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