Trivia

Soon after his last film, another Chan entry titled Charlie Chan at 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.

He developed a close friendship with Keye Luke who was playing his son Lee (aka "number one son"). Their genuine affection for each other aided the on-screen chemistry in their father and son roles.

He and his wife, Edith, were instrumental in translating the works of playwright August Strindberg into English. Their translation of some of these plays was published in book form in 1912.

Struggled with alcoholism throughout his life.

Oland played his first Oriental role in "Patria," when the Japanese actor playing the villain proved too short for star Irene Castle, and the six foot Oland was hired to fill the role.

Moved to Connecticut with his parents from his native Sweden when he was thirteen. Three years later he left to join Curry's Dramatic School in Boston.

Died August 6, 1938 in Stockholm just two days after the death of Pearl White, his former co-star in "The Fatal Ring.".

Appeared in the Shakespearean companies of E.H. Sothern and Julia Marlowe, where his talent was recognized by Nazimova, who used him in a series of Ibsem plays in the Winter of 1906.

As a choice for playing Charlie Chan, the rotund and almost six-foot Oland was quite unlike a Chinese gentleman of that generation. (His replacement in the series, Sidney Toler, was even taller.).

Parents emigrated to America where he was educated at Boston, Mass, High School.

Biography in: "American National Biography". Supplement 1, pp. 461-462. New York: Oxford University Press, 2002.

Father: Jonas Olund; Mother: Maria Johanna Forsberg.

He appeared in serials as William C,.

Despite his wealth and success, Oland suffered from alcoholism that severely affected his health and his 30-year marriage. In January 1938, he started filming Charlie Chan at the Ringside. However, a week into shooting, he began behaving erratically and eventually walked off the set, causing the film to be abandoned. The unfinished "Charlie Chan at the Ringside", was re-shot with Peter Lorre replacing Oland, and released as Mr. Moto's Gamble (1938).

As a young man, Oland pursued a career in theater, at first working on set design while developing his skills as a dramatic actor.

When he was 13, Oland's family immigrated to the United States, in November 1892, on board the S/S Thingvalla, which sailed from Christiania, Norway, to New York. After an initial stay in New York City, the family settled in New Britain, Connecticut. Educated in Boston, Oland spoke English and his native Swedish, and eventually translated some of the plays of August Strindberg.