Warner Oland was born Johan Verner Olund in Sweden in 1879. He came to the USA as a child and found success as an actor in silent films (most notably as Al Jolson’s cantor father in the mainly silent The Jazz Singer), but he won real stardom in Hollywood’s “Yellowface” era for playing Asian characters like Henry Chang in Shanghai Express, Dr. Yogami in Werewolf of London, and Dr. Fu Manchu in The Mysterious Fu Manchu, The Return of Dr. Fu Manchu, and Daughter of the Dragon.
Oland’s most famous role by far was as the gentle Chinese/Hawaiian detective Charlie Chan in a popular series of mysteries for Fox Film Corporation with titles like Charlie Chan at the Opera, Charlie Chan on Broadway, and Charlie Chan at the Race Track. Actor Keye Luke (later of Kung Fu fame), who played Chan’s “Number One Son,” said Oland wore no makeup as Chan and was often mistaken for Chinese by actual Chinese nationals.
Chan, as depicted in the novels in which he was introduced and as played by Oland, was an intelligent, heroic, benevolent, and honorable character. But in this novel, Chan was given a full Hack Werker makeover, suffering from an opium addiction, forcing confessions by employing ancient Chinese torture techniques, and taking part in the perverse and graphic sex scenes which are Hack’s trademark. You’re much better off watching Charlie Chan at the Opera (which is a surprisingly enjoyable movie) instead.
Happy heavenly birthday to Warner Oland!