Hollywood, California, Monday, October 17, 1938: Darryl F. Zanuck has selected Sidney Toler to play the role of Charlie Chan, succeeding the late Warner Oland. His first picture will be "Charlie Chan in Honolulu" which will start production October 24, with John Stone as the associate producer. Toler was discovered by Sol M. Wurtzel when he looked at rushes of "Up the River (1938)," current "20th Century-Fox" picture in which Toler is a featured player.
The twentieth of forty-seven Charlie Chan movies.
Among other actors considered and tested for the new Charlie Chan were Cy Kendall, Walter Connolly, J. Edward Bromberg, Noah Beery Jr., Michael Visaroff, and Leo Carillo. Kendall and Connelly had played Chan on radio.
This episode marks then end of an era and the beginning of a new one. Warner Oland would pass away just seven (7) short months from the release of Charlie Chan in Monte Carlo. It also, marks the last time Keye Luke will play Charlie Chan's Number 1 son, Lee Chan. Warner Oland was just 58 years old at his passing. Sidney Toler picks up the Charlie Chan torch at the ripe age of 64 with his first film "Charlie Chan in Honolulu" released in the U.S. on January 13, 1939. It's only fitting that Charlie Chan's number 2 son, Jimmy Chan would begin his detective career with this film. Jimmy Chan is played by Victor Sen Yung aka Sen Yung. Other Chan children make appearances throughout Toler's run as Charlie Chan just as they did for Warner Oland.
First of two film collaborations between Victor Sen Yung and Layne Tom Jr., who both played some of Charlie Chan's sons.