Biografie

Soon after his last film, another Chan entry titled Charlie Chan in Monte Carlo (1937), which was completed in the fall of 1937, Oland began experiencing symptoms of dementia. He was apprehended walking outside his neighborhood in his underwear in the company of his prized miniature schnauzer completely disoriented. He returned to Sweden and sadly, Oland died the following August after a brief bout with pneumonia.

Buried in Southborough Rural Cemetery, Southborough, Massachusetts. His gravestone, a rough oval, was made from one of the steps of his beloved home in this town.

According to co-star Keye Luke Oland didn't need make-up when he played Charlie Chan; all he would do is curl down his mustache and curl up his eyebrows. In fact, the Chinese often mistook him for one of their own countrymen. He attributed this to the fact that his Russian grandmother was of Mongolian descent.

After almost 15 years in silent films, he had one of the starring roles in "Don Juan" (1926), the first film with synchronized sound. He also had a starring role in the "The Jazz Singer" (1927), the first "talkie.".

Of the sixteen Charlie Chan films he starred in, four of the earliest (Charlie Chan Carrie's On, Charlie Chan's Chance, Charlie Chan's Greatest Case and Charlie Chan's Courage) are believed to be lost.

Charlie Chan in Monte Carlo (1938) - $30,000

Charlie Chan am Broadway (1937) - $30,000

Charlie Chan bei den Olympischen Spielen (1937) - $30,000

Charlie Chan's Courage (1934) - $20,000

Charlie Chan's Greatest Case (1933) - $20,000