enemy and cultural outsider in chapter 3, drawing a distinction between the "good" Chinese and the "sinister" Japanese character. In chapter 4, she traces a shift back to a seemingly more benign, erotic, and often comedic depiction of Oriental characters after the war. While Hollywood Goes Oriental primarily focuses on representations of Oriental characters by Caucasian actors, Fuller includes examples of performances by non-Caucasian actors as well. She also delves into the origination, connotations, and repercussions of the loaded term "yellowface," which has been appropriated for many causes. Students, scholars of film, and anyone interested in Asian and cultural studies will appreciate this insightful study.

Celebrated Cases of Judge Dee

Celebrated Cases of Judge Dee
Author: Robert Hans van Gulik
Publisher: Courier Corporation
Total Pages: 305
Release: 1976-01-01
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 0486233375

Tells of a celebrated seventh-century Chinese magistrate's investigation of a double murder among traveling merchants, the fatal poisoning of a bride on her wedding night, and a murder in a small town

Charlie Chan Carries On

Charlie Chan Carries On
Author: Earl Derr Biggers
Publisher: Read Books Ltd
Total Pages: 252
Release: 2015-07-03
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 1473371562

This early work by Earl Derr Biggers was originally published in 1930 and we are now republishing it with a brand new introductory biography. "Charlie Chan Carries On" is the fifth novel in the Charlie Chan series. Inspector Duff, a Scotland Yard detective and friend of Chan's, first introduced in Behind That Curtain, is pursuing a murderer on an around-the-world voyage; so far, there have been murders in London, France, Italy and Japan. While his ship is docked in Honolulu, the detective is shot and wounded by his quarry; though he survives, he is unable to continue with the cruise, and Chan takes his place instead. Earl Derr Biggers was born on 26th August 1884 in Warren, Ohio, USA. Biggers received his further education at Harvard University, where he developed a reputation as a literary rebel, preferring the popular modern authors, such as Rudyard Kipling and Richard Harding Davis to the established figures of classical literature. Following in their footsteps upon graduating, he himself began a career as a popular writer, penning humorous articles and reviews for the Boston Traveler. While on holiday in Hawaii, Biggers heard tales of a real-life Chinese detective operating in Honolulu, named Chang Apana. This inspired him to create his most enduring legacy in the character of super-sleuth Charlie Chan. The first Chan story "The House Without a Key" (1925) was published as a serialised story in the Saturday Evening Post and then released as a novel in the same year. Biggers went on to write five more Chan novels and all were licensed for movie adaptations by Fox Films. These films were hugely popular with several different actors taking the lead role of Chan. Eventually; over 40 films were produced featuring the character. Biggers only saw the early on-screen successes of Charlie Chan due to his death at the age of only 48 from a heart attack in April 1933.

Icons of Mystery and Crime Detection [2 volumes]

Icons of Mystery and Crime Detection [2 volumes]
Author: Mitzi M. Brunsdale
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing USA
Total Pages: 806
Release: 2010-07-26
Genre: Literary Criticism
ISBN: 0313345317

This book provides an introduction to 24 iconic figures, real and fictional, that have shaped the detective/mystery genre of popular literature. Icons of Mystery and Crime Detection: From Sleuths to Superheroes is an insightful look at one of our most popular and diverse fictional genres, providing a guided tour of mystery and crime writing by focusing on two dozen of the field's most enduring creations and creators. Icons of Mystery and Crime Detection spans the history of the detective story with series of critical entries on the field's most evocative names, from the originator of the form, Edgar Allan Poe, to its first popular running character, Sherlock Holmes; from the Golden Age of Sam Spade, Philip Marlowe, and Charlie Chan—in fiction and films—to small screen heroes, such as Columbo and Jessica Fletcher. Also included are other accomplished practitioners of the craft of mystery/crime storytelling, including Agatha Christie, Tony Hillerman, and Alfred Hitchcock.

Detective Charlie Chan - The Complete Mystery Series

Detective Charlie Chan - The Complete Mystery Series
Author: Earl Derr Biggers
Publisher: DigiCat
Total Pages: 1602
Release: 2022-11-13
Genre: Fiction
ISBN:

Charlie Chan is a Chinese American detective who lives on Hawaii and works for the Honolulu Police Department, but often travels around the world investigating mysteries and solving crimes. The House Without a Key – Member of Boston society who has lived in Hawaii for a number of years is murdered. The victim's nephew, a straitlaced young Bostonian bond trader, could be of some assistance to detective Charlie Chan in solving the mystery. The Chinese Parrot – A valuable string of pearls is purchased by a wealthy and eccentric financier. Jeweler's son and Charlie Chan also travel from Hawaii to California with the pearls and come across a few mysterious deaths. Behind That Curtain – Sir Frederic Bruce, former head of Scotland Yard, is investigating a murder of a London solicitor from 15 years ago. A long-cold trail takes him to California, where detective Charlie Chan gets mixed up in the case. The Black Camel – A Hollywood star Shelah Fane is stopping in Hawaii after she finished shooting a film in Tahiti, but gets murdered in a rental house in Waikiki. Charlie Chan investigates amid public clamor demanding that the murderer must be found. Charlie Chan Carries On – Inspector Duff from Scotland Yard is pursuing a murderer on an around-the-world voyage. While his ship is docked in Honolulu, the detective is shot and wounded, and Chan takes his place on the cruise. Keeper of the Keys – Charlie Chan is back in California where he meets a world-famous soprano, Ellen Ladona, who is murdered not too long after the meeting. Chan is expected to solve the mystery and he does not have to look far for suspects. Earl Derr Biggers (1884-1933) was an American novelist best known for his mystery novels, especially those featuring Chinese American detective Charlie Chan.

Sequels

Sequels
Author: Janet G. Husband
Publisher: American Library Association
Total Pages: 793
Release: 2009-07-30
Genre: Language Arts & Disciplines
ISBN: 0838909671

A guide to series fiction lists popular series, identifies novels by character, and offers guidance on the order in which to read unnumbered series.

The Complete Charlie Chan Series – All 6 Mystery Novels in One Edition

The Complete Charlie Chan Series – All 6 Mystery Novels in One Edition
Author: Earl Derr Biggers
Publisher: Good Press
Total Pages: 1605
Release: 2023-11-25
Genre: Fiction
ISBN:

In 'The Complete Charlie Chan Series All 6 Mystery Novels in One Edition' by Earl Derr Biggers, readers are immersed in a collection of classic mystery novels featuring the iconic Chinese-American detective, Charlie Chan. Biggers' literary style can be described as engaging and suspenseful, with a focus on clever plot twists and intriguing characters. Set in the early 20th century, these novels offer a unique glimpse into the cultural and social dynamics of the time period, making them not only entertaining reads but also insightful historical documents. Biggers' portrayal of Charlie Chan as a smart and charismatic detective challenges stereotypes and adds depth to the character, making him a beloved figure in detective fiction. This complete edition allows readers to fully appreciate the evolution and complexity of both the character and the series as a whole. Fans of classic detective fiction and those interested in representations of diversity in literature will find this collection particularly compelling.

Charles Francis Chan Jr.'s Exotic Oriental Murder Mystery

Charles Francis Chan Jr.'s Exotic Oriental Murder Mystery
Author: Lloyd Suh
Publisher: Dramatists Play Service, Inc.
Total Pages: 105
Release: 2021-03-26
Genre: Performing Arts
ISBN: 0822239922

In 1967, Berkeley grad student Frank Chan and his artist-activist girlfriend Kathy Ching are staging a revolution. Amid the backdrop of ongoing war in Vietnam and a peak in the Civil Rights movement, they devise a wild, impulsive theatrical trip through the history of Asians in America, from the ancestral railways of their forebears to the shameful legacy of Charlie Chan stereotypes, all in pursuit of establishing a brand new political identity they’ve decided to call “Asian America.” CHARLES FRANCIS CHAN JR.’S EXOTIC ORIENTAL MURDER MYSTERY is a harmless sing-song orientalist minstrel show that ends in a grotesque carnival of murder!!!