an American Chinese detective character in books, in films and on television, who regularly solved crimes which the police had failed to solve. He was created in 1925 by the author Earl Derr Biggers who based him on the real detective Chang Apana. More than 40 films were made with different actors playing Chan, including Peter Ustinov in 1980. Chan was very polite and was often helped by his ‘Number One Son’.
See also detective story .