Captain William Diel

Captain William Diel is Carter's boss and superior in Rush Hour. He makes brief cameo appearances in Rush Hour 2 and Rush Hour 3.

He is portrayed by Philip Baker Hall.

Rush Hour
Diel makes his first appearance while talking on the phone to FBI agent Dan Whitney about having someone for the "G14 classified case" (an assignment to babysit Detective Inspector Lee). He tells him that it's a disgrace to his department but then he see's Carter walking to his office and tells Whitney that he's sending someone right over. Carter walks in and tells him that he's knows he read the paper but they are lying and that they just wanted a story. Diel reprimands Carter for causing a lot of damage and losing some evidence while he was arresting bomb maker Clive Cobb and that what he did was dangerous and not only that but he did a good job. He reveals to him that everyone is afraid of their own shadow and that it's nice to meet an L.A. detective who's willing to "lay it on the line". Carter tells him that it's the same way he feels and what he's been trying to tell everybody. Diel tells Carter that ever so often they have to let the general public know that they can still blow everything up. Carter says that this means he's not getting suspended, and Diel makes a joke about it laughing. He suddenly tricks Carter telling him that the FBI wants Carter on the case for the Chinese diplomat's kidnapped daughter. Carter falls for it as he had aspirations for joining the FBI and he asks Captain if he's telling the truth. He confirms that he is. Carter leaves excited as Diel tells him that he's going to the show. Carter lets him know that when he does it big he'll make him mayor.

Carter later discovered that he was ordered to baby sit Lee and he first calls his Captain demanding for him to call the FBI and tell them that he made a mistake. Diel (along with Johnson and several detectives) immediately decline and laugh about it. Carter tells him to call the FBI or he'll drop Lee "off at panda express" Diel gives Carter a choice to either keep Lee away from the investigation or face two months suspension without pay. Carter however tells him that he can forget about being mayor then. Johnson hangs up the phone jokingly congratulating Carter on finally getting himself a partner.

Rush Hour 2
In one of the movie's deleted scenes, Diel appears when Carter calls him in Lee's office while in Hong Kong. Diel, however, is upset after the commissioner received a call from the Secret Service asking why Carter is interfering with their operation. Diel also reminded Carter on why he was supposed to be nominated for commissioner of the L.A.P.D and over two hundred L.A.P.D. officers were there at the award ceremony. Carter tells him that he will be finishing up the case in Hong Kong but by the time he gets back he promises him they will make Captain governor of the state. Diel angrily hangs up the phone on Carter after that.

Rush Hour 3
When Lee and Carter visit Han in the hospital after his assassination attempt, Diel appears telling them that Han is out of surgery, he'll make a full recovery and that the bullet missed his heart. Carter asks him to give him back his shield and put him on the case cause he's made one little mistake. Diel reminded him on how he handcuffed two women and stole their car and how he puts six Iranians in jail for a week. Carter says that they were terrorists, but Diel reminded him that they were scientists at UCLA. Carter asks him to let him find the person who shot Ambassador Han. Diel tells Carter to relax, as the L.A.P.D. won't be leading this investigation. Lee tells him that the Ambassador was his responsibility, as he was hired as his bodyguard. Diel tells him that maybe he can tell him exactly how the shooter got away. Diel leaves, telling Lee and Carter that Soo-Yung will arrive to see her father and for them to make sure nothing happens to her. As he leaves, Carter tells him not to worry as they are going to make him proud and to try not to think about his wife leaving him, as she'll come back.

Trivia

 * Philip Baker Hall had only reprised his role as Captian Diel for his cameo appearance in Rush Hour 2, but he was uncredited. He was also uncredited for his appearance in Rush Hour 3.
 * Diel is most likely the only character besides Lee and Carter to appear in all three movies. He only appears in a deleted scene in the second installment.
 * Diel had demoted Carter to a patrolman in Rush Hour 3 and placed him on traffic duty but he later reinstated him as a Detective when he agrees to let Carter help Lee investigate Han's shooting.