This early work by Earl Derr Biggers was originally published in 1916
and we are now republishing it with a brand new introductory biography.
"The Ebony Stick" is one of Biggers shorter stories, published after his
death. Earl Derr Biggers was born on 26th August 1884 in Warren, Ohio,
USA. Biggers received his further education at Harvard University, where
he developed a reputation as a literary rebel, preferring the popular
modern authors, such as Rudyard Kipling and Richard Harding Davis to the
established figures of classical literature. While on holiday in Hawaii,
Biggers heard tales of a real-life Chinese detective operating in
Honolulu, named Chang Apana. This inspired him to create his most
enduring legacy in the character of super-sleuth Charlie Chan. The first
Chan story "The House Without a Key" (1925) was published as a
serialised story in the Saturday Evening Post and then released as a
novel in the same year. Biggers went on to write five more Chan novels
and all were licensed for movie adaptations by Fox Films. These films
were hugely popular with several different actors taking the lead role
of Chan. They were even a success in China where the appeal of a
character from the country being the hero instead of the villain
appealed to film-goers. Eventually; over 40 films were produced
featuring the character. Biggers only saw the early on-screen successes
of Charlie Chan due to his death at the age of only 48 from a heart
attack in April 1933.
