Charlie Chan at the Wax Museum
FOUR TIMES IN 18 EERIE MINUTES CHARLIE CHAN FACES DEATH! -- Death from a poison dart! -- Death from a streaking bullet! -- Death from a gleaming dagger!
1940 | 63m | English
Popularity: 2 (history)
| Director: | Lynn Shores |
|---|---|
| Writer: | John Larkin |
| Staring: |
| A wax museum run by a demented doctor contains statues of such crime figures as Jack the Ripper and Bluebeard. In addition to making wax statues the doctor performs plastic surgery. It is here that an arch fiend takes refuge. | |
| Release Date: | Sep 06, 1940 |
|---|---|
| Director: | Lynn Shores |
| Writer: | John Larkin |
| Genres: | Crime, Mystery, Thriller |
| Keywords | plastic surgery, escaped convict, wax museum, comical sidekick |
| Production Companies | 20th Century Fox |
| Box Office |
Revenue: $0
Budget: $0 |
| Updates |
Updated: Aug 09, 2025 Entered: Apr 28, 2024 |
| Name | Character |
|---|---|
| Sidney Toler | Charlie Chan |
| Victor Sen Yung | Jimmy Chan (as Sen Yung) |
| C. Henry Gordon | Dr. Cream |
| Marc Lawrence | Steve McBirney |
| Eddie Marr | Henchman Grenock |
| Charles Wagenheim | Willie Fern, museum watchman |
| Joan Valerie | Lily Latimer |
| Marguerite Chapman | Mary Bolton |
| Hilda Vaughn | Mrs. Joe Rocke |
| Harold Goodwin | Edwards, radio sound man |
| Ted Osborne | Tom Agnew (as Ted Osborn) |
| Archie Twitchell | Carter Lane |
| Michael Visaroff | Dr. Otto Von Brom |
| Joe King | Inspector O'Matthews |
| Charles Trowbridge | Judge |
| Emmett Vogan | Prosecuting Attorney |
| Stanley Blystone | Courtroom Officer |
| Jimmy Conlin | Tour Bus Barker |
| Brick Sullivan | Detective Pete |
| Walter Bacon | Sidewalk Passerby (extra) |
| David Newell | Attorney at Trial (extra) |
| Name | Job |
|---|---|
| John Larkin | Writer |
| Lynn Shores | Director |
| Name | Title |
|---|
| Organization | Category | Person |
|---|
Popularity History
| Year | Month | Avg | Max | Min |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 1 |
| 2024 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 1 |
| 2024 | 6 | 4 | 10 | 1 |
| 2024 | 7 | 4 | 12 | 1 |
| 2024 | 8 | 3 | 8 | 2 |
| 2024 | 9 | 4 | 9 | 1 |
| 2024 | 10 | 3 | 5 | 1 |
| 2024 | 11 | 2 | 3 | 1 |
| 2024 | 12 | 2 | 6 | 1 |
| 2025 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 1 |
| 2025 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 |
| 2025 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 1 |
| 2025 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| 2025 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| 2025 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 2025 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2025 | 8 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| 2025 | 9 | 2 | 3 | 1 |
| 2025 | 10 | 1 | 3 | 1 |
Trending Position
C. Henry Gordon is a bit like Leo Genn, or Sir Cedric Hardwicke - you always recognise his voice long before you see his face. In this jolly mystery for "Chan" (Sidney Toler) and "Jimmy" (Victor Sen Yung), they find themselves in a macabre wax museum run by our aforementioned thespian - here playing ... the bonkers plastic surgeon ("Dr. Cream"). They are on the trail of a murderer who has absconded from justice and hopes to avail himself of the services of our good doctor to change his appearance and then to seek revenge on the sleuth who helped get him convicted in the first place. It all culminates in a radio show that serves as a criminologist's wet dream - and the journey to this entertaining denouement is a sort of hybrid between the "Mummy" and "What's My Line". Again, I feel a little bit sorry for poor old Jimmy, who can never do right for doing wrong - and who is always on the wrong end of honourable father's acerbic tongue, but that just goes with the territory I guess.