The Chinese Cat (Monogram) (1944)

* PUBLICITY Girl’s Natural Skill as Sidney Toler Is "Typed" To Sidney Toler has come the realization that it is possible for a screen actor to do his job too well. He has become “typed” in Hollywood—and he did it to himself. In the minds Toler and Charlie Chan have become synonymous, and the composite character has come to be regarded only as a wily Chinese de tective, without regard to any other personality. “Not long ago,’ said Toler re cently, “I had a most disturbing nightmare. playing ‘Othello,’ and I was rolling out the sonorous Shakespearean passages with what I thought was fine effect. Finally a man in the third row, right on the aisle, suddenly sprang to his feet and gave vent to a furious snort. “You can’t fool me!” he shouted. “You're Charlie Chan!” Toler will again be seen as Chan in “The Chinese Cat,” second in his new series for Monogram, when the picture opens at the theatre. The cast supporting the star includes Joan Woodbury, Mantan Moreland, Benson Fong, Ian Keith and Weldon Heyburn. of theatregoers, | I dreamt that I was} | CHARLIE CHAN | | | | | Sidney Toler stars in the role of | One Col. Scene Mat No. 2 Long Stage Service Made Actor ‘Doctor,’’|Play wright Sidney Toler’s long stage dends. The actor appeared in the theatre for 2 he finally transferred his his intense interest in his edge of dramatic constr account as a playwright and Toler comes to the screen of the¥ as the Charlie murder Cat.” Though Toler was at one period under contract to David Belasco for 14 years, and became one of the favorite actors of New York’s Broadway, he spent many seasons with various stock companies, not only as actor but also as director. This, says Toler, is the branch of the theatrical profession which is most valuable to the student of the drama. “At one time,” says Toler, “I was leading man and _ assistant stage director of a stock company in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and during that entire period we put on a new play every Monday. It is such service that teaches a man just how a play should be put together.” Subsequently Toler wrote seven plays which achieved Broadway success, including the Helen Hays starring vehicle, “Golden Days.” Many of his plays are marketed by a company catering to “little” theatre, college, school and church groups. For many years he was known as one of New York’s most expert “play doctors,” re-writing theatre on starred famous Chinese detective, Chan, in the Monogram mystery, “The Chinese eves ew sey ATHLETE Anthony Warde was an outstanding athlete at Marquette University ten years ago, rowing at stroke on the crew and also winning his “letter” in track, swimming, hockey and boxing. Warde will be seen on the screen of the on in “The Chinese Cat,’ the Monogram picture which stars Sidney Toler in the familiar character of Charlie Chan, Chinese detective. WORKER Burly Dewey Robinson, prominent screen villain, is one of the many motion picture actors who spend all available spare time working in war plants, and puts in four hours each night at the North American airplane factory near Hollywood. Robinson comes to the ear pecee theatre on ....... in “The Chinese Cat,’ Monogram’s Chan detective story starring Sidney Toler. career has paid well in divi5 years before allegiance to motion pictures, and profession brought him a knowluction which he ! turned to good “play doctor.” | and re-arranging many Broadway failures so that later they became successful. The cast supporting Toler in “The Chinese Cat” includes Mantan Moreland, Joan Woodbury, Ian Keith, Benson Fong and Weldon Heyburn. |Krasne-Burkett Productions, and George Callahan wrote the original story, based on the famous character created by Earl Derr Biggers. FLYER Benson Fong, with a record of /176 solo hours as a plane _ pilot, would now be a member of a Chi |the fact that he was grounded on account of a physical disability. Fong comes to the ........ theatre OW theca) 9 as the helpful son murder mystery, ‘The Chinese Cat,” which stars Sidney Toler the Oriental sleuth. Charlie Chan, current at the elas a | | tirely | Charlie Chan, and Benson Fong ap| Photograph pears as his son and principal as-| Promptly turned down because she sistant, in the exciting Monogram | Was “not the type.” It was then that Miss Woodbury | resort to trick and} film, “The Chinese Cat,” which) dh En a eae BECNE halves | theatre. Phil Rosen directed for! § nese flying unit if it were not for of Charlie Chan in the Monogram | Two Column Scene Mat No. The most effective bit of /salary as an actress. It was in the leading feminine | detective mystery which stars Sidney Toler in his familiar terization of the Oriental Charlie Chan. Joan had played an engagement “Spanish” dancer at Agua Caliente, a resort three miles inside the Mexican border, but was enwithout acting when she decided a few years ago that she would seek a career in motion pictures. Learning producer Harry Sherman was looking for a Latin-type actress to play Sleuth, |the leading feminine role in a Hopalong Cassidy picture, “The |Eagle’s Brood,” she mailed in a of herself, but was |determined to device. She could speak Spanish, /and so she proceeded to make her| /self up as a Mexican girl. Then | she dressed her mother in a long black dress, with a shawl over her /head, and together the pair called |at Sherman’s studio office. Joan |introduced herself as Nina Mar'tinez, and at the conclusion of the | | HAUNTED FUNHOUSE | i ;Mantan Moreland and Sidney Toler in a scene from the thrilling | Monogram picture, “The Chinese Cat,” current at the .......... the_atre, in which Toler stars in his aS famous role of Charlie Chan. 14 One Col. Scene Mat No. 3 | MURDER IN A DESERTED FUNHOUSE } ..| L to r: Mantan Moreland, Benson Fong and Sidney Toler are shown in Charlie a scene from Monogram’s “The Chinese Cat,” in which Toler stars as Theatre. 9 a 6 role of*——— |The Chinese Cat,” the Monogram charac| experience | that | Actress Brought Film Hoax acting in the career of Joan || Woodbury was done before she had ever drawn a cent of a Single “performance” as an # amateur that made her a professional. | Miss Woodbury comes to the theatre on interview was engaged for the part. Sherman signed an interpreter and a diction coach to work with her throughout the filming of the piciture, and did not know until months afterward that the ‘“Mexican” girl was really Joan Woodbury. But she had already proven |that she was a natural-born actress, and had perpetrated what ‘afterward became known as Hollywood’s most famous hoax. Sidney Toler’s supporting cast in “The Chinese Cat” also includes Mantan Moreland, Ian Keith, Benson Fong and Weldon Heyburn. Phil Rosen directed for Krasne Burkett Productions, and George Callahan’s original screenplay was /based on the character created by Earl Derr Biggers. SWEETHEART Joan Woodbury has been designated “Sweetheart of the Ship” of a Coast Guard sub-chaser on which her actor husband, Henry Wilcoxon, is second in command, and constantly looks after the comfort and ‘entertainment of every member of | | |the crew. Miss Woodbury comes | to thes ae theatre on 10.262. the leading feminine role of “The Chinese Cat,” the Monogram murder mystery starring Sidney Toler as the Oriental detective, Charlie Chan. DANCER Joan Woodbury made her debut as a solo dancer at the famous resort of Agua Caliente, 150 miles south of Hollywood and three miles across the Mexican border, which was formerly the weekend rendezvous of countless Hollywood stars. Miss Woodbury will be seen on the screen of the theatre on in the principal feminine “The Chinese Cat,” the Monogram detective mystery star|ring Sidney Toler as Charlie Chan. | ——————$ Negro Comic Aids Charlie Chan | A negro comedian whose popu|larity is spreading rapidly is Man|tan Moreland, who will be seen on | in | the screen of the ........ theatre OU ee ine: in “The Chinese Cat,” the Monogram murder mystery which stars Sidney Toler as the crafty Chinese detective, Charlie Chan. Several years ago, before he entered motion pictures, Moreland achieved popularity on the New York stage as a song and dance artist, playing featured roles in “Blackbirds of 1928,” “Singing the Blues,” “Shuffle Along” and other Similar revues. He first appeared in a film when he went to Hollywood in 1938, to play one of the principal parts in “Spirit of Youth,” the all-negro picture which starred champion Joe Louis. Moreland is regarded in the industry as a past master in the art of depicting pop-eyed terror, and the ability adds greatly to the hilajrious fun of his characterizations. His recent pictures include “Melody Parade,” “Charlie Chan in the Secret Service’ and “Sarong Girl.” Others of Sidney Toler’s supporting cast in “The Chinese Cat’ are Joan Woodbury in the principal feminine role, Benson Fong, Ian Keith, Weldon Heyburn, Cy Kendall, Sam Flint, Dewey Robinson and John Davidson. Phil Rosen directed, and the picture was produced by Philip N. Krasne and |James S. Burkett.