Jack La Rue
Personal Info
Known for
Acting
Gender
Male
Birthday
1902-05-03
Day of Death
1984-01-11 (81 years old)
Place of Birth
New York City, New York, USA
Jack La Rue
Biography
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.
Known For
Acting
(2007)
Girl 27
as Self (archive footage)
(2003)
Complicated Women
as Self (archive footage)
(1997)
Bogart: The Untold Story
as Self (archive footage)
(1976)
Won Ton Ton: The Dog Who Saved Hollywood
as Silent Film Villain
(1967)
The Spy in the Green Hat
as Federico 'Feet' Stilletto
(1964)
Robin and the 7 Hoods
as Tomatoes
(1964)
For Those Who Think Young
as Cronin's Business Associate
(1962)
40 Pounds of Trouble
as Nick the Greek
(1952)
Ride the Man Down
as Kennedy
(1950)
For Heaven's Sake
as Tony Clark
(1948)
No Orchids for Miss Blandish
as Slim Grisson
(1947)
My Favorite Brunette
as Tony
(1947)
Bush Pilot
as Paul Girard
(1947)
Robin Hood of Monterey
as Don Ricardo Gonzales
(1946)
Road to Utopia
as LeBec
(1946)
Murder in the Music Hall
as Bruce Wilton
(1946)
In Old Sacramento
as Laramie
(1946)
Santa Fe Uprising
as Bruce Jackson
(1945)
The Spanish Main
as Lt. Escobar
(1945)
Dakota
as Suade
(1945)
Cornered
as Diego, Hotel Valet
(1945)
Steppin' in Society
as Bow Tie
(1944)
Dangerous Passage
as Mike
(1944)
Leave It to the Irish
as Rockwell
(1944)
The Last Ride
as Joe Genna
(1944)
Follow the Leader
as Larry
(1944)
Machine Gun Mama
as Jose
(1943)
A Scream in the Dark
as Cross
(1943)
The Desert Song
as Lt. Bertin
(1943)
Smart Guy
as Matt Taylor
(1943)
The Girl from Monterrey
as Al Johnson
(1943)
The Law Rides Again
as Duke Dillon
(1943)
The Sultan's Daughter
as Rata
(1943)
Never a Dull Moment
as Joey
(1943)
Pistol Packin' Mama
as Johnny Rossi
(1943)
You Can't Beat the Law
as Cain
(1943)
Secret Service In Darkest Africa
as Hassan
(1942)
American Empire
as Pierre - Beauchard Henchman
(1942)
Pardon My Sarong
as Tabor (uncredited)
(1942)
The Payoff
as John Angus
(1942)
A Desperate Chance for Ellery Queen
as Tommy Gould
(1942)
X Marks the Spot
as Marty Clark
(1942)
Highways by Night
as Johnny Lieber, Gangster
(1941)
Gangs Inc.
as Mickey Roman
(1941)
Footsteps in the Dark
as Ace Vernon
(1941)
Ringside Maisie
as Ricky Du Prez
(1941)
Swamp Woman
as Pierre Pertinax Pontineau Briand Broussicourt d'Olivier, aka Pete Oliver
(1941)
Hard Guy
as Vic Monroe
(1941)
Gentleman from Dixie
as Thad Terrill
(1940)
The Sea Hawk
as Lt. Ortega
(1940)
Forgotten Girls
as Eddie Nolan
(1940)
Charlie Chan in Panama
as Emil Manolo
(1940)
Enemy Agent
as Alex
(1940)
Fugitive from a Prison Camp
as Red Nelson
(1940)
East of the River
as Frank 'Frisco' Scarfi
(1939)
Big Town Czar
as Mike Luger
(1939)
The Gang's All Here
as Alberni
(1939)
Murder in Soho
as Steve Marco
(1939)
In Old Caliente
as Manuel Delgardo / Sujarno
(1938)
Under the Big Top
as Ricardo Le Grande
(1938)
Valley of the Giants
as Ed Morrell
(1938)
I Demand Payment
as Smiles Badolio
(1938)
Arson Racket Squad
as Bud Morgan
(1937)
Captains Courageous
as Priest
(1937)
Dangerous Holiday
as Gollenger
(1937)
Trapped by G-Men
as Fred Drake
(1937)
Her Husband Lies
as 'Trigger'
(1937)
(1936)
Born to Fight
as Smoothy Morgan
(1936)
Dancing Pirate
as Lt. Chago (Baltazar's Aide)
(1936)
Strike Me Pink
as Mr. Thrust
(1936)
It Couldn't Have Happened (But It Did)
as Smiley Clark
(1936)
Mind Your Own Business
as Cruger
(1936)
Yellow Cargo
as Al Perrelli
(1936)
Ellis Island
as Dude
(1936)
The Bridge of Sighs
as Packy Lacy
(1936)
A Tenderfoot Goes West
as James "Killer" Madden
(1935)
Special Agent
as Jake Andrews
(1935)
Waterfront Lady
as Tom Braden
(1935)
The Daring Young Man
as Cubby
(1935)
Times Square Lady
as Jack Kramer
(1935)
Under the Pampas Moon
as Bazan
(1935)
Little Big Shot
as Jack Doré
(1935)
The Headline Woman
as Phil Zarias
(1935)
After the Dance
as Mitch
(1935)
Calling All Cars
as Jerry Kennedy
(1935)
The Spanish Cape Mystery
as Gardner
(1935)
Remember Last Night?
as Baptiste Bouclier
(1935)
His Night Out
as Joe Ferranza
(1934)
Miss Fane's Baby Is Stolen
as Bert
(1934)
Secret of the Chateau
as Lucien Vonaire
(1934)
Straight Is the Way
as Monk
(1934)
No Ransom
as Larry Romero
(1934)
Good Dame
as Bluch Brown
(1934)
Take the Stand
as George Gaylord
(1934)
The Fighting Rookie
as Patrolman Jim Trent
(1933)
42nd Street
as Thug (uncredited)
(1933)
The Kennel Murder Case
as Eduardo Grassi
(1933)
The Story of Temple Drake
as Trigger
(1933)
Christopher Strong
as Carlo
(1933)
To the Last Man
as Jim Daggs
(1933)
The Woman Accused
as Little Maxie
(1933)
The Girl in 419
as Sammy
(1933)
Gambling Ship
as Pete Manning
(1933)
Terror Aboard
as Gregory Cordoff
(1933)
Headline Shooter
as Ricci
(1932)
A Farewell to Arms
as Priest
(1932)
I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang
as Ackerman (uncredited)
(1932)
Blessed Event
as Louis De Marco
(1932)
Lawyer Man
as Spike Murphy (uncredited)
(1932)
Virtue
as Toots O'Neil
(1932)
Three on a Match
as Ace's Henchman (uncredited)
(1932)
20,000 Years in Sing Sing
as Prisoner at Check-In (uncredited)
(1932)
The Mouthpiece
as Joe Garland (Uncredited)
(1932)
Night World
as Henchman (uncredited)
(1932)
While Paris Sleeps
as Julot
(1932)
Radio Patrol
as Slick (uncredited)
(1932)
The All-American
as Joe Fiore
(1932)
Man Against Woman
as Alberti
(1930)
Follow the Leader
as A Gangster
(1928)
(1926)
Fine Manners
as New Year's Eve Celebrant
(1925)
The Lucky Devil
as Prizefight Attendant
(1925)
The King On Main Street
as Member of King's Retinue in Paris Hotel Lobby (uncredited)