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Mr. Wong, Detective: The Complete Collection
and were directed by William Nigh. All the films co-starred Grant Withers as Wong's friend, Police Captain Street. Karloff also played the Chinese character Dr. Fu Manchu in The Mask of Fu Manchu (1932) and General Wu Yen Fang, in West of Shanghai (1937), just prior to the first Mr. Wong movie. The sixth Mr. Wong film featured Chinese-American actor Keye Luke in the title role, the first time an American sound film used an Asian actor to play a lead Asian detective. Luke had formerly played one of Charlie Chan's sons in the Chan mysteries and Kato in The Green Hornet 1939 serial. In the reboot of the Mr. Wong series, the young "Jimmy Wong" (Luke) was introduced to Police Captain Street, whom Karloff's character worked with in the previous films. A 1940 article, Keye Luke Sleuths on his Own, in the Hollywood Citizen News, announced that Luke had been signed for four Mr. Wong pictures a year. But due to the departure of Karloff, film exhibitors lost interest in the Mr. Wong series and it was ended. Mr. Wong, Detective: The Complete Collection Features all 6 Movies from Original films Mr. Wong Detective 1938 Mystery of Mr. Wong 1939 Mr. Wong in Chinatown 1939 Doomed to Die 1940 The Fatal Hour 1940 Phantom of Chinatown 1940 Mr. Wong, Detective Simon Dayton is in fear for his life and seeks the help of Mr. Wong to protect him. Just prior to meeting Mr. Wong, Dayton is found dead in his office without a mark on him with several witnesses testifying Dayton was alone in his office that was locked from the inside. Though the police view Dayton's death as due to a heart attack, Mr. Wong discovers a broken glass ball that contained poison gas. Among the suspects are agents of a foreign power wishing to stop Dayton's chemicals being sent to use on the foreign power in the form of the same poison gas that killed Dayton, Dayton's business partners who will have Dayton's share of the business come to them after Dayton's death and the actual inventor of the chemical who has been cheated out of profits and recognition by Dayton. Cast Boris Karloff as Mr. James Lee Wong Grant Withers as Captain Sam Street Maxine Jennings as Myra Ross, Dayton's Secretary Evelyn Brent as Olga Petroff / Countess Dubois / Sophie Dome George Lloyd as Detective Lt. Devlin Lucien Prival as Anton Mohl, aka Baron Von Krantz John St. Polis as Carl Roemer, Poison Gas Inventor William Gould as Theodore Meisel, Dayton's Partner Hooper Atchley as Christian Wilk, Dayton's Partner John Hamilton as Simon Dayton, President Dayton Chemical Co. Wilbur Mack as Russell, Dayton's Office Manager Lee Tung Foo as Tchin, Wong's Servant (credited as Lee Tong Foo) Lynton Brent as Detective Tommy Grace Wood as Mrs. Carl Roemer The Mystery of Mr. Wong The second in the series of Mr. Wong features starring Boris Karloff finds wealthy gem-collector Brandon Edwards gaining possession of the largest star sapphire in the world, the 'Eye of the Daughter of the Moon', after it has been stolen in China. Edwards, at a party in his home, confides to Mr. Wong that his life is in danger. During a game of Charades, Edwards is mysteriously shot dead and the gem disappears. Unknown to Wong, the jewel is in the possession of Edwards' maid, Drina, who intends to return it to China, but she is murdered also, and the gem is taken again. After one more murder—the suspect list is dwindling—Wong exposes the killer, turns him over to Police Inspector Street, and Wong orders his manservant Willy to return the gem to China. Cast Boris Karloff as James Lee Wong Grant Withers as Police Captain Sam Street Dorothy Tree as Valerie Edwards Craig Reynolds as Peter Harrison Ivan Lebedeff as Michael Strogonoff Holmes Herbert as Prof. Ed Janney Morgan Wallace as Brandon Edwards Lotus Long as Drina, the Maid Chester Gan as Sing, the Butler Hooper Atchley as Carslake Bruce Wong as Asian Man Jack Kennedy as Policeman Joe Devlin as George, the Detective Lee Tung Foo as Willie (as Lee Tong Foo), Wong's Butler and door opener. Wilbur Mack as Ballistics Expert Dick Morehead as police detective I. Stanford Jolley as Charades Player (uncredited) Mr. Wong in Chinatown Cunning private eye Mr. Wong (Boris Karloff) is on the case once more after a beautiful Chinese princess (Lotus Long) is murdered in his San Francisco home. Before succumbing to a venomous dart, the princess scribbles "Captain J" -- but is this a hint to her killer's identity or another piece of the mysterious puzzle? As more victims are killed by the same dart gun, Wong tracks the clues to a certain Capt. Jaime (William Royle), and finds himself knee-deep in a check forgery scam. Cast Boris Karloff as Mr. James Lee Wong Marjorie Reynolds as Roberta 'Bobbie' Logan (reporter) Grant Withers as Police Capt. Bill Street Huntley Gordon as Mr. Davidson (bank president) George Lynn as Capt. Guy Jackson (Aviation Corp. president) (as Peter George Lynn) William Royle as Capt. Jaime (captain, Maid of the Orient) James Flavin as Police Sgt. Jerry Lotus Long as Princess Lin Hwa (murder victim) Lee Tung Foo as Willie (Wong's servant) (as Lee Tong Foo) Bessie Loo as Lilly May (Princess Lin Hwa's maid) Richard Loo as Tong chief Ernie Stanton as Burton (Davidson's butler) I. Stanford Jolley as Hotel clerk The Fatal Hour When Captain Street's best friend Dan O'Grady is murdered, Street enlists the help of Chinese detective James Lee Wong. Mr. Wong uncovers a smuggling ring on the waterfront of San Francisco and unmasks the killer, though not until several more murders occur. Cast Boris Karloff as James Lee Wong Grant Withers as Capt. Bill Street Marjorie Reynolds as Roberta 'Bobbie' Logan Charles Trowbridge as John T. Forbes Frank Puglia as Harry 'Hardway' Lockett Craig Reynolds as Frank Belden, Jr. Lita Chevret as Tanya Serova Harry Strang as Det. Ballard Hooper Atchley as Frank Belden Sr. Jason Robards, Sr. as Griswold (as Jason Robards) Richard Loo as Jeweler Jack Kennedy as Mike, Police Sergeant Doomed to Die Only the possibility of avoiding a Tong War, plus persuasion by reporter Bobbie Logan leads the famous detective James Lee Wong to enter the Wentworth case. A million and a half dollars in bonds was taken from one of Cyrus P. Wentworth's ships before it was mysteriously sunk and, shortly afterward, Wentworth was found murdered. The police, led by Detective Captain Bill Street, suspect Dick Fleming, fiancée of Wentworth's daughter Cynthia. Wong clears Dick but has difficulty in finding the trail of the mysterious killer. Cast Boris Karloff as James Lee Wong Marjorie Reynolds as Roberta "Bobbie" Logan Grant Withers as Capt. William "Bill" Street William Stelling as Dick Fleming Catherine Craig as Cynthia Wentworth Guy Usher - Paul Fleming Henry Brandon as Victor "Vic" Martin Melvin Lang as Cyrus P. Wentworth Wilbur Mack as Matthews Kenneth Harlan as Ludlow Richard Loo as Tong leader Phantom of Chinatown After participating in an extensive archaeological expedition in the Mongolian desert, Dr. John Benton is in San Francisco to hold a presentation of the findings to his colleagues. The film material shows how the archaeological team discovered the long sought ancient tomb of an Emperor of the Ming dynasty. In the tomb, the team found a scroll, telling of a secret Temple of Eternal Fire. The temple is believed to be hiding a previously unknown oil reserve, and would be of great financial importance to the Chinese people were it to be discovered. During the expedition, when the tomb was opened, a forceful hurricane took the life of Mason, the co-pilot. The storm was predicted by an ancient curse guarding the tomb. Unfortunately, as Benton is about to reveal the contents of the scroll during the presentation, he starts choking and ultimately dies from suffocation. Cast Keye Luke - James Lee Wong Grant Withers - Police Captain Street Lotus Long - Win Lee Charles F. Miller - Dr. Benton Huntley Gordon - Dr. Norman Wilkes Virginia Carpenter - Louise Benton John Dilson - Charles Fraser Paul McVey - Detective Grady |
