Skip to content
MovieCove
Sidney Toler

Sidney Toler

Actor · Died February 12, 1947, aged 72 · Warrensburg, Missouri, USA

Sidney Toler (born Hooper G. Toler Jr.; April 28, 1874 – February 12, 1947) was an American actor, playwright and theatre director. The second European-American actor to play the role of Charlie Chan on screen, he is best remembered for his portrayal of the Chinese-American detective in 22 films made between 1938 and 1946. Before becoming Chan, Toler played supporting roles in 50 motion pictures and was a highly regarded comic actor on the Broadway stage.

Read more

Biography from TMDB.

Born
April 26, 1874
Died
February 12, 1947 (aged 72)
From
Warrensburg, Missouri, USA
Works as
Actor
Titles
33 on MovieCove · 83 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 38 days to Oct 27Up 2% in 30 days

What are Sidney Toler's films like?

Across their 30 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Bonds.

Genres

Crime8 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 63rd percentile
: browse their Crime movies
Comedy7 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 70th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Comedy movies
Drama5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 59th percentile
: browse their Drama movies
Action4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 58th percentile
: browse their Action movies
Adventure4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 75th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Adventure movies
Mystery2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 69th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Mystery movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Morality
48%
Bonds
32%
Power
5%
Self
5%
Ideas
4%
Society
3%
Survival
3%
Justice16 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception11 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds8 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love7 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship3 titles, browse their movies with this themeLoyalty5 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity3 titles, browse their movies with this themeGreed2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 30 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Light: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their light movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 21 · Serious 6 · Dark 3

Grounded: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their grounded movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 18 · Stylized 11 · Heightened 1

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 14 · Charged 16 · Intense 0

Steady: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their steady movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 16 · Shifting 14 · Whiplash 0

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 6 · Some laughs 17 · Funny 7

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 9 · Even-paced 18 · Relentless 3

Casual: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their casual movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 16 · Engaged 14 · Full focus 0

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 27 · Open-ended 3 · Ambiguous 0

Roles they play

22 analyzed roles

Usually the Hero: 12 of 22 analyzed roles.

Hero
12 of 22
Mentor
3 of 22
Shadow
2 of 22
Trickster
2 of 22
Threshold guardian
2 of 22
Ally
1 of 22
Show the 22 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
19
Thrilling
10
Warm
10
Joyful
6
Romantic
7
Other
25

How their films linger

Feel-good21 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun19 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteCathartic3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 9 with a twist

  • Happy25
  • Bittersweet5

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Sidney Toler's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 11 of their 33 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Prime Video (7).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Sidney Toler's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

83 credits, 33 with a MovieCove page.

  • That's Entertainment!(1974)

    as (archive footage) (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • The Best of Laurel and Hardy(1968)

    as Captain of SS Periwinkle (archive footage)

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • The Trap(1946)

    as Charlie Chan

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • Dangerous Money(1946)

    as Charlie Chan

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • Shadows Over Chinatown(1946)

    as Charlie Chan

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • Dark Alibi(1946)

    as Charlie Chan

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all films

  • The Shanghai Cobra(1945)

    as Charlie Chan

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • The Red Dragon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1945)

    as Charlie Chan

  • The Scarlet Clue(1945)

    as Charlie Chan

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • It's in the Bag!(1945)

    as Detective Sully

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • The Jade Mask (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1945)

    as Charlie Chan

  • Black Magic(1944)

    as Charlie Chan

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • Charlie Chan in The Chinese Cat (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1944)

    as Charlie Chan

  • Charlie Chan in the Secret Service(1944)

    as Charlie Chan

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • Isle of Forgotten Sins (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1943)

    as Capt. Krogan aka Carruthers

  • White Savage(1943)

    as Wong

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • The Adventures of Smilin' Jack(1943)

    as General Kai Ling [Chs. 1-5, 13]

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • A Night to Remember(1942)

    as Inspector Hankins

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • Castle in the Desert (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

    as Charlie Chan

  • Charlie Chan in Rio (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1941)

    as Lt. Charlie Chan

  • Dead Men Tell (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1941)

    as Charlie Chan

  • Murder Over New York (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

    as Charlie Chan

  • Charlie Chan at the Wax Museum (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

    as Charlie Chan

  • Charlie Chan's Murder Cruise (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

    as Charlie Chan

  • Charlie Chan in Panama(1940)

    as Charlie Chan

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • City in Darkness (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

    as Charlie Chan

  • Law of the Pampas(1939)

    as Fernando "El Melancolio" Lopez Ramirez

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • Charlie Chan at Treasure Island(1939)

    as Charlie Chan

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • Heritage of the Desert(1939)

    as Nosey

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

  • Charlie Chan in Reno(1939)

    as Charlie Chan

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • The Kid from Kokomo(1939)

    as Judge William 'Gashouse' Bronson

    Midcredits score: 52nd percentile of all films

  • King of Chinatown(1939)

    as Dr. Chang Ling

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • Disbarred (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

    as G.L. 'Mardy' Mardeen

  • Charlie Chan in Honolulu(1938)

    as Charlie Chan

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • Up the River (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)

    as Jeffrey Mitchell

  • If I Were King(1938)

    as Robin Turgis

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films

  • The Mysterious Rider (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)

    as Frosty Kilburn

  • One Wild Night (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)

    as Lawton

  • Wide Open Faces (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)

    as Sheriff

  • Gold Is Where You Find It(1938)

    as Harrison McCooey

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • Double Wedding(1937)

    as Mr. Keough, Margit's Butler

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • That Certain Woman(1937)

    as Détective Lieutenant Neely

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • The Longest Night (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    as Captain Holt

  • Our Relations(1936)

    as Captain of SS Periwinkle

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films

  • The Gorgeous Hussy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    as Daniel Webster

  • Give Us This Night (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    as First Carabiniere

  • Three Godfathers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    as Professor Amos Snape

  • This Is the Life (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    as Professor Lafcadio F. Breckenridge

  • Call of the Wild(1935)

    as Joe Groggins

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • Orchids to You (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    as Nick Corsini

  • The Daring Young Man(1935)

    as Warden Palmer

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Champagne for Breakfast (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    as The Probate Judge

  • Romance in Manhattan(1934)

    as Sergeant Duffy

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • Here Comes the Groom (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

    as Detective Weaver

  • Operator 13 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

    as Major Allen

  • Upperworld (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

    as Officer Moran

  • The Trumpet Blows (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

    as Pepi Sancho

  • Registered Nurse (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

    as Frankie Sylvestrie

  • Spitfire (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

    as Jim Sawyer

  • Dark Hazard (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

    as John Bright

  • Massacre (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

    as Thomas Shanks

  • The World Changes (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1933)

    as Mr. Hodgens · as Mr. Hodgens, a Banker (uncredited)

  • The Way to Love (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1933)

    as Pierre

  • The Narrow Corner (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1933)

    as Ryan, the Go-Between

  • King of the Jungle (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1933)

    as Neil Forbes

  • He Learned About Women (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1933)

    as Wilson

  • The Billion Dollar Scandal (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1933)

    as Carter B. Moore

  • Over the Counter (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)

    as Mr. Drake

  • Blonde Venus(1932)

    as Detective Wilson

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • The Phantom President (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)

    as Aikenhead

  • Blondie of the Follies(1932)

    as Pete

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • Speak Easily (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)

    as Stage Director

  • Tom Brown of Culver (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)

    as Maj. Wharton

  • Is My Face Red?(1932)

    as Tony Mugatti

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • Radio Patrol (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)

    as Sgt. Tom Keogh

  • Strangers in Love (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)

    as McPhail

  • Strictly Dishonorable (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1931)

    as Mulligan

  • White Shoulders (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1931)

    as William Sothern

  • In the Nick of Time (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1929)

    Actor

  • Madame X (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1929)

    as Dr. Merivel

  • A Heart to Let (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1921)

    Theatre Play

  • The Bait (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1921)

    Theatre Play

  • Playthings (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1918)

    Screenplay

Career shape

Star power in the 93rd percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 83 titles from 1918 to 1974.

Highest rated

Our Relations (1936)

Midcredits 87th

Most popular right now

Call of the Wild (1935)

Film career

Top draw in 2 MovieCove titles.

  • 1932Screen debut· Speak Easily
  • 1939First top-billed film· Charlie Chan at Treasure Island
  • 1939Career best· Charlie Chan at Treasure Island

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting80 of 83: 80 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score67thWriting3 of 83: 3 only writing, 0 with another role

By decade

1910s1 · crew1920s4 · 2 acting · 2 crew1930s53 · acting1940s23 · acting1960s1 · acting1970s1 · acting

Billing

usually 6th · top billed in 44% of 9 roles

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30.

How do Sidney Toler's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 67th percentile, the median of all 33; across their 30 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 57th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

57thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 30

Approval · how many liked their films

69thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 30

Reach · how many have seen their films

43rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 30

Midcredits score across 33 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up10
  • 50th to 74th18
  • 25th to 49th5

Shape of the crowd

20 of their 33 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved4
  • Crowd Pleaser20
  • Broadly Agreed2
  • Mixed7

Most divisive · actor

The Best of Laurel and Hardy (1968)

67th percentile spread · 13% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

That's Entertainment! (1974)

Midcredits 92nd · 80% liked

Reviewers score the acting 67/100 in their films, across 28 reviewed titles; fans 74, detractors 48. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Who does Sidney Toler work with?

People who share at least 2 of Sidney Toler's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Earl Derr Biggers shares the most, 12.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles