Victor Wong

Eccentric-looking Chinese-American actor with a slightly drooping face (the result of a bout of Bell's palsy) who studied political science, art & journalism before becoming a news reporter for a San Francisco public TV station in the late 1960s.Apart from a brief stint in the mid-1970s on the TV soap opera _Search for Tomorrow (1951)_ (qv), Wong didn't break into movies until he was in his late fifties in the minor telemovie _American Playhouse: Nightsongs (1984)_ (qv). He then appeared in the explosive 'Mickey Rourke' (qv) gang movie _Year of the Dragon (1985)_ (qv), followed by the heart warming _Dim Sum: A Little Bit of Heart (1985)_ (qv), before scoring the role he is probably best remembered for, as the Chinese wizard "Egg Shen" helping truck driver 'Kurt Russell' (qv) defeat the evil "Lo-Pan" in _Big Trouble in Little China (1986)_ (qv).His offbeat style remained in demand with more work in _Prince of Darkness (1987)_ (qv) and then as an opportunistic store owner, who gets more than he bargained for, in the tongue-in-cheek horror film _Tremors (1990)_ (qv). Wong then appeared as the wise grandfather / retired ninja in the kids' martial arts adventure _3 Ninjas (1992)_ (qv), plus he repeated his popular role for the sequels _3 Ninjas Kick Back (1994)_ (qv), _3 Ninjas: Knuckle Up (1993)_ (qv) and for his final film appearance _3 Ninjas: High Noon at Mega Mountain (1998)_ (qv).Wong retired from acting in 1998 due to ill health, and passed away in September 2001 from heart failure.::[email protected]