Warner Oland (October 3, 1879 – August 6, 1938) was a Swedish American actor most remembered for his screen role as the detective Charlie Chan. He moved to the United States when he was 13 and pursued a film career that would include time on Broadway and dozens of film appearances. He starred in a total of 16 Charlie Chan films.

Biography

Despite his wealth and success, Oland suffered from alcoholism that severely affected his health and his thirty-year marriage. In January 1938, he started filming Charlie Chan at Ringside. However, a week into shooting his erratic behavior led to his walking off the set and shooting was abandoned. After a spell in hospital, he signed a new three picture deal with Fox to continue playing Chan. At the same time, he was involved in a bitter divorce from his wife and his finances were restricted. So too was his ability to go overseas as a legal order prevented him from traveling and moving his assets abroad. About this time, he was involved in an incident when, after ordering his chauffeur to drive him to Mexico, he was observed during a rest stop to be sitting on the running board of his car and throwing his shoes at onlookers. The divorce settlement (favoring his wife) was announced to the media on April 2, 1938, and the same day he embarked on a ship out of the country. He turned up in southern Europe, before returning to his native Sweden where he stayed with an architect friend.

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