White Elephant
- Studio
- Hanna-Barbera Studios
- Animation studio
- Eric Porter Studios
Synopsis
Chinese detective Charlie Chan and his 10 children investigate crime, and as a bonus, travel all over the world. Also shown in the Fun World of Hanna Barbera.
Characters
Charlie Chan, Henry Chan, Stanley Chan, Suzie Chan, Alan Chan, Anne Chan, Tom Chan, Flip Chan, Nancy Chan, Mimi Chan, Scooter Chan, Chu Chu
Credits
Directing
- Director
- William Hanna, Joseph Barbera, Volus Jones
Producing
- Producer
- William Hanna, Joseph Barbera
- Associate Producer
- Lew Marshall
Writing
Voices
- Voice
- Keye Luke (Charlie Chan), Brian Tochi (Alan Chan), Bob Ito (Henry Chan), Don Messick (Chu Chu)
- Original Voice Talent
- Debbie Jue (Nancy Chan), Jay Jay Jue (Flip Chan), Leslie Juwai (Mimi Chan), Leslie Kumamota (Anne Chan), Virginia Ann Lee (Suzie Chan), Michael Takamoto (Tom Chan), Robin Toma (Scooter Chan), Stephen Wong (Stanley Chan)
- Replacement Voice Talent
- Cherylene Lee (Suzie Chan, Mimi Chan), Gene Andrusco (Flip Chan), Jodie Foster (Anne Chan), Michael Morgan (Scooter Chan), John Gunn (Tom Chan), Beverly Kushida (Nancy Chan), Lennie Weinrib (Stanley Chan), Cynthia Adler, Lisa Gerritsen, Hazel Shermet, Janet Waldo
Music
- Music
- Hoyt Curtin
Animation
- Animation Director
- Charles Nichols (as Charles A. Nichols), Charles A. Nichols
- Animator
- Cam Ford, Peter Gardiner, Gerry Grabner, Paul McAdam, Stan Walker, Ray Nowland, Richard Jones, Richard Dunn, Cunthia Leech, Yvonne Pearsall, Jim Davis, Joe Shearer
- Layouts
- Monty Wedd, Terry Moesker, Richard Jones, John Gunter, Chris Fussell, Peter Hartland, Stephen Pile
- Animation
- Cam Ford, Peter Gardiner, Gerry Grabner, Paul McAdam, Stan Walker, Ray Nowland, Richard Jones, Richard Dunn, Cunthia Leech, Yvonne Pearsall, Jim Davis, Joe Shearer
Art Department
- Production Design
- Iwao Takamoto
- Background Styling
- Graham Liney
Camera
- Camera
- Joe Dugonics, Don Clay, John Cumming
Sound
- Sound Director
- John Garwood
- Sound Mixing
- Lyle Hughes
- Effects Editor
- Martin Clarke
Music Department
- Music Editor
- Lindsay Frazer
- Music Supervision
- Don Kirshner, Don Kirshner
- Musical Director
- Hoyt Curtin
Production Management
- Production Supervisor
- Eric Porter
Crew
- Story Direction
- Jim Carmichael, Jan Green, Earl Klein, Knick Knatz, Bill Perez, Paul Sommer
- Negative Consultant
- Wendy Eggleton
- Crew
- Sydney, Australia
Companies and other credits
- Produced at Eric Porter Studios
- A HANNA-BARBERA PRODUCTION
- Charlie Chan property is by license from Leisure Concepts
- Inc
- © 1972 Hanna-Barbera Productions
- Inc
Production notes
This, the second television incarnation of Charlie Chan, was in animated form, produced by Hanna-Barbera, and shown on Saturdays its first season. The clever detective was back solving mysteries in this version, and was "assisted" by the Chan Clan, a group consisting of Charlie's ten children and the family dog Chu Chu. Henry and Stanley were Charlie's eldest, and therefore the leaders of each mystery/search, which took place in a different American locale every week.
The Clan tooled around in a van which could change into various vehicles, depending on what was needed for camouflage. The family also performed as a rock group, sans Charlie of course; he was always more of a solo artist. The well-intentioned Clan would try to help solve the mysteries, usually doing more harm than good; Charlie would then bail them out at the end of the show by clearing up everything.
The voice of Charlie Chan was done by Keye Luke, who portrayed Number One son in the live-action Charlie Chan movies in the 1940's. Except for Henry and Alan, all the children's voices were recast almost immediately, as it was deemed that their (original) thick Chinese accents would be too confusing for young viewers to understand. With the new cast in place, old episodes were re-dubbed using the new voices. In an intersting footnote, future Oscar winner Jodie Foster was one of the actresses brought in to replace the original voice talents.
The second season of the show consisted of repeats, and aired on Sundays.
The Clan tooled around in a van which could change into various vehicles, depending on what was needed for camouflage. The family also performed as a rock group, sans Charlie of course; he was always more of a solo artist. The well-intentioned Clan would try to help solve the mysteries, usually doing more harm than good; Charlie would then bail them out at the end of the show by clearing up everything.
The voice of Charlie Chan was done by Keye Luke, who portrayed Number One son in the live-action Charlie Chan movies in the 1940's. Except for Henry and Alan, all the children's voices were recast almost immediately, as it was deemed that their (original) thick Chinese accents would be too confusing for young viewers to understand. With the new cast in place, old episodes were re-dubbed using the new voices. In an intersting footnote, future Oscar winner Jodie Foster was one of the actresses brought in to replace the original voice talents.
The second season of the show consisted of repeats, and aired on Sundays.
Reviews
White Elephant
Anne Chan, the tomboy, would be recast with Jodie Foster doing her voice. Clearly this isn't Foster in this episode, so this must be an early show.
Whatever it may be, the animation seems better as well than it was in other episodes, especially in running sequences or movement from one side to the other.
Early on, all the kids are running from an elephant stampede and that is a rare sight. Later, the four middle kids are walking full figured and it is a unique shot as well.
There seems to be a bit more focus on the middle kids in this episode also. The story deals with the rare white elephant being stolen.
One very amusing moment when Henry and Stanley are obviously in a passenger plane, whether public or private, and they zoom down to get a better look at a figure on an elephant.
Flip has a funny comment on the multi-armed goddess, Kali, declaring she would be perfect at a check-out counter.
Not as charming as Josie and the PUssycats middle Eastern adventures, that's for sure.
At the end, we are given one of their songs "I've Got the Goods on You" and it isn't a winner.