A tribute to Warner Oland appears in Mr. Moto's Last Warning, the next film in the Moto series. During the movie's production in August 1938, cast and crew learned of Oland's passing in his native Swedan (five months after the completion and release of "Mr. Moto's Gamble"). Over the title "Charlie Chan in Honolulu", on the bill of the Sultana Theatre of Variety, they placed the banner "Last Day".
Begun as a Charlie Chan film ("Charlie Chan at the Ringside"), but upon difficulties between 20th Century-Fox and Chan star Warner Oland, the script was hastily rewritten to accommodate Fox's other Asian sleuth, Mr. Moto. The presence of Chan's son Lee is evidence of the grafting of one movie onto another series. Though it has been reported that Oland's death was the cause for this change from Chan to Moto, it is not the case. This film was released theatrically on 3/25/38, and Oland did not die until August 6th of that same year.
The fourth Moto to be produced (Jan-Feb 1938), and the third to be released (Mar 25 1938).
The only non-Chan film to feature Keye Luke's 'Lee Chan' character, and the last at Fox. Luke would play Lee twice more, in Monogram's final two CHANS, The Feathered Serpent and The Sky Dragon.
While talking to Lee Chan, Harold Huber as Lt. Riggs refers to working with Lee's father Charlie before. In Charlie Chan on Broadway Huber did, playing another New York policeman