Old Radio

May 20, 1933: Chinese radio detective " Charlie Chan " broadcast for the last time on the NBC Blue network. It remained on air only for 6 months although a number of renewals of the show were later produced. Charlie Chan was created based on the real-life of Detective Chang Apana (1871-1933). Detective Chang Apana was Police Detective at the Honolulu Police Department who fought crime from 1898 until he retired in 1932 on Oahu. Apana was known as Hawaiianized version of Chang's diminutive Chinese name, Ah Ping. Detective Chang Ampana's actions drew attention of Earl Derr Biggers who read about Chang's action whiles vacationing in Hawaii in 1919. He wrote Charlie Chan novels base on Detective Chang Apana's story. Derr Biggers completed six novels before his death in 1933--the same year of Chang Apana's death. The novels were adapted into Charlie Chan radio broadcasts , film and TV series lasted for years after the Charlie Chan creator's deat