Lao Che

Lao Che was a Chinese crime lord who nearly killed Indiana Jones. Born in Shanghai, China, Lao became one of the city's most notorious gangsters. His nightclub, Club Obi-Wan, served as a front and the base of operations for his criminal activities. Lao fathered two sons, Kao Kan and Chen, and both rose to senior positions in his gang.

Jones' first run-in with Lao was in 1933, when Indy discovered that the gangster had, in essence, enslaved Indy's friend Wu Han by holding captive the remains of the young scholar's family. Indy managed to surreptitiously steal the remains from under Lao's nose, thereby gaining Han's freedom.

In 1935, Lao commissioned Indiana Jones to recover the remains of Nurhachi, the first emperor of the Manchu Dynasty, but the arrangement quickly turned south. Kao attempted to steal the artifact from Indy without paying and suffered a gunshot wound for his trouble. Indy then sat down with Lao at Club Obi Wan to complete the trade as planned: Nurhachi's ashes for a large, exquisite diamond. But Lao double-crossed Jones at the meeting, poisoning him, and then offering the antidote only in exchange for both valuables. Desperate for a bargaining chip, Jones grabbed Lao's trophy girlfriend&mdash;Club Obi Wan singer Willie Scott&mdash; as a hostage. Indy and Willie escaped with the antidote in the ensuing brawl, which left Chen literally skewered. Lao grieved at his son's death.

Behind the scenes
Lao Che's character in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom was portrayed by the late Shanghai-born and -raised Chinese actor, Roy Chiao, who died in 1999 due to complications from heart disease. Before his death, fans had called for the return of Lao Che in the next Indiana Jones film, with Chiao reprising his character. Spielberg had stated he was open to re-using the character, and that Chiao, as well as Ric Young who played Kao Kan, was interested in returning for the film.

Lao Che's name appears on windows and boxes outside a fireworks factory in the trailer for the upcoming Indiana Jones 2007 video game. It is not known whether Lao Che himself will be a make an appearance.

Appearances

 * Indiana Jones and the Dinosaur Eggs
 * Indiana Jones and the Emperor's Tomb
 * Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom