Warner Oland (born Johan Verner Ölund; October 3, 1879 – August 6, 1938) was a Swedish-American actor. His career included time on Broadway and numerous film appearances. He is most remembered for playing several Chinese and Chinese-American characters: Dr.

Fu Manchu Dr. Fu Manchu () is a supervillain who was introduced in a series of novels by the English author Sax Rohmer beginning shortly before World War I and continuing for another forty years. The character featured in cinema, television, radio, comic ...

, Henry Chang in '' Shanghai Express'', and, most notably, Honolulu Police detective Lieutenant

Charlie Chan Charlie Chan is a fictional Honolulu police detective created by author Earl Derr Biggers for a series of mystery novels. Biggers loosely based Chan on Hawaiian detective Chang Apana. The benevolent and heroic Chan was conceived as an alter ...

in 16 films.

Early years

Oland was born in the village of Nyby,

Bjurholm Municipality Bjurholm Municipality () is a municipality in Västerbotten County in northern Sweden. Its seat is located in Bjurholm. The present municipality has the same territory as the one instituted in 1863, when the municipal system was implemented in ...

Västerbotten County Västerbotten County ( sv, Västerbottens län) is a county or ''län'' in the north of Sweden. It shares the borders with the counties of Västernorrland, Jämtland, and Norrbotten, as well as the Norwegian county of Nordland and the Gulf of Bot ...

, Sweden. He claimed that his vaguely Asian appearance was due to possessing some Mongolian ancestry,Hanke, Ken.
Charlie Chan at the Movies: History, Filmography, and Criticism
'. McFarland & Company: Jefferson, North Carolina, 1989.LoBianco, Lorraine.
Daughter of the Dragon
Turner Classic Movies. though his known ancestry contains no indication that this was so.Swedish genealogist Sven-Erik Johansson has traced Ölund's ancestry back 5 generations

/ref> When he was 13, Oland's family emigrated to the United States, in November 1892, on board the S/S ''Thingvalla'', which sailed from Christiania, Norway, to New York. After an initial stay in New York City, the family settled in New Britain, Connecticut. Educated in Boston, Oland spoke English and his native Swedish, and eventually translated some of the plays of

August Strindberg Johan August Strindberg (, ; 22 January 184914 May 1912) was a Swedish playwright, novelist, poet, essayist and painter.Lane (1998), 1040. A prolific writer who often drew directly on his personal experience, Strindberg wrote more than sixty p ...

. As a young man, Oland pursued a career in theater, at first working on set design while developing his skills as a dramatic actor. In 1906, he was signed to tour the country with the troupe led by Russian-American actress

Alla Nazimova Alla Nazimova (Russian: Алла Назимова; born Marem-Ides Leventon, Russian: Марем-Идес Левентон; June 3 Old_Style_and_New_Style_dates">O.S._May_22.html" ;"title="Old_Style_and_New_Style_dates.html" ;"title="nowiki/>O ...

(1879–1945). The following year, he met and married the playwright and portrait painter Edith Gardener Shearn (1872-1968). Shearn made an ideal partner for Oland. She mastered Swedish, helping him with the translation of Strindberg's works that they jointly published in book form in 1912.

Film career

Career beginnings

After several years in theater, including appearances on Broadway as Warner Oland, in 1912 he made his

silent film A silent film is a film with no synchronized recorded sound (or more generally, no audible dialogue). Though silent films convey narrative and emotion visually, various plot elements (such as a setting or era) or key lines of dialogue may, when ...

debut in ''

Pilgrim's Progress ''The Pilgrim's Progress from This World, to That Which Is to Come'' is a 1678 Christianity, Christian allegory written by John Bunyan. It is regarded as one of the most significant works of theological fiction in English literature and a prog ...

'', a film based on the

John Bunyan John Bunyan (; baptised 30 November 162831 August 1688) was an English writer and Puritan preacher best remembered as the author of the Christian allegory ''The Pilgrim's Progress,'' which also became an influential literary model. In addition ...

novel. As a result of his training as a

Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...

an actor and his easy adoption of a sinister look, he was much in demand as a villain and in ethnic roles. Over the next 15 years, he appeared in more than 30 films, including a major role in ''

The Jazz Singer ''The Jazz Singer'' is a 1927 American musical drama film directed by Alan Crosland. It is the first feature-length motion picture with both synchronized recorded music score as well as lip-synchronous singing and speech (in several isolated ...

'' (1927), one of the first

talkie A sound film is a motion picture A film also called a movie, motion picture, moving picture, picture, photoplay or (slang) flick is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, percep ...

s produced. Charlie Chan's Secret (1936) - Warner Oland 2

Becoming a star

Oland's normal appearance fit the Hollywood expectation of caricatured Asianness of the time, despite his having no proven Asian ethnic background. Oland portrayed a variety of Asian characters in several movies before being offered the leading role in the 1929 film '' The Mysterious Dr. Fu Manchu''. A box office success, ''The Mysterious Dr. Fu Manchu'' made Oland a star, and during the next two years he portrayed the evil Dr. Fu Manchu in three more films (although the second one was purely a cameo appearance). Firmly locked into such roles, he was cast as

in the international detective

mystery film A mystery film is a genre of film that revolves around the solution of a problem or a crime. It focuses on the efforts of the detective, private investigator or amateur Detective, sleuth to solve the mysterious circumstances of an issue by means ...

Charlie Chan Carries On ''Charlie Chan Carries On'' (1930) is the fifth novel in the Charlie Chan series by Earl Derr Biggers. Plot summary Inspector Duff, a Scotland Yard detective and friend of Chan's, first introduced in '' Behind That Curtain'', is pursuing a murde ...

'' (1931) and then in director

Josef von Sternberg Josef von Sternberg (; born Jonas Sternberg; May 29, 1894 – December 22, 1969) was an Austrian-American filmmaker whose career successfully spanned the transition from the silent to the sound era, during which he worked with most of the major ...

's 1932 classic film '' Shanghai Express'' opposite

Marlene Dietrich Marie Magdalene "Marlene" DietrichBorn as Maria Magdalena, not Marie Magdalene, according to Dietrich's biography by her daughter, Maria Riva ; however Dietrich's biography by Charlotte Chandler cites "Marie Magdalene" as her birth name . (, ; ...

and

Anna May Wong Wong Liu Tsong (January 3, 1905 – February 3, 1961), known professionally as Anna May Wong, was an American actress, considered the first Chinese-American movie star in Hollywood, as well as the first Chinese-American actress to gain intern ...

. Oland played a werewolf, biting the protagonist, played by

Henry Hull Henry Watterson Hull (October 3, 1890 – March 8, 1977) was an American character actor perhaps best known for playing the lead in Universal Pictures's ''Werewolf of London'' (1935). For most of his career, he was a lead actor on stage and a ch ...

, in ''

Werewolf of London ''Werewolf of London'' is a 1935 horror film directed by Stuart Walker and starring Henry Hull as the titular werewolf. The supporting cast includes Warner Oland, Valerie Hobson, Lester Matthews, and Spring Byington. Jack Pierce, who is b ...

'' (1935).

The Charlie Chan industry

The enormous worldwide box office success of his Charlie Chan film led to more, with Oland starring in 16 Chan films in total. The series,

Jill Lepore Jill Lepore is an American historian and journalist. She is the David Woods Kemper '41 Professor of American History at Harvard University and a staff writer at ''The New Yorker'', where she has contributed since 2005. She writes about American ...

later wrote, "kept

Fox Foxes are small to medium-sized, omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the family Canidae. They have a flattened skull, upright, triangular ears, a pointed, slightly upturned snout, and a long bushy tail (or ''brush''). Twelve sp ...

afloat" during the 1930s, while earning Oland $40,000 per movie. Oland took his role seriously, studying the Chinese language and

calligraphy Calligraphy (from el, link=y, καλλιγραφία) is a visual art related to writing. It is the design and execution of lettering with a pen, ink brush, or other writing instrument. Contemporary calligraphic practice can be defined as "t ...

. Lepore, Jill.
Chan, The Man
''The New Yorker'', August 9, 2010.

Final year and death

Despite his wealth and success, Oland suffered from alcoholism that severely affected his health and his 30-year marriage. In January 1938, he started filming ''Charlie Chan at the Ringside''. However, a week into shooting, his erratic behavior culminated in his walking off the set, causing the film to be abandoned. After a spell in the hospital, he signed a new three-picture deal with Fox to continue playing Chan. During this period he was involved in a bitter divorce from his wife. He was forbidden, by court order, from traveling overseas or moving his assets abroad. Around this time, he was involved in a public incident when, having ordered his chauffeur to drive him to Mexico, he was observed during a rest stop sitting on the running board of his car throwing his shoes at onlookers. The divorce settlement, favoring his wife, was announced to the media on April 2, 1938. The same day he left the US by ship, turning up in southern Europe, then proceeding to his native Sweden, where he stayed with an architect friend. In Sweden, Oland contracted

bronchial pneumonia Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung primarily affecting the small air sacs known as alveoli. Symptoms typically include some combination of productive or dry cough, chest pain, fever, and difficulty breathing. The severity of ...

, worsened by the apparent onset of emphysema from years of heavy cigarette smoking, and he died in a hospital in Stockholm, August 6, 1938, aged 58. Following cremation in Sweden, his ashes were brought back to the United States by his ex-wife, for interment in the Southborough Rural Cemetery in Southborough, Massachusetts, a suburb of Boston, where the Olands had previously resided in a historic farmhouse. Oland's last film, the unfinished ''Charlie Chan at the Ringside'', was reworked, with Oland's scenes reshot with

Peter Lorre Peter Lorre (; born László Löwenstein, ; June 26, 1904 – March 23, 1964) was a Hungarian and American actor, first in Europe and later in the United States. He began his stage career in Vienna, in the Austro-Hungarian Empire, before movin ...

, and was released as ''

Mr. Moto's Gamble ''Mr. Moto's Gamble'' is the third film in the Mr. Moto series starring Peter Lorre as the title character. It is best remembered for originating as a movie in the Charlie Chan series and being changed to a Mr. Moto entry at the last minute. Plo ...

'' (1938). Oland is referenced anonymously in

Paramahansa Yogananda Paramahansa Yogananda (born Mukunda Lal Ghosh; January 5, 1893March 7, 1952) was an Indian Hindu monk, yogi and guru who introduced millions to the teachings of meditation and Kriya Yoga through his organization Self-Realization Fellowsh ...

's ''Autobiography of a Yogi'', when they met on a train, a famous actor who was, at first, critical of Yogananda's eastern garb but the conversation soon evolved into an amicable philosophical discussion.

Filmography

*''

'' (1912) as John Bunyon (film debut) *''

The Romance of Elaine ''The Romance of Elaine'' is a 1915 American silent adventure film serial directed by George B. Seitz, Leopold Wharton and Theodore Wharton, based on the novel by Arthur B. Reeve. The film is considered to be lost. Cast * Pearl White as Elai ...

'' (1915) *''

Sin In a religious context, sin is a transgression against divine law. Each culture has its own interpretation of what it means to commit a sin. While sins are generally considered actions, any thought, word, or act considered immoral, selfish, s ...

'' (1915) as Pietro *''The Unfaithful Wife'' (1915) *''

Destruction Destruction may refer to: Concepts * Destruktion, a term from the philosophy of Martin Heidegger * Destructive narcissism, a pathological form of narcissism * Self-destructive behaviour, a widely used phrase that ''conceptualises'' certain kind ...

'' (1915) as Mr. Deleveau *''

The Fool's Revenge ''The Fool's Revenge'' is a 1916 American silent drama film directed by Will S. Davis and starring William H. Tooker, Richard Neill and Ruth Findlay.Solomon p.232 Cast * William H. Tooker as Anson * Maude Gilbert as Anson's Wife * Ruth Fi ...

'' (1916) as Undetermined Secondary Role (uncredited) *''The Reapers'' (1916) as James Shaw *''

The Eternal Sapho ''The Eternal Sapho'' (also known as ''A Modern Sapho'' and ''The Eternal Sappho'') is a 1916 American silent drama film directed by Bertram Bracken and starring Theda Bara. The film was loosely based on the 1881 French novel ''Sapho'', by Alp ...

'' (1916) as H. Coudal *''

The Eternal Question ''The Eternal Question'' is a lost 1916 American silent drama film starring Olga Petrova and directed by Burton L. King. It was produced by the production company known as Popular Plays and Players and released through the newly formed Metro Pict ...

'' (1916) as Pierre Felix *'' Beatrice Fairfax'' (1916) as Detective *''

The Rise of Susan ''The Rise of Susan'' is a 1916 American silent film, silent film made by the Peerless Film Company and distributed by World Film which starred Clara Kimball Young. Remnants of a print survive in the Library of Congress missing several reels. A fu ...

'' (1916) as Sinclair La Salle *''Beatrice Fairfax Episode 4: The Stone God'' (1916) as Detective in office *''

Patria Patria may refer to: Entertainment * Patria (novel), a 2016 novel by Spanish writer Fernando Aramburu * Patria (TV series), a 2020 limited television series, based on the novel * ''Patria'' (serial), a 1917 American serial film Music * "Pátri ...

'' (1917, Serial) as Baron Huroki *''

The Fatal Ring ''The Fatal Ring'' is a 1917 American action film serial directed by George B. Seitz. Silentera.com reports that the UCLA Film and Television Archive The UCLA Film & Television Archive is a visual arts organization focused on the preservation ...

'' (1917, Serial) as Richard Carslake *''

The Cigarette Girl ''The Cigarette Girl'' is a 1917 American silent film, silent drama film directed by William Parke (director), William Parke and starring Gladys Hulette, Warner Oland and William Parke Jr.Lehu p.131 Cast * Gladys Hulette as The cigarette girl * ...

'' (1917) as Mr. Wilson *''

Convict 993 ''Convict 993'' is a lost 1918 silent film directed by William Parke and starring Irene Castle. It was distributed by the Pathé Exchange Company. Cast *Irene Castle - Roslyn Ayre *Warner Oland - Dan Mallory *Helene Chadwick - Neva Stokes *Harry ...

'' (1918) as Dan Mallory *'' The Naulahka'' (1918) as Maharajah *''The Mysterious Client'' (1918) as Boris Norjunov *''

The Yellow Ticket ''The Yellow Ticket'' is a 1931 pre-Code American drama film based on the 1914 play of the same name by Michael Morton, produced by the Fox Film Corporation, directed by Raoul Walsh, and starring Elissa Landi, Lionel Barrymore and Laurence Oli ...

'' (1918) as Baron Andrey *'' The Lightning Raider'' (1919, Serial) as Wu Fang *''

Mandarin's Gold ''Mandarin's Gold'' is a lost 1919 silent film drama directed by Oscar Apfel and starring Kitty Gordon. Cast * Kitty Gordon - Betty Cardon *Irving Cummings - Blair Cardon * George MacQuarrie - Geoffrey North *Marguerite Gale - Susan Pettigrew * ...

'' (1919) as Li Hsun *'' The Twin Pawns'' (1919) as John Bent *'' The Avalanche'' (1919) as Nick Delano *''

The Witness for the Defense ''The Witness for the Defense'' is a 1919 American silent drama film directed by George Fitzmaurice and starring Elsie Ferguson, Warner Oland, and Wyndham Standing.

'' (1919) as Captain Ballantyne *'' The Third Eye'' (1920, Serial) as Curtis Steele / Malcolm Graw *'' The Phantom Foe'' (1920, Serial) as Uncle Leo Sealkirk *'' The Yellow Arm'' (1921) as Joel Bain *''

Hurricane Hutch ''Hurricane Hutch'' is a 1921 American adventure film serial directed by George B. Seitz. The film is considered to be lost. The story concerns the search for a lost formula for making paper from seaweed that will save a mortgaged papermill. Ca ...

'' (1921, serial) as Clifton Marlow *'' East Is West'' (1922) as Charley Yong *''

The Pride of Palomar ''The Pride of Palomar'' is a 1922 American silent drama film directed by Frank Borzage and written by Grant Carpenter, Peter B. Kyne, and John Lynch. The film stars Forrest Stanley, Marjorie Daw, Tote Du Crow, James O. Barrows, Joseph J. ...

'' (1922) as Okada *''

His Children's Children ''His Children's Children'' is a lost 1923 American silent drama film directed by Sam Wood and starring the winsome Bebe Daniels. It is based on a novel, ''His Children's Children'' by Arthur Train. Famous Players-Lasky produced and Paramount Pi ...

'' (1923) as Dr. Dahl *''

The Fighting American ''The Fighting American'' (also known as ''The Fighting Adventurer'') is a surviving 1924 American silent romantic drama film produced and distributed by Universal Pictures and directed by Tom Forman. The young Mary Astor plays a young college ...

'' (1924) as Fu Shing *'' So This Is Marriage?'' (1924) as Mario Dorando *''

One Night in Rome ''One Night in Rome'' is a 1924 American silent drama film starring Laurette Taylor. The film was directed by Clarence G. Badger and written by J. Hartley Manners, Ms. Taylor's husband, based upon his play of the same name. Laurette Taylor was a ...

'' (1924) as King David *'' Curlytop'' (1924) as Shanghai Dan *''

Riders of the Purple Sage ''Riders of the Purple Sage'' is a Western novel by Zane Grey, first published by Harper & Brothers in 1912. Considered by scholars to have played a significant role in shaping the formula of the popular Western genre, the novel has been called ...

'' (1925) as Lew Walters aka Judge Dyer *''

Don Q, Son of Zorro ''Don Q, Son of Zorro'' is a 1925 American silent swashbuckler romance film and a sequel to the 1920 silent film '' The Mark of Zorro''. It was loosely based upon the 1909 novel ''Don Q.'s Love Story'', written by the mother-and-son duo Kate a ...

'' (1925) as The Archduke *'' Flower of Night'' (1925) as Luke Rand *'' The Winding Stair'' (1925) as Petras *''

Infatuation Infatuation or being smitten is the state of being carried away by an unreasoned passion, usually towards another person for whom one has developed strong romantic feelings. Psychologist Frank D. Cox says that infatuation can be distinguished ...

'' (1925) as Osman Pasha *''

Don Juan Don Juan (), also known as Don Giovanni (Italian), is a legendary, fictional Spanish libertine who devotes his life to seducing women. Famous versions of the story include a 17th-century play, '' El burlador de Sevilla y convidado de piedra'' ...

'' (1926) as

Cesare Borgia Cesare Borgia (; ca-valencia, Cèsar Borja ; es, link=no, César Borja ; 13 September 1475 – 12 March 1507) was an Italian ex- cardinal and '' condottiero'' (mercenary leader) of Aragonese (Spanish) origin, whose fight for power was a major ...

* ''

The Mystery Club ''The Mystery Club'' is a 1926 American silent mystery film directed by Herbert Blaché and starring Matt Moore, Edith Roberts and Mildred Harris.Munden p.535 It was based on a story from Arthur Somers Roche's ''Crimes of the Armchair Club''. ...

'' (1926) as Eli Sinsabaugh *''

The Marriage Clause ''The Marriage Clause'' is a 1926 silent film drama directed by Lois Weber and starring Francis X. Bushman and Billie Dove. It was produced and released by Universal Pictures. The film marked a return to directing for Weber, who had taken a bre ...

'' (1926) as Max Ravenal *''

Twinkletoes ''Twinkletoes'' is a 1926 American silent film, silent romantic drama film directed by Charles Brabin and starring Colleen Moore. The film, as with most of Moore's vehicles at this time, was produced by her husband John McCormick (producer), Jo ...

'' (1926) as Roseleaf *'' Tell It to the Marines'' (1926) as Chinese Bandit Chief *'' Man of the Forest'' (1926) as Clint Beasley *''

When a Man Loves ''When a Man Loves'' is a 1927 American silent historical drama film directed by Alan Crosland and produced and distributed by Warner Bros. The picture stars John Barrymore and features Dolores Costello in the frequently filmed story of Abbe P ...

'' (1927) as André Lescaut *'' A Million Bid'' (1927) as Geoffrey Marsh *''

Old San Francisco ''Old San Francisco'' is a 1927 American silent historical drama film starring Dolores Costello and featuring Warner Oland. The film, which was produced and distributed by Warner Bros., was directed by Alan Crosland. Plot Chris Buckwell, cruel ...

'' (1927) as Chris Buckwell *'' What Happened to Father?'' (1927) as W. Bradberry, Father *''

'' (1927) as The Cantor *''

Sailor Izzy Murphy ''Sailor Izzy Murphy'' is a 1927 comedy-drama film released from Warner Bros. Pictures starring George Jessel, Audrey Ferris, Warner Oland and John Milijan. The film was a follow up to a previous film starring Jessel titled '' Private Izzy Mu ...

'' (1927) as The girl's father *''

Good Time Charley ''Good Time Charley'' is a 1927 American silent drama film produced and distributed by Warner Bros. and directed by Michael Curtiz. The film apparently had a Vitaphone soundtrack of music and effects. It was considered to be a lost film. How ...

'' (1927) as Good Time Charley Keene *''

Stand and Deliver ''Stand and Deliver'' is a 1988 American drama film directed by Ramón Menéndez, written by Menéndez and Tom Musca, based on the true story of a high school mathematics teacher, Jaime Escalante. For portraying Escalante, Edward James Olmos wa ...

'' (1928) as Ghika - the Bandit Leader *''

Wheel of Chance ''Wheel of Chance'' is a lost 1928 silent film feature directed by Alfred Santell and starring Richard Barthelmess. It was produced and distributed by First National Pictures. Cast *Richard Barthelmess as Nilolai Turkeltaub/Jacob Taline *Bodil R ...

'' (1928) as Mosher Turkeltaub *'' The Scarlet Lady'' (1928) as Zaneriff *''

Dream of Love ''Dream of Love'' is a 1928 American silent biographical drama film directed by Fred Niblo, and starring Joan Crawford and Nils Asther. The film is based on the 1849 French tragedy ''Adrienne Lecouvreur'' by Eugène Scribe and Ernest Legouvé ...

'' (1928) as The Duke, Current Dicator * ''

The Faker ''The Faker'' is a 1929 American silent melodrama film, directed by Phil Rosen. It stars Jacqueline Logan, Charles Delaney, and Warner Oland, and was released on January 2, 1929. Cast list * Jacqueline Logan as Rita Martin * Charles Delaney ...

'' (1929) as Hadrian (the faker) *'' Chinatown Nights'' (1929) as Boston Charley *''

The Studio Murder Mystery ''The Studio Murder Mystery'' is a 1929 American mystery film directed by Frank Tuttle and written by Ethel Doherty, A. Channing Edington, Carmen Ballen Edington, Joseph L. Mankiewicz and Frank Tuttle. The film stars Neil Hamilton, Doris Hill, ...

'' (1929) as Rupert Borka *'' The Mysterious Dr. Fu Manchu'' (1929) as Dr. Fu Manchu *''

The Mighty ''The Mighty'' is a 1998 American coming of age buddy comedy-drama film directed by Peter Chelsom and written by Charles Leavitt. Based on the book ''Freak the Mighty'' by Rodman Philbrick, the film stars Sharon Stone, Gena Rowlands, Gillian A ...

'' (1929) as Sterky *'' Dangerous Paradise'' (1930) as Schomberg *''

The Vagabond King ''The Vagabond King'' is a 1925 operetta by Rudolf Friml in four acts, with a book and lyrics by Brian Hooker and William H. Post, based upon Justin Huntly McCarthy's 1901 romantic novel and play ''If I Were King''. The story is a fictionali ...

'' (1930) as Thibault *''

Paramount on Parade ''Paramount on Parade'' is a 1930 all-star American pre-Code revue released by Paramount Pictures, directed by several directors including Edmund Goulding, Dorothy Arzner, Ernst Lubitsch, Rowland V. Lee, A. Edward Sutherland, Lothar Mendes, Ot ...

'' (1930) as Fu Manchu (Murder Will Out) *'' The Return of Dr. Fu Manchu'' (1930) as Dr. Fu Manchu *'' The Drums of Jeopardy'' (1931) as Dr. Boris Karlov *''

Dishonored ''Dishonored'' is a 2012 action-adventure game developed by Arkane Studios and published by Bethesda Softworks. Set in the fictional, plague-ridden industrial city of Dunwall, ''Dishonored'' follows the story of Corvo Attano, bodyguard to th ...

'' (1931) as Colonel von Hindau *''

'' (1931) as Inspector

*''

The Black Camel ''The Black Camel'' (1929) is the fourth of the Charlie Chan novels by Earl Derr Biggers. Plot summary It tells the story of a Hollywood star (Shelah Fane), who is stopping in Hawaii after she finished shooting a film on location in Tahiti. ...

'' (1931) as Inspector Charlie Chan *'' The Big Gamble'' (1931) as North *''

Daughter of the Dragon ''Daughter of the Dragon'' is a 1931 American pre-Code crime mystery film directed by Lloyd Corrigan, released by Paramount Pictures, and starring Anna May Wong as Princess Ling Moy, Sessue Hayakawa as Ah Kee, and Warner Oland as Dr. Fu Manchu ...

'' (1931) as Fu Manchu *''

Charlie Chan's Chance ''Charlie Chan's Chance'' is a 1932 American pre-Code murder mystery film, the third to star Warner Oland as detective Charlie Chan. It is based on the 1928 novel ''Behind That Curtain'' by Earl Derr Biggers, who also contributed to the film. Th ...

'' (1932) as Inspector Charlie Chan *'' Shanghai Express'' (1932) as Henry Chang *'' A Passport to Hell'' (1932) as Baron von Sydow, Police Commandant *''

The Son-Daughter ''The Son-Daughter'' is a 1932 American pre-Code drama film directed by Clarence Brown and written by John F. Goodrich, Claudine West, and Leon Gordon, adapted from the play of the same name by David Belasco. The film stars Helen Hayes, Ramon N ...

'' (1932) as Fen Sha *'' Before Dawn'' (1933) as Dr. Paul Cornelius *'' Charlie Chan's Greatest Case'' (1933) as Inspector Charlie Chan *''

As Husbands Go ''As Husbands Go'' is a 1934 American pre-Code comedy film directed by Hamilton MacFadden and written by S. N. Behrman and Sonya Levien. It is based on the 1931 play ''As Husbands Go'' by Rachel Crothers. The film stars Warner Baxter, Helen Vin ...

'' (1934) as Hippolitus Lomi *''

Mandalay Mandalay ( or ; ) is the second-largest city in Myanmar, after Yangon. Located on the east bank of the Irrawaddy River, 631km (392 miles) (Road Distance) north of Yangon, the city has a population of 1,225,553 (2014 census). Mandalay was fo ...

'' (1934) as Nick *''

Charlie Chan's Courage ''Charlie Chan's Courage'' (1934) is the fifth film in which Warner Oland played detective Charlie Chan. It is a remake of the 1927 silent film ''The Chinese Parrot,'' based upon the novel by Earl Derr Biggers''.'' Both are considered lost films. ...

'' (1934) as Inspector Charlie Chan *'' Bulldog Drummond Strikes Back'' (1934) as Prince Achmed *''

Charlie Chan in London ''Charlie Chan in London'' is a 1934 American mystery film directed by Eugene Forde. The film stars Warner Oland as Charlie Chan. This is the sixth film produced by Fox with Warner Oland as the detective, and the second not to be lost, after '' ...

'' (1934) as Inspector Charlie Chan *'' The Painted Veil'' (1934) as General Yu *''

Charlie Chan in Paris ''Charlie Chan in Paris'' is the seventh film produced by Fox with Warner Oland as Charlie Chan. Long thought lost, it is available on DVD as part of Twentieth Century Fox Home Video's ''Charlie Chan Collection, Vol. 1''. Hamilton MacFadden di ...

'' (1935) as Inspector Charlie Chan *''

'' (1935) as Dr. Yogami *'' Charlie Chan in Egypt'' (1935) as Inspector Charlie Chan *''

Shanghai Shanghai (; , , Standard Mandarin pronunciation: ) is one of the four direct-administered municipalities of the People's Republic of China (PRC). The city is located on the southern estuary of the Yangtze River, with the Huangpu River flow ...

'' (1935) as Ambassador Lun Sing *''

Charlie Chan in Shanghai ''Charlie Chan in Shanghai'' is the ninth Charlie Chan film produced by Fox Film Corporation with the title character played by Warner Oland. Plot Charlie Chan arrives in Shanghai at the behest of the U.S. government to help stop an opium smuggl ...

'' (1935) as Inspector Charlie Chan *''

Charlie Chan's Secret ''Charlie Chan's Secret'' is a 1936 American mystery film directed by Gordon Wiles and starring Warner Oland, Henrietta Crosman and Rosina Lawrence. It is the tenth film in 20th Century Fox, Fox's Charlie Chan series featuring Oland as the detec ...

'' (1936) as Inspector Charlie Chan *''

Charlie Chan at the Circus ''Charlie Chan at the Circus'' is the 11th film produced by Fox starring Warner Oland as Charlie Chan. A seemingly harmless family outing drags a vacationing Chan into a murder investigation. The film's sets were designed by the art director Du ...

'' (1936) as Inspector Charlie Chan *''

Charlie Chan at the Race Track ''Charlie Chan at the Race Track'' is the 12th film in the 20th Century Fox-produced Charlie Chan series starring Warner Oland in the title role. Plot When a prominent racehorse owner winds up dead-allegedly kicked to death by his prized stall ...

'' (1936) as Inspector Charlie Chan *''

Charlie Chan at the Opera ''Charlie Chan at the Opera'' is considered by many to be the best Warner Oland Charlie Chan film, probably due to the presence of Boris Karloff as the principal suspect, as well as faux operatic music composed by Oscar Levant. This is the 13th fi ...

'' (1936) as Inspector Charlie Chan *''

Charlie Chan at the Olympics ''Charlie Chan at the Olympics'' (1937) is possibly the most topical Charlie Chan film, as it features actual footage from the 1936 Berlin Olympics. There is also a scene where Charlie crosses the Atlantic in the '' Hindenburg.'' This is the 14th ...

'' (1937) as Inspector Charlie Chan *''

Charlie Chan on Broadway ''Charlie Chan on Broadway'' (1937) is a Charlie Chan film. This is the 15th film starring Oland as Chan and produced by Fox. Plot While Charlie Chan and his number one son, Lee, are aboard a New York-bound transatlantic liner returning from Ger ...

'' (1937) as Inspector Charlie Chan *'' Charlie Chan at Monte Carlo'' (1937) as Inspector Charlie Chan

References

Other sources

* * *Huang, Yunte (2010) ''Charlie Chan: The Untold Story of the Honorable Detective and His Rendezvous with American History'' (New York: W W Norton)

External links

Photographs and literature
* * * * (as translator) * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Oland, Warner 1879 births 1938 deaths 20th-century American male actors 20th Century Studios contract players 20th-century translators Burials in Massachusetts Deaths from emphysema Deaths from pneumonia in Sweden People from Bjurholm Municipality People from Southborough, Massachusetts Swedish emigrants to the United States Swedish–English translators Swedish male film actors Swedish male stage actors