Jack La Rue

Jack La Rue

Date of Birth:

May 03, 1902

Place of Birth:

New York City, New York, USA

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.

filmography:

Ride the Man Down Ride the Man Down

1952

In Old Caliente In Old Caliente

1939

Christopher Strong Christopher Strong

1933

A Tenderfoot Goes West A Tenderfoot Goes West

1936

Times Square Lady Times Square Lady

1935

40 Pounds of Trouble 40 Pounds of Trouble

1962

Take the Stand Take the Stand

1934

Steppin' in Society Steppin' in Society

1945

Enemy Agent Enemy Agent

1940

Swamp Woman Swamp Woman

1941

Arson Racket Squad Arson Racket Squad

1938

The Sultan's Daughter The Sultan's Daughter

1943

Dakota Dakota

1945

The Daring Young Man The Daring Young Man

1935

After the Dance After the Dance

1935

Bush Pilot Bush Pilot

1947

Her Husband Lies Her Husband Lies

1937

Lawyer Man Lawyer Man

1932

Miss Fane's Baby Is Stolen Miss Fane's Baby Is Stolen

1934

Mind Your Own Business Mind Your Own Business

1936

Under the Big Top Under the Big Top

1938

Leave It to the Irish Leave It to the Irish

1944

Follow the Leader Follow the Leader

1930

You Can't Beat the Law You Can't Beat the Law

1943

Strike Me Pink Strike Me Pink

1936

While Paris Sleeps While Paris Sleeps

1932

Santa Fe Uprising Santa Fe Uprising

1946

The Law Rides Again The Law Rides Again

1943

Fine Manners Fine Manners

1926

The Spy in the Green Hat The Spy in the Green Hat

1967

I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang

1932

Smart Guy Smart Guy

1943

Won Ton Ton: The Dog Who Saved Hollywood Won Ton Ton: The Dog Who Saved Hollywood

1976

Radio Patrol Radio Patrol

1932

The Headline Woman The Headline Woman

1935

The House of Terror The House of Terror

1928

The Lucky Devil The Lucky Devil

1925

Secret Service In Darkest Africa Secret Service In Darkest Africa

1943

Fugitive from a Prison Camp Fugitive from a Prison Camp

1940

Man Against Woman Man Against Woman

1932

His Night Out His Night Out

1935

The Fighting Rookie The Fighting Rookie

1934

Girl 27 Girl 27

2007

Night World Night World

1932

The King On Main Street The King On Main Street

1925

The Gang's All Here The Gang's All Here

1939

Pardon My Sarong Pardon My Sarong

1942

I Demand Payment I Demand Payment

1938

In Old Sacramento In Old Sacramento

1946

The Sea Hawk The Sea Hawk

1940

No Ransom No Ransom

1934

Never a Dull Moment Never a Dull Moment

1943

The Woman Accused The Woman Accused

1933

Pistol Packin' Mama Pistol Packin' Mama

1943

Ringside Maisie Ringside Maisie

1941

Gentleman from Dixie Gentleman from Dixie

1941

The All-American The All-American

1932

20,000 Years in Sing Sing 20,000 Years in Sing Sing

1932

Bogart: The Untold Story Bogart: The Untold Story

1997

Complicated Women Complicated Women

2003

Big Town Czar Big Town Czar

1939

Robin Hood of Monterey Robin Hood of Monterey

1947

Dangerous Holiday Dangerous Holiday

1937

Remember Last Night? Remember Last Night?

1935

Virtue Virtue

1932

The Kennel Murder Case The Kennel Murder Case

1933

Special Agent Special Agent

1935

The Spanish Cape Mystery The Spanish Cape Mystery

1935

Gambling Ship Gambling Ship

1933

The Spanish Main The Spanish Main

1945

For Heaven's Sake For Heaven's Sake

1950

Highways by Night Highways by Night

1942

The Payoff The Payoff

1942

Hard Guy Hard Guy

1941

Little Big Shot Little Big Shot

1935

Terror Aboard Terror Aboard

1933

Murder in the Music Hall Murder in the Music Hall

1946

A Desperate Chance for Ellery Queen A Desperate Chance for Ellery Queen

1942

Gangs Inc. Gangs Inc.

1941

Road to Utopia Road to Utopia

1946

No Orchids for Miss Blandish No Orchids for Miss Blandish

1948

Cornered Cornered

1945

The Story of Temple Drake The Story of Temple Drake

1933

American Empire American Empire

1942

A Farewell to Arms A Farewell to Arms

1932

Three on a Match Three on a Match

1932

Blessed Event Blessed Event

1932

Robin and the 7 Hoods Robin and the 7 Hoods

1964

My Favorite Brunette My Favorite Brunette

1947

Captains Courageous Captains Courageous

1937

Charlie Chan in Panama Charlie Chan in Panama

1940

Footsteps in the Dark Footsteps in the Dark

1941

For Those Who Think Young For Those Who Think Young

1964

The Mouthpiece The Mouthpiece

1932

The Desert Song The Desert Song

1943

Dancing Pirate Dancing Pirate

1936

Straight Is the Way Straight Is the Way

1934

Machine Gun Mama Machine Gun Mama

1944

X Marks the Spot X Marks the Spot

1942

Good Dame Good Dame

1934

Follow the Leader Follow the Leader

1944

Valley of the Giants Valley of the Giants

1938

It Couldn't Have Happened (But It Did) It Couldn't Have Happened (But It Did)

1936

Ellis Island Ellis Island

1936

The Bridge of Sighs The Bridge of Sighs

1936

Born to Fight Born to Fight

1936

The Last Ride The Last Ride

1944

Yellow Cargo Yellow Cargo

1936

Under the Pampas Moon Under the Pampas Moon

1935

Dangerous Passage Dangerous Passage

1944

Trapped by G-Men Trapped by G-Men

1937

The Girl in 419 The Girl in 419

1933

Forgotten Girls Forgotten Girls

1940

Waterfront Lady Waterfront Lady

1935

Secret of the Chateau Secret of the Chateau

1934

Calling All Cars Calling All Cars

1935

A Scream in the Dark A Scream in the Dark

1943

East of the River East of the River

1940

That I May Live That I May Live

1937

Headline Shooter Headline Shooter

1933

To the Last Man To the Last Man

1933

The Girl from Monterrey The Girl from Monterrey

1943

Murder in Soho Murder in Soho

1939

42nd Street 42nd Street

1933

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