Speaker 1: Welcome to the Great Detectives of Old Time Radio from Boise, Idaho.
This is your host, Adam Graham. In a moment, we're
going to bring you this week's episode of Charlie Chant.
But first I do want to encourage you to check
out our other podcast, and I'm going to go ahead
and sight the Great Adventurers of Old Time Radio at
Great Adventures dot Info. Currently we are playing Flash, Gordon
and locand Hagger, and we have so many great heroes
coming your way, including Buck, Rogers, Counterspy, the Scarlet Pimpernel,
and even more. Follow us on the Great Adventurers of
Old Time Radio for the best of all sorts of
adventure stories from the golden age of radio. Well, now
we are going to get into our final episode of
the Landini murder Case. Now, there are a total of
thirty three episodes of this serial in circulation, so we
are going to play the last three. So this episode
is going to be a bit longer. In addition to that,
between the time that I recorded the last episode and
the time I listened to the final three parts, I've
read the rest of The Keeper of the Keys, which
was the earld Or Biggers novel on which this particular
serial was based. So I will be able to talk
after the podcast how this measures up and where the
novel might have been different, and offer my thoughts on
both the novel and the serial. And of course, as
I mentioned last week, I recorded my prediction for who
did it, my solution to the case, and I will
say that I recorded that prior to reading the rest
of Keeper of the Keys, and the first half of
that book did not really have a whole lot of
information that wasn't included in the radio program, So it
was mostly based on my observation of what we heard
on the radio, as opposed to anything I read in
the novel. But now let's go ahead and take a lesson,
and when we come back after the mystery, you'll hear
my solution and we can talk about how close I
actually got.
Speaker 2: The most delightfully fascinating character in the realms of mystery,
Charlie Chan. The solution of the murder of Ellen Lamdini
at pine View draws near. Charlie Chan has promised that
before night everyone shall know who committed the double murder.
Leslie Beaton has just confessed to Sheriff Don Holt that
she saw a sing leave the study by the balcony
immediately after hearing the shot, and Inspector Chan, knowing that
the confession would be forthcoming, had left the two lovers alone.
And now the Honolula detective accompanied by Cecil, returns to
the study to find Louis Romano standing before the fire.
Speaker 3: Be pleased. If you will, Cecil, step into study. Ah,
mister ro I did not know that you were here.
Speaker 4: I know as I come to study, I need to
sure you if I, mister Beeton, going down to the
living room, if I'm in the way, what do you
call the true.
Speaker 3: Cecil? Yes, mister Cha on top of desk two Scotts.
Do you recognize them?
Speaker 5: But one is the pink one belonged to Miss Beaton.
Speaker 3: And the other Cecil the other the other.
Speaker 5: Mister Cham is the green one. The green one belonged
to Landini, the one belonged to the green costume she
wear the night.
Speaker 3: She is skilly, correct, Cecil, He's so kind if you
will to examine the green sca for he carefully tell me, Cecil,
what do you see?
Speaker 5: Not one single thing? If monsieur will tell me what
he wants, I try to see what it is messieurs,
I detect nothing, Cecil, That is all.
Speaker 3: I do. Not what you say, compen no cecil. If
you do not tell mister Cio, is your husband, mister
Ireland in the house.
Speaker 5: Is in the garage, monsieur monsieur ward.
Speaker 3: Tell him. I wish to see him later. Thank you
so much.
Speaker 5: I shall tell him.
Speaker 6: Ch well, senor Chena. How is the mystery murder.
Speaker 3: Progress rapidly, mister Romano, quite rapidly. Ah, perhaps, yes, of
course you can help me. I had discussion mister Romano
about the opera Scar of Mercado, also Princess Pilsen.
Speaker 4: Ah, yes, yes, I know them both. A Delight of
Food my favorite song, or from the Mikado. It always
make me. What is the word, Oh joyous, yes, joyous
on a tree by a river, A little tomtit sang willow,
willow t willo.
Speaker 3: Yes quite, mister Romano. But it was not of the
music that I had said discussion. It was on the
subject of buying a musical scar the mccado, for instance,
it is bound in brown paper with red lettering.
Speaker 4: Oh, but no signor not the soul you are mistaken? Yes, indeed, yes, Senora,
the Mikado all the opera by Gilbert and Slivana. She
is bound in the light of blue paper with a
heavy blue printing. I know, Senora, I have them all
in my library. Signor is good detective? What he is
wrong on that?
Speaker 6: A statement?
Speaker 3: Or is it a yes, mister Romana?
Speaker 4: Or is it that Senor chen Is try a little
game on me, like a test to see whether or not?
Speaker 3: Oh?
Speaker 6: So it is it?
Speaker 4: Yes, Cecilia, you asked her to pick up a scarf.
Why to see whether or not.
Speaker 6: Signor. You are clever.
Speaker 4: You make the test to see to see whether or
not the Lula Romano is a color.
Speaker 3: Bland not one word. Yes, I admit you have discovered
reason for my questioning. Happy to say that you are
no longer suspect. Please not a word to anyone.
Speaker 4: Well you can trust to Louis Romano. I know nothing.
I am very disagreet. Ah, so it is there the
secret lies.
Speaker 3: Please, mister Romano. Someone may come to study. In fact, yes,
I hear voices come in, please ah, mister Ward, Mister Ireland,
Miss Beaton and Sheriff come in.
Speaker 7: Please, Inspector. I require a few things from Reno. Will
it be possible for Ireland to take the seal over
there to get them for me.
Speaker 3: Certainly, mister Ward makes me feel very officious that you
should ask.
Speaker 7: Me, not at all, mister Chand naturally I do not
expect to be treated differently than the others. And they
will be back here before dinner. Sure, we will be
back here before three o'clock. Before you go, mister Ireland,
does this look like scarf?
Speaker 3: Madame Landini was waving from balcony that faithful night.
Speaker 8: I couldn't tell, mister Chan. At that distance, I couldn't
tell the difference between that green scarf and that pink one. Besides,
I had my goggles, you know, and they give everything
a sort of brownish tinge when it's as dark as
it was at that time.
Speaker 3: Quite so, mister Island. It's really foolish me to ask.
Speaker 8: Well, if there isn't anything else, I'll get along and
get these things for mister Ward.
Speaker 3: Certainly, mister Island, nothing else to talk.
Speaker 7: If you don't need me, mister Chan, I'll see them
off and give my final instructions.
Speaker 3: Quite so, mister Ward. Nothing that I desire of you
at this moment.
Speaker 7: Oh, hello, John coming into the study. Just bringing old
Sam up to see.
Speaker 3: Chan, honored, mister Holt, come into study your sun and
miss beaten on window Alco oblivious to everything at each
other is rider. Can you spare a moment? Please suppose so, Chen,
provided it's important.
Speaker 9: Well, did someone say someth to me?
Speaker 3: Not exactly?
Speaker 10: Oh?
Speaker 3: Hello Dad?
Speaker 11: Okay, Shannon? Bring you over?
Speaker 10: Yes, dam yeah, sit beside me, mister Horler, Thank you, Leslie.
Speaker 3: Mister Ryder, you are engineer, mining engineer, are you not?
Speaker 11: Yes? Cham you know that without asking.
Speaker 3: What I was going to ask, was have you ever
mined gold? I thought, being in California, perhaps I.
Speaker 11: Mind gold rather successfully here in California.
Speaker 3: Tell me, mister Ryder, how does one recognize gold? Subject
fascinates me? What uh shall we say? Physical characteristics of gold?
Speaker 12: Well, it's characteristic color yellow. That yellow is, however, affected
by other metals. A high percentage of silver tends to
lessen the yellow color, whereas copper tends to heighten it.
When the goal's finally divided, as in purple of Cashier.
So one say it's precipitated from solution. The color's red
ruby red, and then in thin sheets it has a
greenish sort of greenish light.
Speaker 3: Then much of your success depends upon recognition a very
fine dividing line between colors. To a certain extent. Of course,
these are only rough suggestions. Chemical analysis is the final word. Yes,
quite so much, Ryder, thank you very much for information.
My knowledge of chemistry and metallurgy is very very limited,
not nearly as expensive as my knowledge of tree.
Speaker 11: Anything else you wanted.
Speaker 3: Not a thing, mister Rider, thank you so much. The
rider is certainly not color blind, nor is romano or
I have just tested him. The seal has no difficulty
in picking out green from pink.
Speaker 13: Scar I didn't want to say anything when we first
came in. You do not have to tell us that, Sheriff,
you were quite busy. Tell me miss beaton his date
for wedding arranged four as yet?
Speaker 3: Why well, how did you know?
Speaker 11: That?
Speaker 14: Is what Donna and I were discussing? We you see,
we wondered, Yes, Miss s Beeton, I suppose Don should
be the one to speak of it, but we wondered
if you, if we held the wedding early enough, would
you be the honored guest, My.
Speaker 3: Dear miss Beeton, lessen it. It is honor which overwhelms
me to feel that I have made such friends in
murder mystery that they should desire my presence at their marriage.
I shall be.
Speaker 15: Delighted to God, Inspector.
Speaker 9: I'm sure glad to hear that. I feel that I
owe you such a lot for well for solving this case.
Speaker 3: Alas the case is not as yet soft.
Speaker 9: But Leslie we as I said. I didn't want to
say anything in front of the rest, but Leslie just gone,
that's not a dad.
Speaker 13: I just forgot cash. Shannon is standing downstairs and waiting
on you. He wants to ask something. I told him
I'd tell you. I wonder what he wants. Come on, Leslie,
we'll go down and see.
Speaker 10: All right, Don.
Speaker 16: Another minute, mister chan it had been too late.
Speaker 3: What what is that, mister Holt?
Speaker 13: Leslie has been told about seeing our sing come out
of the study onto the balcony after the shot.
Speaker 3: I thought you would when I absented myself from study.
Speaker 13: And Don hasn't had time to tell you. No, mister Holt,
And until someone does tell you, you don't have to
know that our sing was seen leaven by the balcony window.
Speaker 3: Technically, you are correct, mister Hope. I have only my
guess work upon which to base an opinion.
Speaker 13: Mister Chan, I'm I'm seventy eight years old, an honorable age,
a happy one too, because I'm here among my own folks,
in the country I've always known. But now, just supposing
I was in some foreign country, what would I want
more than anything?
Speaker 3: You would wish to see again your native village, to
tread the self same soil wherein you will be laid
to rest.
Speaker 13: You're a smart man, mister Chan. You got me right away.
Inspector darn ain't never made you a deputy. You ain't
got no real authority here.
Speaker 3: Quite so, mister Hope, I am but regent in authority.
Speaker 13: You ain't got no authority, you ain't under oath, And
mister Chan, I am.
Speaker 16: I am lying.
Speaker 3: Thank you, mister Hope. I speak in broken voice for
my entire race. When I say I thank you, you
will pardon me. Now. I know I have little errand
to perform.
Speaker 13: Of course you have, and if it should happen and
I don't never meet a certain old friend of mine again,
shake his hand, give him my love, and tell him
I am proud to have knowed him.
Speaker 3: Aye. I cannot speak, mister Hoape, but thank you so much.
Speaker 2: A quick handshake, a few emotional words of thanks, and
Charlie Chan slips down the back passageway, finds his way
to Warsing's room, and in Cantonese, with many gestures, signifies
to our Sing that he is to accompany him quietly
and as invisibly as possible for the garage. In a
few minutes, Pine viewers behind them as the car speed
down the roadway, Charlie Chan gripping the steering wheel, while
last thing sits silently by his side.
Speaker 15: The poison.
Speaker 16: Now, maybe I can say, very.
Speaker 3: Wicked man, China, your head would have been struck from
your aged body in this foreign land. You would have
been placed like wild animal in cage and steel bar.
Jail is what you richly deserve.
Speaker 15: So I catch up, saying to.
Speaker 3: The contrary, you are to catch boat for China, all like.
It was all right that the extent of your remarks
are doing you great favor. It's tremendous kindness. And you reply,
all right, courteous man. Arsing would not stop at that,
or me very much applied.
Speaker 15: That is better.
Speaker 3: Still appears inadequate, but it is slightly better. Two warring
emotions are seeing stir within him gladness for you, ancient one,
that you are to return to the land of your birth.
But I seeing torments of indecision tear at my breast
after all these many years on police force in Honolula,
years I seen is set by temptations, promises from wealthy
merchants whose wares are frowned upon by island police, Promises
from others that I too.
Speaker 15: Should be wealthy.
Speaker 3: Would I but close my eyes to certain facts these years?
I sing, I said it not. It's I am assisting
you in your escape?
Speaker 13: Are me really salib? I sing in number one of
very old managers? Are not for much you live?
Speaker 10: Now?
Speaker 13: Suppose American policeman, I hang, I say, all right, no
can help, no care very much.
Speaker 16: We call back upine view.
Speaker 3: Apart from your erroneous impressions and duty of American police,
and seeing there are other things. Please, I am not
the greatest driver in work. Now I require attention to
be concentrated upon operation of this not too youthful vehicle.
We have only sufficiency of time to arrive coincidence with
the rival of train at San Francisco. There you have money,
I see, and you will purchase your own ticket. I'm sorry,
but we do not also furnish fair. We have three
or four minutes, I see. I desire to impress upon
you certain facts. Government has fallen upon evil time. We
cannot even afford to squander a small piece of rope
upon man like you, old man who is to die
soon in any king. So it says, return to China,
to China and nowhere else, or I will call I
end you honorable sitting. You will again sit before the
children of your village. You will supervise the selection of
your own burial place. I myself will see that your
trunk is prepared and sent to you. Where shall I
send it.
Speaker 13: For the establishment of my brother thinkau in the Jackson Street,
the fish shop of Delicious, or that it.
Speaker 3: Shall be done for you. The past dies this afternoon,
the future is born here. Now you understand me. Understand
I am honored bearer of affectionate message for you, ancient
well mister sam Holt to send it. He is proud to.
Speaker 16: Have known Ah, and my.
Speaker 13: Noble man maybe fawn nails of his coppeny of purest.
Speaker 3: Gold to match his heart.
Speaker 15: Yes, Ah, we are live here.
Speaker 13: Oh God, I didn't do what was it?
Speaker 3: You still limp. Your knee still troubles you on a benepad.
Speaker 16: Knee here, Andy, saw need all lightly on it?
Speaker 3: Yes, indeed, yes, the wound you acquired when you bumped
into dressing table bench in Landini's old sitting room.
Speaker 16: Sure sure, after me?
Speaker 3: Should enough enough thing? Do not poke your finger through
your own paper lantern. Luck is running high for you today.
I seen be cautious. That's the heart of the law
yet hardened against you. It is the train. Make purchase
a ticket on way. It will avoid sight of two
Chinese gentlemen at ticket. What your say, boy, goodbye? May
your entire journey be on the sunny side of the goodbye?
Speaker 13: Oh oh me for black You'll take it east long
a bussy, you tell him, bussy so much of work
in his house, saying away, I shall tell him I.
Speaker 3: Could find you. Charlie.
Speaker 2: Chan's disappearance passes unnoticed until Dudley Ward and John Ryder
going to the wine cellar find it luck and start
looking for our things range.
Speaker 7: John our sing doesn't generally hide himself away like this.
Speaker 11: Come to think of it, I haven't seen him since lunchtime.
He may be with Cham. You you mean, Chan may
have arrested him. No, that is I hardly think so, John.
I don't believe Chang would arrest it with talking to me,
Shanna do anything he felt like doing. Well, we look
for him in the living room. He may be there.
Speaker 15: I don't understand that, Leslie.
Speaker 9: I'll searched the whole house and I can't find him
any place.
Speaker 11: Has anyone seen our sing?
Speaker 4: Not a single not should time mister Ward that he
was in the kitchen when I was take a walk
at lunch.
Speaker 9: I haven't seen him, mister Ward or Inspector Chane either.
I looked all over the place.
Speaker 11: For him too.
Speaker 10: I saw a sing at the garage about two o'clock,
I think it was I.
Speaker 9: Left Inspector Chan and the study was dead, and I
came down to talk with Kay Shannon. When I we
and Leslie and I returned. Well, Chane had stepped out
for a minute, so Dad said.
Speaker 16: Right, Shan.
Speaker 13: But I wouldn't worry about Infector Chan. He didn't look
after himself.
Speaker 11: I'm not worried about Chen, but I am anxious about
all things.
Speaker 16: Well.
Speaker 13: I don't know i'd worry much about seeing He's pretty
able to look after him.
Speaker 7: Jail too well, missus o'perrell hasn't seen him for a
couple of hours, and of course they see you in
Ireland have been gone all afternoon.
Speaker 4: Here is a car approachingane element to see I think
it is a.
Speaker 6: Yes it is.
Speaker 11: Yeah, oh yeah, yeah, circainly for you.
Speaker 9: Hello, oh yes, right, yeah yeah, oh Gleason dead eh yeah,
all right, yeah, yes, it's all right, goodbye.
Speaker 8: We are mister Ward. All that stuff from Reno. And
by the way, we just overtook Inspector Chan driving the
old car. Where down the road a little way. He'll
be here in a minute.
Speaker 3: Good.
Speaker 9: I'm going to the study.
Speaker 11: Tell you I want to see him that.
Speaker 10: Come on, Leslie, what's the matter? Don you you seehim?
Speaker 3: Upset? I am upset?
Speaker 15: Who was that?
Speaker 16: On the phone?
Speaker 9: Done right into the chronicle. He said that Gleason was
over the deep one saw channing I sing there, Yes,
And Gleason said that he saw Chan put us hanging
on the train for San Francisco.
Speaker 16: Yeah, And I don't get old it up about it.
Wait till mister Chang get.
Speaker 9: She don't get all head up about it, don't connet.
Speaker 3: After what Leslie told me about seeing us singing, come
out of.
Speaker 9: The study onto the balcony.
Speaker 6: After hearing that shot, I.
Speaker 13: Sit down, sir, and quitch storm and there's an explanation
for everything here.
Speaker 10: Mister Holt, sit down by the fire. I wouldn't worry
about it done. Mister Chan isn't likely to do anything wrong.
Speaker 9: Well, I don't get it at all. He just disappears,
doesn't say anything about it to anyone. Then I got
this call from Rankon. I had to pretend to Rankon.
It was all right, try to act us if I
knew all about it.
Speaker 13: Well, you probably know all about it. In a few minutes,
mister Chang said, did he tell you who the murder is?
Speaker 16: Before the day was out?
Speaker 13: And it's getting pretty well on the dinner time now
a Sarah mister Ward said that she awaited me in
study less Inspector.
Speaker 9: I had a phone call from Bill Lancolm. He tells
me that you just took our singing over to the
train of truck. You I suppose I was a favor.
Speaker 16: Eh, hold your horse is gone.
Speaker 11: I've been double cross made of phone.
Speaker 13: Well, now if you have, I done it. I told
mister Chan to take our sing to truck. I told
him to help our Shing get away to China?
Speaker 15: Who to China?
Speaker 11: And all the time you knew he was guilty of
Sam Hill.
Speaker 16: You knew he came to this room and found all
that shun.
Speaker 3: One moment, please, I cannot allow you, mister Holt, to
show their responsibility for all blame.
Speaker 9: Now, how could you let me down like this? You
know I'm a sworn officer. I've taken my old to
uphold alone.
Speaker 16: We know all that shun, but there ain't anything.
Speaker 6: I'm not going to stand here and talk.
Speaker 3: I'm going going, Sheriff, and going where to San Francisco?
Speaker 11: But for what?
Speaker 15: For what?
Speaker 6: To get our thing? To patch him back, arrest him
for the murder of Landini.
Speaker 3: One moment, Sheriff, I'm making grave mistake. I Sing did
not murder Landini.
Speaker 11: But what was that you said?
Speaker 3: I remarked, my dear Sheriff, I Sing did not kill
Madam Landini, nor did he kill doctor Swan. Surely, Sheriff,
if you do not think that I am so little
concerned and seeing justice done that I should deliberately assist
in escape of murderer.
Speaker 11: Well I just didn't get it at all.
Speaker 3: But now to the immediate business of making good our
promise to arrest murderer before this day has joined all
other days in antiquity. Must all leave study.
Speaker 15: I have little rearrangements of death here to do.
Speaker 3: Then we proceed diningroom as though nothing more important than
eating meals were in our minds.
Speaker 13: Were you delivered my measures to all our scene, mister Chance, Yes, indeed, yes,
mister Home.
Speaker 3: Our Sing's eyes filled with tears, and he remarked that
he wished the four nails of your copper to be
the purest gold. It was highest compliment of which unemotional
our sing.
Speaker 15: Is casing arriffes Inspector.
Speaker 3: Remember why guests came to Fine Views a request mister Ward,
who desired information concerning son he believed had been born
to Landini after a separation from him.
Speaker 9: Yes, yes, of course, And the fact that Romano said
that he had heard of that son.
Speaker 3: Direct, but not so important as one other thing central clue.
Had we but realized it was such? I very much
fear that my friend Inspected Duff of Scotland Yard, whom
I am indebted for praise essential clue. Yes, I am
certain Inspected Duff would have realized it.
Speaker 5: I don't, I can't.
Speaker 16: Even guess you got me, mister Change.
Speaker 3: I think I know a letter, correct, the letter addressed
to John Ryder. Will you be so kind as to
take my arm, mister Holt, thank you right with you
trying to smile. Do stay very much background if you please.
When reached living one so small, slip a robberst if necessary,
truth and see right, inspector.
Speaker 12: I guess so since our things disappeared with the keys
to the sideboard as well as a sellow.
Speaker 11: Oh there you are, mister Chan. We missed you this afternoon.
Speaker 3: Sorry, mister Ward, that I had business which could not wait.
Speaker 7: Something strange has happened, mister Chan. Ur Sing has disappeared.
Speaker 11: Yes, perhaps Chan can throw some light upon the disappearance
of Sing.
Speaker 15: I can I grieve to tell you, mister Ward.
Speaker 3: All evidence uncovered so far indicates painful certainty that our
Sings person who fired that shot which sent us hurrying
to study find Landini's dead body stretched upon floor.
Speaker 7: I don't believe it. I don't care where the evidence points.
Sing never killed Landini.
Speaker 3: But if Sing himself admits that he.
Speaker 11: Did, I'd go to him at once or Sing.
Speaker 3: That I fear it is impossible Sheriff was about to
arrest him, when when he dropped from sack, then he
got away, all the time being he may yet be apprehended.
I'm so sorry, mister Ward. This must be a great.
Speaker 15: Shock for you.
Speaker 3: I have stopped in dining room for only one moment
to say I appreciate your hospital. I leave this house
at once.
Speaker 15: There is nothing more.
Speaker 3: I can.
Speaker 7: I suppose not, but you must not go until one
thing is settled. I promised you one thousand dollars to
undertake the search for my son.
Speaker 15: But mister Ward, the search was soon no matter.
Speaker 7: There was nothing about that in our agreement, just a
moment I would so all.
Speaker 11: Sing got away Me too.
Speaker 6: Mister Ryder, I can't help it, I am. Would you
call it late to flea.
Speaker 3: You, miss Rider, find only pleasure in escape blast thing?
Speaker 11: Need I conceal that chance?
Speaker 15: Sing was very good friend for you.
Speaker 12: One of the best friends I ever had, I said
before Sing, one of the real Chinese.
Speaker 6: Then, mister Chan, the mystery is a solve.
Speaker 3: I can go.
Speaker 6: You say you are leaving his house, and now I
will go with you, not the one of the minute.
The will I stay.
Speaker 11: Planned in his money, burning holes in your pockets.
Speaker 4: Romano you think you make me angry, You think your
words are hurt and Louis romano Ah, but the no,
I consider myself, but justify you all of your other housbands.
Speaker 6: What do you do for that glorious voice?
Speaker 17: Huh?
Speaker 6: Only stay for it, that is what you do.
Speaker 4: But mei Romano, I make for the famous prima donna,
I the give of the greatest.
Speaker 11: Singer A.
Speaker 15: Thank you so much?
Speaker 7: Won't you have a Pairwell drink chan oh? I remember
you don't drink, do you?
Speaker 11: And anyway? Singing went off with the keys. John and
I have been sitting here all evening with pouched throats.
Speaker 3: Thank you so much for reminding me. I'm so sorry,
but I have been on point of forgetting. Here are
keys In trusted to me by asking just.
Speaker 15: Before his escape.
Speaker 7: Well that is a bit of luck here, John, help
yourself to accordial with your coffee. I will sure you
won't change your mind, mister Chance.
Speaker 15: I'm a great believer in ceremony.
Speaker 3: In old days in China, refusal to drink party libation
would be slur on hospitality of the host.
Speaker 15: Small taste.
Speaker 11: Here is an extra glass for John. Help the inspector
to whatever he desires.
Speaker 3: A little port wine, please, one thing more China. In
old days, refusal of host to or parting libation himself
might well have been regarded as slur on departing gets.
But I do not press you understand. I recall my
first dinner at your tape. I recall how courteous you were,
how you serve the cocktails yourself. Now, nothing, mister Ward,
was too much trouble until that tray of decanters was
placed before you. Then how you shouted for our sing
How singh had to return from kitchen before cordials could
be served. Ah, these little things, how they register in
detective mind? How I was to recall them later? I
said to myself, can it be that mister Ward, mister
Ward is color blind?
Speaker 11: What are you raving about? Can it?
Speaker 3: Was? Interesting questions I observed in study on writing desk
two kinds of ink black on right side, read on
left moments ago before I left study, I took liberty
of changing their respective positions. Mister Ward, check which you
gave me is written in red ink. So you are
color blind? After all? I am knight of Landini murder.
Landini was heard to say, Oh it's you, is it?
At my scarf from bedroom the green one. Landini was
found with pink scarf in dead hand. Also, Landini sent
me in great hurry to mister Ryder's room matter of
life and death. She said. He was seated at desk
writing letter letter addressed to John Ryder. Later that letter
was found burned, but it had been opened. Mister Rider
maintained that he had never received said.
Speaker 11: Letter, and I still say so can I never saw
that letter?
Speaker 3: Quite correct, mister Rider. It was letter to inform you,
mister Rider, of death of Dudley Ward's son and request
that after land Deani had left pine View, you, mister Ryder,
were to break the news to mister Ward.
Speaker 15: But mister Ward.
Speaker 3: Found said letter in a fit of rags. He killed Landini.
Speaker 11: Are you mad, Inspector, No, it was.
Speaker 3: You who were mad. After murder, You saw confusion on table.
He tried to straighten things, placing red lid on yellow
box and yellow lid on red.
Speaker 11: I was with you in John Rider's room when the
shot was fired.
Speaker 3: Shot which we heard, yes, shot which was fired to
mislead last Landini was killed in noise and confusion of
plane's arrival. Ur Singh good old r Singe, one of
the real Chinese. He found you. There was smoking gun
in your hands. He hurried you from study, then he
fired misleading shot into pine trees.
Speaker 11: You can't arrest my friend on theories like these.
Speaker 3: Doctor swan was also witness's murder. You removed him in
preference to paying blackmail.
Speaker 7: I'm not sorry for killing Swanley once the use John,
It's true, all of it.
Speaker 11: I don't care. I've got nothing to live for.
Speaker 3: Please, mister Ward, you are not required to make any
statements without benefit of advice a lot.
Speaker 15: I'm so sorry. Take him away to Sheriff.
Speaker 2: I'm going with Okay, why miss beek Leslie.
Speaker 11: I can't help it, Ward what I can hardly believe it.
Speaker 15: But this is not occasion for tears.
Speaker 3: I think it is first a long succession of triumphs
for young Sheriff, in whose success you must feel Echo Pry.
Speaker 11: I suppose you're right.
Speaker 15: Yes, I am right.
Speaker 3: From first moment Young Sheriff's eyes lighted upon you, I
knew this was inevitable outcast.
Speaker 11: You really are good to taketive.
Speaker 15: Before I have said three things.
Speaker 3: The wise man does not do, does not clow the sky.
He does not paint pictures on the wall, and he
does not argue.
Speaker 2: After you have heard from your sponsor, Inspector Chan will
be with us again. Well, mister chand what parting thought
have you for us?
Speaker 3: This evening conclusion of mystery I've murder of Landini brings
to my mind ancient saying. The road may seem endless hills,
insurmount of the night, black and stylus, and the end
of the journey lost in fearsome shadows. The wise man
knows daylight comes, that no road is so long, but
that it.
Speaker 15: Reaches at the last its destination.
Speaker 2: Thank you, mister Chan, and good night.
Speaker 1: Welcome back. Who killed Ellen Landini and Doctor Swan? This
is my theory after listening to episode thirty six of
thirty nine. I start with the fact that all Saying
has done things that imply Kate himself in the crime.
He has refused chances and overtures from Charlie Chan to
clear himself, and Inspector Chen doesn't believe he's the killer.
So my question would be why would all sing do this?
My answer is that a Singh is covering up for someone.
The only person in that house that a Singh would
try to shield is mister Dudley Ward. Why did Dudley
Ward kill Landini and doctor Swan? My answer would be
that he already knew the son that he and Landini
had together was already dead. Remember that we learned that
doctor Swan had been blackmailing Ellen Landini, presumably because he
knew about her son. And also remember the fact that
Landini was having trouble paying her bills and even paying
her commitment to Romano because her money was tied up
in real estate. What are the odds that she was
keeping up her blackmail payments to doctor Swan. I think
she was failing to make the payments, so doctor Swan
told Dudley Ward because he's a blackmailer, and blackmailers are
generally awful people. Then Dudley Ward decides he's going to
go through the motions of an investigation to find out
where his son is. He invites the other husbands and
the Beatens, and of course he had already hired Cecil.
I wouldn't be surprised if that airing decision wasn't part
of this plot, depending on how far back it was going.
And I wouldn't be surprised if he had helped Landini
land Ireland as the pilot, thus creating a situation where
the murder could occur and there could be an entire
houseful of suspects, all of whom had reasons to kill Landini,
and all of whom had their own reasons for wanting
to hide their secrets, and thus making it unlikely that
he would be caught out. In addition, the fact that
he was looking to Landini to tell him where his
son was would also be a point against him being
considered an actual suspect. Now, I do admit one big
flaw on this plan is that he went ahead and
he committed a murder with the famous Honolulu detective Charlie
Chan present, which would be a very foolish thing to do,
but certainly not unprecedented in the annals of detective fiction. Anyway,
that's my theory, and now here is my present self
to tell us whether I was right or wrong and
provide the analysis of this final episode. Okay, in terms
of my solution, I actually came pretty close.
Speaker 3: You know.
Speaker 1: I got the murderer right, and I think I got
the motive right. The big failing in my thinking was
my conclusion that this was some cleverly planned and executed
cold blooded plot by Dudley Ward, rather than, as it
turned out, a crime of passion that Assing very quickly
did his best to cover up and protect his boss.
There was a reason they sent him to China because
even though he wasn't the murderer, he really was an
accessory after the fact, and it would have been very
difficult for him not to get charged with anything, and
so they decided to spare him that sort of inglorious fate. Overall,
I did enjoy this. I thought it was a really
engaging mystery, a lot of twist, a lot of character relationships,
many different sort of secrets and lies being played out
in the course of the story.
Speaker 6: It was a bit.
Speaker 1: Talkie at times, and the pace was not particularly quick,
but I enjoyed that. I enjoyed just being able to
take the time to kind of experience this whole murder mystery.
It's very different. It's a whole lot like reading a
classic murder mystery book as opposed to a radio drama,
and there's just not a whole lot around like this,
so I appreciate it for its rarity, and there was
also some depth to the story, to its characters. Now,
in terms of comparing it to the book, I think
this is a pretty solid adaptation. In its solution, it
sticks with the novel and there are whole passages of
dialogue that are ripped right from the novel. The radio
program diverts from the book in several ways, but I
think most of those are justified by the needs of
the radio production and also might have been influenced by
the stage play. Probably the biggest one that the way
some events played out in the book as opposed to
the audio drama and when they happen. For example, the
death of doctor Swan on the radio occurs in episode sixteen,
and the huge revelation until in Landini's diary about the
killer being colorblind doesn't happen until towards the end of
the serial. In the book, the revelation about the killer
colorblind actually occurred two thirds of the way through the book,
and doctor Swan's murder it comes about seventy five percent
of the way through the book, essentially ends the book
second act and sets up the third act. And in fact,
Charlie Chan wanted to find out whether doctor Swan was colorblind,
so in the book he it's Leslie beaten to ask
for them to go to a gambling house where and
they drive to trucky which apparently had some legal gambling
and went upstairs to a poker game and played a
couple of hands, then left. And in the course of this,
Chan was able to find out because doctor Swan recognized
the color of the chips, that he was not colorblind,
and so that eliminated Doctor Swan is a suspect. And
then he was murdered. And I mean, you can do
that in a novel, and I think it was fine,
But as people making a radio player, you're like, Okay,
why are we going to do this whole scene and
introduced this whole location just to have Chan prove that
someone who is going to be killed anyway is innocent.
So they just went ahead and they had him killed
before the whole color blindness thing became a point. They
did quite a bit of that in this story. The
radio drama is very claustrophobic. The vast majority of it
takes place at Pineview. In the thirty three episodes we have.
The scenes outside of pine View that we actually get
to observe are those in Reno where Charlie Chan and
Dudley Ward and mister Holt are questioning Landini's secretary, and
then the scene where Chin drops off, saying so he
can catch the train to San Francisco. The book had
a bit more. There was a bit more in Reno.
In addition, many of the inhabitants upon view actually were
allowed to leave and relocate to a tavern that was
actually where doctor Swan was staying when he was murdered,
and Romano then moved into his room. I think that
they again made a production decision, let's go ahead and
consolidate locations as much as possible, and they really do
get away with it. The stuff that happened outside of
there wasn't necessary, or you have situations where people call
or were exposited that somebody told something, and by doing that,
they could really just have this core cast of actors
keep the story together. And I'd be fascinating to know
the behind the mike detail. I suspect that there was
at least a little doubling up, with at least a
couple of actors voicing more than one character, also in
something that I think was a logical arrangement. The proposal
didn't actually happen until after the murder was solved. In
Keeper of the Keys, probably the more important stuff in
Keeper of the Keys is that I think that the
novel was a bit more clear on the relationship between
a ward Rider and ass. Rider's friendship, or at least
acquaintanceship with Ward predated his marriage to Landini, and Ryder
had hung out at the house when he was much younger,
and he actually taught Saying how to read English. And
there's actually a scene in the book where as Singh
makes a special dish that he knows that Writer's going
to enjoy because he's known him that long. And I
think I might have been a little less confident in
my prediction had I read the book and saw that
as it was written in the book, the relationship or
Writer's view of us sing wasn't just some sort of
racial sentiment, but it was based on an actual relationship.
And also it very well could be a situation where
I could imagine a Singh covering up if Writer had
been the murderer. The book also went into more details
on Ward as a person. Sam Holt revealed after the
arrest that when Landini had left, Ward had been trying
to beat her Austin had Lockward in his room, allowing
Landini to make her escape from pine View. While I
viewed her actions in hiding their child from Ward as
spotful in the book, Holt defended it because he thought
she had done it because he knew Dudley wasn't fit
to raise a child. Of course, even if true, some
people would still debate the morality of her decision. Holt
also stated that despite Dudley war he you know, he
was very civil, very you know, very polite throughout the
both the radio play and the book. To the end,
Sam stated that Dudley was bad tempered from his youth
and a quote unquote natural drunkard. In fact, Ward actually
caused a mysterious wound to sing after killing Landini. Ward
wanted to get drunk, you know, and this is a
houseful of guests with the body of Landini there, and
Singh recognized this was a bad idea and refused to
give the keys. And that was why Ward struck him,
which was something he did not want to admit when
he was arrested. And to me, reading the end, it
gave me some insight into the toddle of the book
because I thought that when they found that the neighbor
had left the keys to his place with thing that
that was what the whole keeper of the keys thing
was about, but it was actually all the keys, particularly
to the liquor cabinet. O Sing had spent the last
sixty years saving Ward from himself, holding the keys like
a household designated driver to keep Ward and his family
reputation on the road, so to speak, and using would
have gladly gone to the gallows in order to continue that.
And while there are some ways in which Chan's conversation
with Osing when taking him from Pineview can seem a
bit weird and contradictory, I think that Chan had some
admiration and respect for Osing, but he also wanted Asing
to believe that they had decided that he was the killer,
and so therefore Ward would be in the clear, which
have been the only way that Austin could have been
gotten to go away. The revelation about Ward's character being
very different from his public self revealed a key fact
that often pleasant and polite veneers had dark secrets behind
closed doors, which many people who have suffered from domestic abuse,
which is part of the story, have found out in
their lives and similarly, I think that it's very tempting
and certainly would have been in the nineteen thirties to
be very harsh in the judgment of Ellen Landini. But
Chan actually found as he went through her memoirs that
he actually liked her. Didn't think she was perfect, but
a big part of her problem was that she had
made some very unfortunate matches when it came to her husband. Again,
this is not the type of stuff that you think
about when you read nineteen thirties literature or when you
think about nineteen thirties literature, and it didn't make it
to air. I speculate that this that some of the
plot elements would have limited the ability of this program
to air in many markets. And this was a series
that not only aired or was syndicated around the United States,
but it would also be syndicated in other countries, including Australia,
before the importation of American radio dramas to Australia was
effectively illegal. And given that it came at the end,
it's also hard to fit into the neat structure of
the radio. It also has to be said that even
in the context of the book, it presents a problem
because sam Holt not sharing this until after the arrest
is kind of inexplicable. He had definitive opinions of Dudley Ward,
he had knowledge of the facts of their marriage. He
had knowledge of Ussing's past relationships with Ward and with Landini.
I mean, he went as far to say that every
family tree has its rottenness apples, and Dudley Ward was
the rottenness of his family, and his whole reason why
he didn't share any of these observations with Chan or
with his son during the investigation is that Ward's name
hadn't come up. I mean, a woman is murdered in
the house of a man who she fled from in terror,
and you spend half the book or the radio drama
with the prime suspect being the man who actually aided
her escape, and you don't think that's relevant to mention.
And the fact is that if sam Holt had provided
the information, then Dudley Ward's name would have come up.
So while I appreciated the thematic revelation, I'm kind of
glad it didn't work its way into the radio drama
because it really raises some plot issues. One thing that
was in the radio drama and not the book, in
which I think actually the book was better for not
having it was a scene where Chan was doing these
quick fire color tests to eliminate suspects, and you essentially
had them eliminated on the air. And I don't think
that having the suspects trimmed back by that was particularly
helpful dramatically. I mean, it filled time, but it probably
just served to make it more obvious who actually did it.
And I guess one final thing that was interesting in
being different is in the radio drama, Romano states that
he was the best of the husbands, but in the
book that was actually Charlie Chance as well, that he
was the kindest of the four husbands. And honestly, looking back,
I think a lot of stuff that felt like he
was being too clever by half, really he wasn't. I
think Romano is somebody who had been through a bit
of an emotional ringer. A divorce is always difficult, but
he'd gotten to a point of accepting that this was
going to happen. They'd reached the settlement, and so you
not only have the divorce, you've got all of this
financial stress that comes from promises not being fulfilled and
him not being taken care of as the more dependent spouse.
So I think that Romano's whole thing was just that
he'd mourned the marriage. He hadn't wanted Landini killed, but
he was really ready to move on with his life
and get past what had been a really miserable chapter.
The book also has more details on Charlie Chan's character.
Or decides to play guilty so the check won't be
needed at trial, and Chan is offered the check to
go ahead and cash it, and he actually destroys it
because he doesn't want to get money from someone whose
life was ruined as a result of his investigation. And
the book shows how human and how much Charlie Chan
is engaged with a very empathetic approach. He doesn't even
really take pleasure in solving the case. It's a matter
of duty and justice because he knows what the consequences
will be for the killer. Like with the Serial, I
really enjoyed Keeper of the Keys. It is not a
great book, but I think it's a good one. I
do feel like there are a few really great detective
books from different subgenres, whether you're talking about the hard
boiled stories with the big sleep or the Maltese Falcon,
or you're talking about something like a murder on the
Orient Express or death on the Nile. After that, you've
got some really well written stories that may not be classics,
but are really good examples of their particular genre. And
that's where I put this one. I enjoyed both because
I think that it did a good job exploring Chan
as a character, both the book and the audio drama.
I think the film's very well beloved, but in many
of them he could practically be sidelined by the antics
of his kids and of course the sidekick Birmingham Brown.
Here we really get a measure of the man and
the depth of character that Earl Durbiggers gave him, and
it really is such an appealing character. And it has
been a lot of fun to bring this to you.
And of course we have another shorter serial left and
some self contained episodes as well, but this is really
a special and unique trait as far as I'm concerned. Well,
listener comments and feedback now, and we start out on YouTube,
where a listener agreed with my comment in regards to
the whole issue of a wide actor playing Chan and
offered his own thoughts on the portrayal as an ESL
teacher for twenty five years in many different countries, including
twelve years in mainland China. People have their own accents
and issues with English grammar and vocabulary. From my point
of view, Charlie Chan's speech pattern is rather typical of
someone who hasn't had too much formal English training and
just learned rather poorly from just being in society and
picking up the language as he goes along in his
daily life. A little close to home, my aunt married
someone from Spain in the sixties and his English never
improved from the day he entered the US a till today,
although he was a very successful obgyn in South Florida.
It's just that no one could understand him. He is
a walking stereotype. Likewise, to my Spanish ex uncle, Charlie
tries to make sense of what he's hearing in his
Chinese mind by translating something any decent ESL teacher will
prohibit before it becomes habit because what comes out isn't
very natural sounding. This is typical of adult students today,
and apparently nothing much has changed in one hundred years.
The point that Charlie Chan doesn't really fit In is
spot on, and that's how Warner Ollen played him, as
well as this radio actor. I contend that Charlie Chan
is not an Uncle Tom character. In fact, quite the opposite.
He is a full flag, three dimensional character. He's broken
English adds to the realness of his character. It's authentic,
He's authentic. I agree with the great Key Luke that
he's a Chinese hero. I would go further. He's a
hero and a very human character and so identifiable on
so many different levels. Look at all the actors who
have had the privilege of portraying in Charlie Chan, this
radio actor Walter Connolly, I should give our star some
billing here, Olin Toller, Winters, Nash Luke, and then Peter
ustinoff In a parody and Ross Morton Martin. Not sure
if I left anybody out. One things all these actors
had for the character of Charlie Chan respect and that
I think is definitely a fair point. And I also
appreciate getting the ESL perspective. That's one of the great
things about doing this podcast is I have just lived
my life with the sort of limits of experience that
I have, so it's great to hear from the experience
and perspectives of others, and that's certainly not what I
would have been familiar with. And then I have a
comment on the website from Raymond regarding the Charlie Chan
radio programs being aired. It's good that a series of
such vintage exists, although I find these overly laden with dialogue,
which lessens their listenability. To negatively compare adopting Chinese characteristics
for a role by a non Oriental actor as foolish,
After all, actors are supposed to act. Kay Luke, for instance,
was a talented Chinese performer, but would he have equalled
Warner Owen or Sidney Toller as Chan instead of enacting
one of his children.
Speaker 11: I think not.
Speaker 1: I would add that klu did actually play Charlie Chan
or voice him in the seventies Charlie Chan filmation cartoons.
In addition, he did play a detective lead. He took
over for Boris Karloff, who had starred in the first
five Mister Wong films, and appeared in the last one,
The Phantom of Chinatown in nineteen forty, and he quitted
himself quite well. It was a poverty row film, so
didn't make a whole lot of money, but it is
actually a really solid film that's in the public domain.
I will say that he probably couldn't have believably played
Chan until maybe the very end of the run, and
that would have required like some physical changes. When you
hear about actors, you know going through wake heening dies
had to be in something like that, plus some makeup.
I think you can be fair and honest and say
that the racial politics of America at the time really
made it impossible that you could have an actor cast
as Charlie Chan who was of Asian descent. You would
not have had this sort of film series with the
more than forty films. They did have Charlie Chan films
that featured actor of Asian heritage, but those films weren't
particularly successful and they tended to make him a secondary character.
So really you had to have a white actor in Elite.
That's the only way it would work commercially. That doesn't
mean you can't enjoy and appreciate the media productions that
came out of them. You make the you know, if
you're making something commercial, you have to operate on the
rules of the society as it exists and what the
market will actually pay for. And on the positive side,
the Charlie Chan films gave work to so many young
actors who just would not have gotten these type of roles,
and certainly it helped kay Luke have the amazing career
that he had, And of course it brought the wonderful
all American antics of the Chan children. And I think
you can definitely appreciate the actors who played Charlie Chan,
but I don't think it's necessary to pretend that this
was just it was just a merit based decision.
Speaker 3: Now.
Speaker 1: No, this was the nineteen thirties and Hollywood dealing with
the racial sentiments of the time in the only way
that it could to put out profitable films. Raymond goes
on regarding the idea put forth in the Walter Connolly
series of all the suspects being in the fact the murderer.
This device had been employed earlier by the late Agatha Christie,
one example being a tour to four second only to
her nineteen thirty nine classic, and then there were none,
which the writing, she admitted, gave her much trouble. And
while the solution to the former strange credulity, it is remarkable,
especially as put forth in impressive detail by aqu Poirot.
Christie's mystery output more often than not fall short of
her finest works. The Miss Marple injuries of lesser quality
than those featuring her Belgian Sleuth, possibly the result of
her prolificness, but she is reportedly now the world's most
successful writer. Thanks so much, appreciate the comment, Raymond. Then
we turned to Hally's email, who has a couple of
random thoughts. Normally I prefer or, and the first is
on Jeff Reagan. Normally I prefer orchestral scores, but Jeff
Reagan's organist is phenomenal. It's like a little rotting commentary Mary,
mirroring the reactions of the audience many times. She also
shared her predictions for the possible outcomes of the Charlie
Chan mystery. We know Using didn't do it, we know
none of the other ethnic characters did it, and we
know Ryder didn't because he's a nasty chork. Using knows
who did it and also knows that Dudley Ward's son
is still alive at pine View and may have been
the person to shoot Landini or not. Dudley Ward's son
is either Harold Beaton or based on some add hints
by the old sheriff youngs Holt, who was never told
the truth about his real mother. Okay, maybe that's a
bit out there, but but if Harold Beaten is Landini's heir,
then wouldn't he have to the motive to shoot her?
Or if he's really telling the truth and saying he
doesn't care about inheriting her money, then it's I say
that it's the person I've suspected all along for pretty
Leslie Beaten, because well, maybe she'd want her brother to
inherit the money she owes aw thing will cover for
her and she'll avoid suspicion because she's pretty Leslie Beaten.
And what's funny about this particular email A lot of
things funny, I will add is that this email came
to me before last week's episode went out on the podcast,
and I ask for someone to explain, you know, why
they might suspect Leslie Beaten and her brother at this point,
and there we go. Seriously, I'm really enjoying Charlie Chan
and the fact that it includes the issue of racism
and adds some unexpected death to some of the characters
makes it that much more engaging. As always, I enjoy
all of your programs and fun informative commentaries. Thank you,
Holly Well, thank you so much, Holly. And now that
brings us at last to our Patreon supporter of the day,
and I want to go ahead and thank Robert, Patreon
supporter since July twenty twenty two, currently supporting the podcast
at the shawmus level of four dollars or more per month.
Thanks so much for your support, Robert, and that will
at last do it for today. This has been fun.
I've enjoyed talking about it, but I am conscious that
this is probably one of the longest commentary portions in
listener feedback portions I've ever done, so if you are
listening this far, I really appreciate it. Also appreciate everyone
who shared their feedback and comment. We'll be back next
Tuesday with a new shorter Charlie chan Cereal. This one
will only take three weeks to get through. But join
us back here tomorrow for Broadways my beat where.
Speaker 17: I don't know, I'll just take it easy. That's better.
What were you looking for?
Speaker 18: Pocketbook? I remember I had it. I think I had
it when I was rocking right over there. I filled down.
Speaker 17: Let's go see along ago jamishia pocketbook a little while.
Speaker 18: I think I don't know an hour, I don't know,
just a few minutes ago. I can't remember.
Speaker 11: When here's where you fell.
Speaker 18: Yes, I remember because when it happened, I stretched out
my arm so I wouldn't hit the trash.
Speaker 11: Can Is this it?
Speaker 3: Miss? Yes?
Speaker 18: Yes, that's it. I can remember that.
Speaker 17: Let's open it.
Speaker 18: Yes, yes.
Speaker 17: The wallet is a driver's license made out to Linda
Arnold nineteen twelve, voice, fifty four street, five four blonde hair,
green eyes. My fits and this in case of accident,
notify Helen Carroll addressed the same.
Speaker 18: Helen Carroll and Helen, Yes, that's right. My name's Linda
Arnold and Helen Carrol's my aunt.
Speaker 17: Something else at this person, Miss Arnold, recognize it?
Speaker 18: Why that's a letter opener and Helen's And there's blood
on it.
Speaker 17: That's right, Miss Sild it's sticky with blood.
Speaker 1: I hope you'll be with us then in the meantime.
Send your comments to Box thirteen at Great Detectives dot net,
follow heow us on Twitter at Radio Detectives, and check
us out on Instagram, Instagram, dot com, slash Great detectives
from Boise, Idaho. This is your host, Adam graham Son
and off.