Jack La Rue

Birthday: 1902-05-03
Deathday: 1984-01-11
Birthplace: New York City, New York, USA
Gender: Male
Owned By: Unowned

Jack La Rue (born Gaspere Biondolillo) was an American stage, screen, and television actor. La Rue went from high school to his first acting job, in Otis Skinner's road company production of Blood and Sand. He performed in Broadway plays from around 1923 to 1931. According to La Rue, while appearing in Mae West's play Diamond Lil, he was spotted by Howard Hawks, who offered him a part in the film Scarface, starring Paul Muni.

He moved to Hollywood, where he appeared in numerous films. However, Scarface was not one of them. La Rue stated in a newspaper article that, after four days, Hawks had to replace him with George Raft because La Rue was taller than Muni and had a more powerful voice. Later, however, Raft turned down the role of the despicable villain in The Story of Temple Drake, fearing it would damage his screen image, so the part went to La Rue. Sometimes mistaken for Humphrey Bogart, he played thugs and gangsters for the most part. However, director Frank Borzage atypically cast him as a priest in the 1932 version of A Farewell to Arms simply because, according to newspaper columnist Hubbard Keavy, he was "tired of seeing conventional characters". La Rue stated he turned down a role in The Godfather and many parts in the television series The Untouchables because of the way they portrayed Italian-Americans.

La Rue died of a heart attack at Saint John's Health Center in Santa Monica, California, at the age of 81. He was buried in Holy Cross Cemetery, Culver City, California.

Credits

Year Title Character
1976-07-26 Won Ton Ton: The Dog Who Saved Hollywood Silent Film Villain
1967-02-03 The Spy in the Green Hat Federico 'Feet' Stilletto
1964-06-24 Robin and the 7 Hoods Tomatoes
1964-06-01 For Those Who Think Young Cronin's Business Associate
1962-12-31 40 Pounds of Trouble Nick the Greek
1952-11-25 Ride the Man Down Kennedy
1950-12-15 For Heaven's Sake Tony Clark
1948-04-15 No Orchids for Miss Blandish Slim Grisson
1947-09-06 Robin Hood of Monterey Don Ricardo Gonzales
1947-06-07 Bush Pilot Paul Girard
1947-03-19 My Favorite Brunette Tony
1946-11-15 Santa Fe Uprising Bruce Jackson
1946-05-31 In Old Sacramento Laramie
1946-04-10 Murder in the Music Hall Bruce Wilton
1946-02-27 Road to Utopia LeBec
1945-12-15 Dakota Suade
1945-11-23 Cornered Diego, Hotel Valet
1945-10-01 The Spanish Main Lt. Escobar
1945-07-09 Steppin' in Society Bow Tie
1944-12-18 Dangerous Passage Mike
1944-10-07 The Last Ride Joe Genna
1944-08-26 Leave It to the Irish Rockwell
1944-08-18 Machine Gun Mama Jose
1944-06-03 Follow the Leader Larry
1943-12-17 The Desert Song Lt. Bertin
1943-12-17 Smart Guy Matt Taylor
1943-12-16 The Sultan's Daughter Rata
1943-12-15 Pistol Packin' Mama Johnny Rossi
1943-11-19 Never a Dull Moment Joey
1943-10-15 A Scream in the Dark Cross
1943-10-04 The Girl from Monterrey Al Johnson
1943-08-06 The Law Rides Again Duke Dillon
1943-07-24 Secret Service In Darkest Africa Hassan
1943-01-29 You Can't Beat the Law Cain
1942-12-11 American Empire Pierre - Beauchard Henchman
1942-11-24 The Payoff John Angus
1942-11-04 X Marks the Spot Marty Clark
1942-10-02 Highways by Night Johnny Lieber, Gangster
1942-08-07 Pardon My Sarong Tabor (uncredited)
1942-05-07 A Desperate Chance for Ellery Queen Tommy Gould
1941-12-05 Swamp Woman Pierre Pertinax Pontineau Briand Broussicourt d'Olivier, aka Pete Oliver
1941-10-17 Hard Guy Vic Monroe
1941-09-02 Gentleman from Dixie Thad Terrill
1941-08-01 Ringside Maisie Ricky Du Prez
1941-06-13 Gangs Inc. Mickey Roman
1941-03-08 Footsteps in the Dark Ace Vernon
1940-11-09 East of the River Frank 'Frisco' Scarfi
1940-10-05 Fugitive from a Prison Camp Red Nelson
1940-08-10 The Sea Hawk Lt. Ortega
1940-04-18 Enemy Agent Alex
1940-03-15 Forgotten Girls Eddie Nolan
1940-03-01 Charlie Chan in Panama Emil Manolo
1939-06-19 In Old Caliente Manuel Delgardo / Sujarno
1939-05-03 Big Town Czar Mike Luger
1939-03-04 The Gang's All Here Alberni
1939-02-01 Murder in Soho Steve Marco
1938-12-13 I Demand Payment Smiles Badolio
1938-09-17 Valley of the Giants Ed Morrell
1938-08-31 Under the Big Top Ricardo Le Grande
1938-03-27 Arson Racket Squad Bud Morgan
1937-09-13 That I May Live
1937-09-09 Trapped by G-Men Fred Drake
1937-06-25 Captains Courageous Priest
1937-06-06 Dangerous Holiday Gollenger
1937-03-13 Her Husband Lies 'Trigger'
1936-12-18 Mind Your Own Business Cruger
1936-11-07 Yellow Cargo Al Perrelli
1936-11-04 Ellis Island Dude
1936-11-02 Born to Fight Smoothy Morgan
1936-10-15 A Tenderfoot Goes West James "Killer" Madden
1936-08-01 It Couldn't Have Happened (But It Did) Smiley Clark
1936-05-22 Dancing Pirate Lt. Chago (Baltazar's Aide)
1936-02-14 The Bridge of Sighs Packy Lacy
1936-01-24 Strike Me Pink Mr. Thrust
1935-10-28 Remember Last Night? Baptiste Bouclier
1935-10-09 The Spanish Cape Mystery Gardner
1935-10-04 Waterfront Lady Tom Braden
1935-10-01 His Night Out Joe Ferranza
1935-09-14 Special Agent Jake Andrews
1935-09-07 Little Big Shot Jack Doré
1935-07-17 The Daring Young Man Cubby
1935-06-25 After the Dance Mitch
1935-06-01 Under the Pampas Moon Bazan
1935-05-14 The Headline Woman Phil Zarias
1935-03-08 Times Square Lady Jack Kramer
1935-01-25 Calling All Cars Jerry Kennedy
1934-12-03 Secret of the Chateau Lucien Vonaire
1934-10-07 No Ransom Larry Romero
1934-08-10 Straight Is the Way Monk
1934-08-07 Take the Stand George Gaylord
1934-05-15 The Fighting Rookie Patrolman Jim Trent
1934-03-16 Good Dame Bluch Brown
1934-01-12 Miss Fane's Baby Is Stolen Bert
1933-10-28 The Kennel Murder Case Eduardo Grassi
1933-09-15 To the Last Man Jim Daggs
1933-07-28 Headline Shooter Ricci
1933-06-23 Gambling Ship Pete Manning
1933-05-26 The Girl in 419 Sammy
1933-05-06 The Story of Temple Drake Trigger
1933-04-14 Terror Aboard Gregory Cordoff
1933-03-11 42nd Street Thug (uncredited)
1933-03-09 Christopher Strong Carlo
1933-02-17 The Woman Accused Little Maxie
1932-12-24 Lawyer Man Spike Murphy (uncredited)
1932-12-24 20,000 Years in Sing Sing Prisoner at Check-In (uncredited)
1932-12-08 A Farewell to Arms Priest
1932-11-15 Man Against Woman Alberti
1932-11-09 I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang Ackerman (uncredited)
1932-10-29 Three on a Match Ace's Henchman (uncredited)
1932-10-25 Virtue Toots O'Neil
1932-10-01 The All-American Joe Fiore
1932-09-10 Blessed Event Louis De Marco
1932-06-02 Radio Patrol Slick (uncredited)
1932-05-08 While Paris Sleeps Julot
1932-05-04 Night World Henchman (uncredited)
1932-03-21 The Mouthpiece Joe Garland (Uncredited)
1930-12-06 Follow the Leader A Gangster
1928-01-01 The House of Terror
1926-08-29 Fine Manners New Year's Eve Celebrant
1925-10-24 The King On Main Street Member of King's Retinue in Paris Hotel Lobby (uncredited)
1925-07-13 The Lucky Devil Prizefight Attendant