Who was the best Charlie Chan?

Nice to see you've included E.L. Park, the first - but mostly forgotten - Chan.

Sidney Toler was well-skilled in comedy, both as foil and comic antagonist, and his dry sarcasm and gentle exasperation lent charm to his portrayal. But I went for Oland, who exuded special warmth and commitment to the role.   

Ah, this is a hard call for me. You specifically requested “best,” @nxnwrocks, and on that basis I’ll go with Oland, who’s justifiably likely to win all “best Charlie Chan” polls.

And yet—the first Chan I saw was Toler (specifically in the Monograms, of all things!), and it took me some time to adjust to the slower pace of the Oland pictures and his characterization’s greater avuncularity (is that a word?). It may or may not be a question of “good,” but in terms of favorite Chans, I would have to go with Toler; I think that, as good as Oland is, I have more fun with Toler’s movies and characterization. (What blasphemy! )

On the other hand, I’m not going to attempt to mount a defense of Roland Winters.

Equally intriguing question (I think): whom would you consider the worst Charlie Chan? I haven’t seen Ross Martin’s portrayal, but offhand I’d go with Ustinov.

P.S. People (myself included, apparently) seem to have unusual opinions about the actors who played Charlie. Ken Hanke, who wrote a great book on the series, liked Winters better than Toler, and I know someone whose favorite Chan is, of all people, Manuel Arbó (from Eran Trece, the Spanish version of CC Carries On)!

I can only vote for Warner Oland, not because of some Swedish patriotism, but he's the only Charlie Chan I've seen.

OK I've seen the Peter Ustinov disaster too, played as a Pink Panther wannabe,in my opinion.



Warner Oland when he visited Stockholm shortly before his death.

Charlie Chan contest now a Garth Game on this board -- take a look.

Warner Oland shall always be my Number One Charlie Chan but Sidney Toler runs a close second. It's not a "no context" or a "landslide" in my book. I like both men's work as Charlie, find Oland the warmer and more traditional of the two. Warner's Charlie is Buddha-like, all knowing and understanding. Sidney's is more human seeming, sometimes moody, occasionally assertive, even acerbic, nearer to an Asian Sherlock Holmes, with Jimmy his Watson (okay, that's a stretch). LeStrade is whatever (excuse please) dumb Irish cop Detective Chan encounters in whatever American city he happens to be visiting.

My favorite Chan pictures are those that Sidney Toler appeared in made for Fox, 1938-42. Oland may be my favorite Charlie but Toler's movies (Fox studio only) are my favorite films in the series. The switch from sober, dignified Number One Son Lee, as perfectly embodied by Keye Luke, to the bumptious, eager beaver Number Two son Jimmy was a stroke of serendipitous genius. Luke really was the perfect fit for Oland, behaved as if he was Oland's Chan's son. Sen Yung, more American seeming, aggressive, occasionally accident prone, seems like he could be the somewhat less secure offspring of the cooler, more severe Mr. Toler.