Charlie Chan’s Family
as Seen in the Movies

In the early Warner Oland movies—“Charlie Chan Carries On,” “The Black Camel,” “Charlie Chan’s Chance,” “Charlie Chan’s Greatest Case,” and “Charlie Chan’s Courage”—Charlie Chan’s family accurately reflects what the novels describe.

Earl Derr Biggers had stipulated that the movies (and other media including stage plays and radio dramatizations) follow his writing. At the time, the film studios lacked permission to create original stories.

But when Biggers died of a heart attack, his widow—the former Eleanor Ladd—granted permission to create original stories—and, boy, are we ever grateful that she did!

The first original story—"Charlie Chan in London”—shows Charlie in his hotel room reviewing a photograph showing his family: Charlie, his wife, and about eleven children are in the photograph. Then Charlie replaces this photo on the bureau and picks up a picture of the most recent addition to the Chan family, an infant.

“Charlie Chan in Paris” introduces Keye Luke as Charlie’s number one son Lee:

Lee (Keye Luke) doesn’t appear in the next film, “Charlie Chan in Egypt,” but Charlie refers to him when he says, “As son Lee would say, ‘You telling me?’ ”

But Lee returns in the following film, “Charlie Chan in Shanghai.” When he sees Lee, Charlie says, “Joy equals astonishment at seeing offspring in Shanghai.”

Lee is very active in this film, and the chemistry between Charlie (Warner Oland) and Lee (Keye Luke) is strong. Charlie praises Lee:

When Lee dives down a flight of stairs to tackle an enemy, Charlie says, “Very proud of athletic offspring.”

Lee doesn’t appear in the next film, “Charlie Chan’s Secret.” However, Charlie mentions him more than once. In one place, Chan says, “As son Lee would say, ‘Play hunch.’ ” Elsewhere, he says, “As son Lee would say, ‘Okey dokey.’ Let us go.”

Lee is in every one of the remaining Warner Oland films, and a number of Chan’s other children are introduced to us. Children who are not his own also admire him and enjoy his company. For example, in “Charlie Chan in Shanghai” Chan is on an ocean liner. A group of children are gathered around him while he sings, “Long the journey, hard the way. But his heart was gay.”

As the films continue, just as Charlie had quoted Lee in “Charlie Chan in Egypt” and “Charlie Chan’s Secret,” his children quote Charlie in many films.

In “Charlie Chan at the Olympics,” Lee inattentively and carelessly walks into Betty—an Olympic athlete and teammate of his. Lee says, “As my Pop would say, ‘Man who stretch neck looking up very apt to break neck falling down,’ or something like that.”

In “Charlie Chan at Treasure Island,” Jimmy says, “As Pop would put it, ‘Swelled head gives owner more trouble than indigestion.’ ”

Charlie’s Number One Son

But who is Charlie Chan’s number one son really? In the books and the early films he is named Henry. In the lost “Charlie Chan’s Greatest Case” he is named Oswald. And starting with “Charlie Chan in Paris” we know him as Lee.

For an interesting and clever solution to this apparent contradiction, see The Charlie Chan Family Home -- The Family Room: Charlie Chan's Multitudinous Family. Other discrepancies among the films are also explored on the page I just linked to, and a more detailed and robust investigation of Chan’s family is discussed than I can give here. Inconsistencies, such as the size of the Chan family (for example, a film may show that Chan has more children in an earlier film while a later film may show that Chan seems to have fewer children) are investigated methodically.

Also there are occasional identifications of who is the number two (or number three) son or daughter. We tend to overlook such discrepancies because the films are entertaining and we are absorbed in the story.

Here is a short list of some of the children:

• Ling—identified as Chan’s number one daughter in “The Black Camel.”
• Iris—Charlie Chan’s number two daughter according to “Charlie Chan in the Secret Service.”
• Frances—Charlie’s daughter—“Black Magic” (aka “Meeting at Midnight”).
• Jimmy—Charlie’s number two son (“Charlie Chan in Honolulu”).
• Tommy (aka as “Thomas”—Chan’s number three son—“Charlie Chan in Honolulu,” “Charlie Chan in the Secret Service,” “The Chinese Cat,” and more.
• Eddie (aka “Edward”)—Charlie’s number four son.
• Willie—“Charlie Chan’s Murder Cruise.”
• Barry—Charlie’s youngest child—appeared in multiple episodes in the television series “The New Adventures of Charlie Chan,” starring J. Carrol Naish.

Charlie, His Wife, and His Family at the Circus

“Charlie Chan at the Circus” introduces Charlie’s entire family. As Charlie and his wife, led by their children, line up to enter the circus through a turnstile, a ticket taker counts each member of his family:

Interactions among Charlie Chan and his children continued to appear throughout the series—not only those which featured Warner Oland but with subsequent actors Sydney Toler and Roland Winters. Examples include the following.

Charlie Chan often compliments his children

Obviously, Charlie Chan is proud of his offspring, as the following examples show:

• Chan: “Increasing wisdom of number one son give much pleasure to humble father.” (“The Sky Dragon”)
• Chan: “Yes. Ha! With patience and perseverance, number one son might just make detective. . . .” (“The Sky Dragon”)
• Chan [to his daughter Frances]: “You work lights very well. For helping me illuminate dark mystery, I now make you junior member of the Firm.” (“Meeting at Midnight”)

“Meeting at Midnight”

References to Charlie Disciplining His Children When They were Young

“Charlie Chan at the Race Track”

Charlie enters his hotel room. Lee, his back to Charlie, is bending over drying his hair with a towel. Charlie smacks Lee’s butt. Lee jumps, turns to face his father, and removes the towel:

“Charlie Chan in Panama”

“Charlie Chan at the Olympics”

Lee says,: “Don’t worry, Pop. I learned to sprint when you used to chase me through the water with a paddle.”

“Charlie Chan’s Murder Cruise”

Charlie’s son Willie has gotten poor grades in school. Rather than telling his father, Willie attempts to hide the letter that the school sent to inform Willie’s parents. But, of course, Charlie has already read the letter and proposes to discipline Willie for lying.

Charlie says, “Please assume proper position across parent’s knee.”

Willie goes across Charlie’s knee but, fortunately for Willie, Inspector Duff of Scotland Yard enters Charlie’s office to visit him, interrupting the spanking about to be administered. Willie escapes the punishment unscathed.

Charlie Sometimes Criticizes his Children

Sometimes Charlie makes a comment to one of his children that seems condescending, such as when they are puzzling through clues. He seems critical of their fledgling, as-yet-amateurish attempts to offer a solution to a case. Chan’s criticisms may reflect his personal sense of humor as well as his frustration at their well-intentioned interference.

Charlie is a patient man, but there are times that try one’s patience, such as in scenes like the following.

“Meeting at Midnight”

Charlie’s daughter Frances says, “You know, Pop. I got an idea about this Bonner case.”

Chan responds, “Water on brain now leaking, huh?”

“Charlie Chan in the Secret Service”

Charlie responds to son Tommy’s offer to help:

“The Chinese Cat”

Chan says to Tommy, “Your assistance about as welcome as water in a leaking ship.”

Sometimes Chan gives disparaging, meant-to-be witty remarks to his children, such as when he refers to them as feeble minded or stupid. This sometimes occurs when introducing them to a third party.

Again, this may be a sign of Chan’s sense of humor. But it may also reflect a sense of his frustration when the children are overeager to follow a false lead too hastily.

“The Scarlet Clue”

Chan says, “This is number three son, Tommy. And this one is second assistant, Birmingham Brown. Both at times often feebleminded.” (“The Scarlet Clue”)

“Docks of New Orleans”

“The Jade Mask”

Chan says, “My boy, if silence is golden, you are bankrupt.”

Expensive College Education versus Playing Hooky

Charlie is particularly annoyed when he is paying for his college-age children to be educated but they play hooky.

“Charlie Chan at the Wax Museum”

A larger-than-life “mechanical man” (i.e., a robot) was sometimes a featured attraction at arcades. These may tell your fortune or challenge you to play chess or checkers.

As depicted in this film, the robot was activated by a human who would climb into the device. When Jimmy experiments by disappearing into the robot, his father discovers him and says, “Will please explain presence of one dummy inside another dummy.”

“Dark Alibi”

Tommy says, “Pop, we have been thinking.”

Chan replies, “Most impossible.”

“Murder Over New York”

Chan: “Number two son promising detective. Promise very much; deliver very little.”

“Dark Alibi”

Chan: “Son Tommy is noisy woodpecker on family tree.”

“The Shanghai Cobra”

Tommy says, “Pop. I want to talk to you as man to man.”

Chan responds, “I am ready but you still have few years to go.”

“The Red Dragon”

Tommy: “You know what I think, Pop?”

Chan: “Number three son is thinking. Uh, most unusual, but does not assist police.”

“Charlie Chan’s Murder Cruise”

Jimmy says, “But I tell you, Pop. . . ”

Chan responds, “Correction, please. Pop tell you. Offspring return to footwork. Parent take care of headwork.”

“Expensive American Education”

A common frustration that Charlie has with his kids is that they often skip school to help him investigate cases. Chan articulates this in scenes including the following:

“Charlie Chan at Treasure Island”

“Charlie Chan in Panama”

Chan’s children (some of whom have become college age) occasionally embarrass Charlie when they use slang. Charlie’s son Jimmy reacts to a convoluted theory when he says, “Sounds awfully screwy to me.”

Chan remarks, “Son’s grammar result of expensive American education.”

“Charlie Chan in Rio”

“The Chinese Cat”

“The Chinese Cat” displays another example of Charlie’s frustration:

“The Jade Mask”

When Charlie’s Number Four son Edward enters a scene with Birmingham Brown, Edward says, “Greetings, Father.”

Chan says, “I am right. It is mistake. Intruder is number four son Edward, who stop becoming college student to become social problem. Also, his assistant, Birmingham Brown.”

“The Chinese Cat”

Charlie refers to Tommy when he says to Leah, “This Mr. Chan is number three son, Tommy, who should be at University of California but who, for some strange reason, now out on parole.”

Chan Speaks Lovingly of His Wife

“Charlie Chan at the Opera”

Charlie’s son Lee asks for his allowance money because he wants to buy flowers for a young woman he likes.

Charlie says, “Puppy love very expensive pastime.”

Lee says, “Aw, gee, Pop. We’re leaving tonight. And this is, well, sort of a farewell present. She’s a lovely girl — she’s —”

Chan completes Lee’s sentence: “Graceful as bamboo shoot; beautiful as blossom of water lily.”

“Yeah! That’s her,” says Lee. “When did you meet her?”

Chan: “Never. But long time ago use same description for honorable mother.”

“Dead Men Tell”

When Chan intends to interview a woman, Jimmy asks, “Why, Pop! Have you got a girlfriend waiting for you upstairs?”

Chan replies, “Only girlfriend is honorable wife in Honolulu.”

Slang Used by Chan’s Children

“Charlie Chan in Rio”

The use of slang by Charlie’s children frustrates him and shows the generation gap between them. “Charlie Chan in Rio” includes the following comic scene:

“Charlie Chan in the Secret Service”

“Charlie Chan in the Secret Service” includes another comic scene that shows several of his children using slang:

By this time in the series we have been introduced to Charlie Chan’s number one son, Lee, Number Two son, Jimmy, and Number Three son, Tommy, as well as other children of his. In “The Jade Mask,” we are introduced to Charlie’s Number Four son, Edward (who Charlie calls “Eddie”). Chan’s “Number Four son,” Edward is the intellectual member of the Chan family.

When Charlie is trying to close a suitcase that is overfull, he sits on it in an attempt to latch it—unsuccessfully. Calling “Eddie” to help:

“Charlie Chan in the Secret Service”

One of the most endearing features of the Charlie Chan movies is the relationship Charlie has with his family. This makes the films memorable. We enjoy them so much that we tend to overlook minor discrepancies or inconsistencies, such as the number of children in the family from one film to another, if a later movie shows fewer children than a previous movie did, or whether a child is introduced as “number two [or three]” son or daughter inconsistently among the films.

Charlie Chan is a devoted father and an honorable family man. And we love him for that.

For more information about Charlie Chan, click on the links below to read articles.

The Novels by Earl Derr Biggers:

• The House Without a Key
• The Chinese Parrot
• Behind That Curtain
• The Black Camel
• Charlie Chan Carries On
• Keeper of the Keys

Charlie Chan Movies

• The Early Charlie Chan Films
• Enter Warner Oland: "Charlie Chan Carries On" and "Eran Trece"
• "The Black Camel" and Three Lost Charlie Chan Movies
• Charlie Chan's Aphorisms and Sayings
• Charlie Chan's Family as Described in the Books
• Charlie Chan's Family as Seen in the Movies
• Charlie Chan's Travels

Charlie Chan Pastiches

• Death, I Said by John L. Swann

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