Charlie Chan at the Wax Museum (1940): Cast & Plot
Charlie Chan at the Wax Museum is a 1940 mystery thriller directed by Lynn Shores, starring Sidney Toler as Charlie Chan, Victor Sen Yung and Marc Lawrence. It runs 1 hour 3 minutes.
- Released
- Runtime
- 1h 3m (63 min)
- Director
- Lynn Shores
- Original language
-
English - Studio
- 20th Century Fox
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is Charlie Chan at the Wax Museum About?
The premise of Charlie Chan at the Wax Museum without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
Within eighteen tense minutes Charlie Chan survives four lethal attacks—a poison dart, a speeding bullet and a gleaming dagger—each narrowly avoided. The peril unfolds in a wax museum run by a mad doctor who creates wax figures of infamous killers such as Jack the Ripper and Bluebeard while also performing grotesque plastic surgery. The doctor's twisted laboratory becomes the hideout of an arch‑fiend.
Charlie Chan at the Wax Museum Themes & Keywords
· 50 tags- charlie chan character
- six word title
- 1940s
- museum
- new york city
- toothpick
- iron maiden
- mechanical man
- caught in the rain
- poisoned dart
- smoking with a cigarette holder
- thunderstorm
+38 more Show fewer
- trap
- reference to confucius
- playing chess
- marriage proposal
- death sentence
- brandy
- electric chair
- reference to henri desire landru aka bluebeard of gambais
- bandaged face
- escape from jail
- confession
- talking to a mannequin
- gun shot out of hand
- woman smoker
- cigar smoking
- reference to jack the ripper
- climbing a telephone pole
- handcuffed
- chinatown
- human statue
- paper doll chain
- guilty verdict
- newspaper headline
- caucasian actor plays an asian character
- plastic surgery
- wax museum
- criminologist
- cold case
- sarcophagus
- father son relationship
- false accusation
- stabbed to death
- secret identity
- secret door
- police inspector
- poison dart
- night watchman
- murder trial
Charlie Chan at the Wax Museum Cast & Characters
Sidney Toler leads the cast as Charlie Chan, with Victor Sen Yung as Jimmy Chan (as Sen Yung) and Marc Lawrence as Steve McBirney. Directed by Lynn Shores; 21 actors are credited in all.
- Director Lynn Shores
- Sidney Toler as Charlie Chan
- Victor Sen Yung as Jimmy Chan (as Sen Yung)
-
Marc Lawrence as Steve McBirney -
C. Henry Gordon as Dr. Cream
Also Starring in Charlie Chan at the Wax Museum
· 17 more- Michael Visaroff Dr. Otto Von Brom
- Archie Twitchell Carter Lane
- Hilda Vaughn Mrs. Joe Rocke
- Charles Wagenheim Willie Fern, museum watchman
- Walter Bacon Sidewalk Passerby (extra)
- Joan Valerie Lily Latimer
- Emmett Vogan Prosecuting Attorney
- Stanley Blystone Courtroom Officer
- Charles Trowbridge Judge
- Harold Goodwin Edwards, radio sound man
- Brick Sullivan Detective Pete
- Jimmy Conlin Tour Bus Barker
- Joe King Inspector O'Matthews
- David Newell Attorney at Trial (extra)
- Eddie Marr Henchman Grenock
- Marguerite Chapman Mary Bolton
Show all 21 cast members Show fewer cast members
- Ted Osborne Tom Agnew (as Ted Osborn)
More from Lynn Shores
More films directed by Lynn Shores: Here’s Flash Casey and The Shadow Strikes.
Charlie Chan at the Wax Museum Plot Summary
What happens in Charlie Chan at the Wax Museum from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 12 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 2-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
In this tense and twist-filled mystery, Charlie Chan Sidney Toler finds the courtroom outcome shaping up against the convicted murderer Steve McBirney Marc Lawrence, a death sentence that drags on long after the verdict. But the plot thickens when McBirney escapes, slipping away to a seemingly ordinary wax museum that doubles as a hidden Mob hideout run by the crooked, manipulative Dr. Cream C. Henry Gordon. This isn’t just a front for aging wax figures; it’s a carefully staged lair where identity can be altered and alibis rearranged.
Full summary
The whole story of Charlie Chan at the Wax Museum, scene by scene
How Well Do You Know Charlie Chan at the Wax Museum?
10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 10
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
- Question 10: not answered
Which actor portrayed Charlie Chan in this film?
Cars in Charlie Chan at the Wax Museum
3 cars on screen, including the 1937 Buick Century and the Fageol Safety Coach.
-
1937 Buick Century Minor role -
Fageol Safety Coach Minor role -
1937 Buick Century Background role
Charlie Chan at the Wax Museum Also Known As
7 alternative titles, including “Чарли Чан в доме восковых фигур” and “Charlie Chan im Wachsfigurenkabinett”.
- Also known as
-
- Чарли Чан в доме восковых фигур
- Charlie Chan im Wachsfigurenkabinett
- Charlie Chan al museo delle cere
- Charlie Chan au Musée de cire
- Charlie Chan no Museu de Cera
- Чарли Чен в доме восковых фигур
- 陈查理在蜡像馆
Seen Charlie Chan at the Wax Museum?
Movies Like Charlie Chan at the Wax Museum
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including Charlie Chan at the Circus, Charlie Chan at the Opera and Charlie Chan’s Chance.
-
Charlie Chan at the Circus 1936 -
Charlie Chan at the Opera 1936 -
Charlie Chan’s Chance 1932 -
Charlie Chan in The Chinese Cat 1944 -
Charlie Chan in Egypt 1935 -
Charlie Chan’s Murder Cruise 1940 -
Charlie Chan in Panama 1940 -
Charlie Chan and the Curse of the Dragon Queen 1981 -
Charlie Chan at Treasure Island 1939 -
Charlie Chan in the Secret Service 1944 -
Charlie Chan’s Courage 1934 -
Charlie Chan at the Olympics 1937
Charlie Chan at the Wax Museum FAQ: Cast & Runtime
Runtime, release date, director, cast and post-credit scenes of Charlie Chan at the Wax Museum, each answered in a sentence.
How long is Charlie Chan at the Wax Museum?
Charlie Chan at the Wax Museum runs 1 hour 3 minutes (63 minutes).
When was Charlie Chan at the Wax Museum released?
Charlie Chan at the Wax Museum was released on September 6, 1940.
Who directed Charlie Chan at the Wax Museum?
Charlie Chan at the Wax Museum was directed by Lynn Shores.
More films by Lynn Shores Who is in the cast of Charlie Chan at the Wax Museum?
Charlie Chan at the Wax Museum stars Sidney Toler as Charlie Chan, Victor Sen Yung as Jimmy Chan (as Sen Yung) and Marc Lawrence as Steve McBirney, among 21 credited actors.
Does Charlie Chan at the Wax Museum have a post-credit scene?
No. Charlie Chan at the Wax Museum has no extra scene during or after the credits.
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