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)
Robin Hood of Monterey
as Don Ricardo Gonzales
(1947)
Bush Pilot
as Paul Girard
(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)
Follow the Leader
as Larry
(1944)
Leave It to the Irish
as Rockwell
(1944)
The Last Ride
as Joe Genna
(1944)
Machine Gun Mama
as Jose
(1943)
The Desert Song
as Lt. Bertin
(1943)
The Law Rides Again
as Duke Dillon
(1943)
The Sultan's Daughter
as Rata
(1943)
Secret Service In Darkest Africa
as Hassan
(1943)
A Scream in the Dark
as Cross
(1943)
Smart Guy
as Matt Taylor
(1943)
Never a Dull Moment
as Joey
(1943)
Pistol Packin' Mama
as Johnny Rossi
(1943)
The Girl from Monterrey
as Al Johnson
(1943)
You Can't Beat the Law
as Cain
(1942)
American Empire
as Pierre - Beauchard Henchman
(1942)
The Payoff
as John Angus
(1942)
Pardon My Sarong
as Tabor (uncredited)
(1942)
X Marks the Spot
as Marty Clark
(1942)
A Desperate Chance for Ellery Queen
as Tommy Gould
(1942)
Highways by Night
as Johnny Lieber, Gangster
(1941)
Footsteps in the Dark
as Ace Vernon
(1941)
Gangs Inc.
as Mickey Roman
(1941)
Ringside Maisie
as Ricky Du Prez
(1941)
Hard Guy
as Vic Monroe
(1941)
Gentleman from Dixie
as Thad Terrill
(1941)
Swamp Woman
as Pierre Pertinax Pontineau Briand Broussicourt d'Olivier, aka Pete Oliver
(1940)
The Sea Hawk
as Lt. Ortega
(1940)
Charlie Chan in Panama
as Emil Manolo
(1940)
East of the River
as Frank 'Frisco' Scarfi
(1940)
Fugitive from a Prison Camp
as Red Nelson
(1940)
Forgotten Girls
as Eddie Nolan
(1940)
Enemy Agent
as Alex
(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)
Valley of the Giants
as Ed Morrell
(1938)
Under the Big Top
as Ricardo Le Grande
(1938)
I Demand Payment
as Smiles Badolio
(1938)
Arson Racket Squad
as Bud Morgan
(1937)
Captains Courageous
as Priest
(1937)
Her Husband Lies
as 'Trigger'
(1937)
Trapped by G-Men
as Fred Drake
(1937)
(1937)
Dangerous Holiday
as Gollenger
(1936)
Strike Me Pink
as Mr. Thrust
(1936)
Dancing Pirate
as Lt. Chago (Baltazar's Aide)
(1936)
The Bridge of Sighs
as Packy Lacy
(1936)
Born to Fight
as Smoothy Morgan
(1936)
It Couldn't Have Happened (But It Did)
as Smiley Clark
(1936)
A Tenderfoot Goes West
as James "Killer" Madden
(1936)
Mind Your Own Business
as Cruger
(1936)
Ellis Island
as Dude
(1936)
Yellow Cargo
as Al Perrelli
(1935)
Times Square Lady
as Jack Kramer
(1935)
Special Agent
as Jake Andrews
(1935)
The Daring Young Man
as Cubby
(1935)
Under the Pampas Moon
as Bazan
(1935)
The Headline Woman
as Phil Zarias
(1935)
Waterfront Lady
as Tom Braden
(1935)
Little Big Shot
as Jack Doré
(1935)
After the Dance
as Mitch
(1935)
Remember Last Night?
as Baptiste Bouclier
(1935)
The Spanish Cape Mystery
as Gardner
(1935)
His Night Out
as Joe Ferranza
(1935)
Calling All Cars
as Jerry Kennedy
(1934)
Miss Fane's Baby Is Stolen
as Bert
(1934)
Good Dame
as Bluch Brown
(1934)
Straight Is the Way
as Monk
(1934)
Take the Stand
as George Gaylord
(1934)
No Ransom
as Larry Romero
(1934)
Secret of the Chateau
as Lucien Vonaire
(1934)
The Fighting Rookie
as Patrolman Jim Trent
(1933)
The Kennel Murder Case
as Eduardo Grassi
(1933)
To the Last Man
as Jim Daggs
(1933)
42nd Street
as Thug (uncredited)
(1933)
Christopher Strong
as Carlo
(1933)
The Story of Temple Drake
as Trigger
(1933)
The Woman Accused
as Little Maxie
(1933)
The Girl in 419
as Sammy
(1933)
Headline Shooter
as Ricci
(1933)
Gambling Ship
as Pete Manning
(1933)
Terror Aboard
as Gregory Cordoff
(1932)
A Farewell to Arms
as Priest
(1932)
I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang
as Ackerman (uncredited)
(1932)
Lawyer Man
as Spike Murphy (uncredited)
(1932)
Blessed Event
as Louis De Marco
(1932)
Three on a Match
as Ace's Henchman (uncredited)
(1932)
20,000 Years in Sing Sing
as Prisoner at Check-In (uncredited)
(1932)
Virtue
as Toots O'Neil
(1932)
Night World
as Henchman (uncredited)
(1932)
The Mouthpiece
as Joe Garland (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 Gangster (uncredited)
(1928)
(1926)
Fine Manners
as New Year's Eve Celebrant
(1925)
The King On Main Street
as Member of King's Retinue in Paris Hotel Lobby (uncredited)
(1925)
The Lucky Devil
as Prizefight Attendant