Jack La Rue

Personal Info

Known For

Acting

Known Credits

132

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

  • Perry Mason

    Perry Mason

  • Love, American Style

    Love, American Style

  • The Man from U.N.C.L.E.

    The Man from U.N.C.L.E.

  • Tombstone Territory

    Tombstone Territory

  • Lights Out

    Lights Out

  • The Millionaire

    The Millionaire

  • No Ransom

    No Ransom

  • Cornered

    Cornered

  • Terror Aboard

    Terror Aboard

  • The Girl from U.N.C.L.E.

    The Girl from U.N.C.L.E.

  • 42nd Street

    42nd Street

  • Yellow Cargo

    Yellow Cargo

  • Won Ton Ton: The Dog Who Saved Hollywood

    Won Ton Ton: The Dog Who Saved Hollywood

  • Swamp Woman

    Swamp Woman

  • Virtue

    Virtue

  • Miss Fane's Baby Is Stolen

    Miss Fane's Baby Is Stolen

  • Blessed Event

    Blessed Event

  • Smart Guy

    Smart Guy

  • Captains Courageous

    Captains Courageous

  • Bush Pilot

    Bush Pilot

  • Radio Patrol

    Radio Patrol

  • Murder in the Music Hall

    Murder in the Music Hall

  • Hard Guy

    Hard Guy

  • Gambling Ship

    Gambling Ship

  • Christopher Strong

    Christopher Strong

  • Night World

    Night World

  • Headline Shooter

    Headline Shooter

  • A Farewell to Arms

    A Farewell to Arms

  • The Kennel Murder Case

    The Kennel Murder Case

  • Dakota

    Dakota

  • Bogart: The Untold Story

    Bogart: The Untold Story

  • Fugitive from a Prison Camp

    Fugitive from a Prison Camp

  • Robin and the 7 Hoods

    Robin and the 7 Hoods

  • No Orchids for Miss Blandish

    No Orchids for Miss Blandish

  • Ringside Maisie

    Ringside Maisie

  • The Woman Accused

    The Woman Accused

  • The Spy in the Green Hat

    The Spy in the Green Hat

  • The Sultan's Daughter

    The Sultan's Daughter

  • 40 Pounds of Trouble

    40 Pounds of Trouble

  • I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang

    I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang

  • Mind Your Own Business

    Mind Your Own Business

  • To the Last Man

    To the Last Man

  • Lawyer Man

    Lawyer Man

  • The Sea Hawk

    The Sea Hawk

  • The Story of Temple Drake

    The Story of Temple Drake

  • Straight Is the Way

    Straight Is the Way

  • Ellis Island

    Ellis Island

  • Pardon My Sarong

    Pardon My Sarong

  • Secret Service In Darkest Africa

    Secret Service In Darkest Africa

  • Three on a Match

    Three on a Match

  • The Desert Song

    The Desert Song

  • Waterfront Lady

    Waterfront Lady

  • East of the River

    East of the River

  • Murder in Soho

    Murder in Soho

  • Follow the Leader

    Follow the Leader

  • Valley of the Giants

    Valley of the Giants

  • Special Agent

    Special Agent

  • Strike Me Pink

    Strike Me Pink

  • Gentleman from Dixie

    Gentleman from Dixie

  • The House of Terror

    The House of Terror

  • Under the Pampas Moon

    Under the Pampas Moon

  • Ride the Man Down

    Ride the Man Down

  • Santa Fe Uprising

    Santa Fe Uprising

  • 20,000 Years in Sing Sing

    20,000 Years in Sing Sing

  • Road to Utopia

    Road to Utopia

  • Little Big Shot

    Little Big Shot

  • Remember Last Night?

    Remember Last Night?

  • Forgotten Girls

    Forgotten Girls

  • A Desperate Chance for Ellery Queen

    A Desperate Chance for Ellery Queen

  • Secret of the Chateau

    Secret of the Chateau

  • The Girl from Monterrey

    The Girl from Monterrey

  • A Tenderfoot Goes West

    A Tenderfoot Goes West

  • Leave It to the Irish

    Leave It to the Irish

  • The Girl in 419

    The Girl in 419

  • Under the Big Top

    Under the Big Top

  • X Marks the Spot

    X Marks the Spot

  • His Night Out

    His Night Out

  • The Spanish Cape Mystery

    The Spanish Cape Mystery

  • The Gang's All Here

    The Gang's All Here

  • For Heaven's Sake

    For Heaven's Sake

  • General Electric Theater

    General Electric Theater

  • General Electric Theater

    General Electric Theater

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

    It Couldn't Have Happened (But It Did)

  • Her Husband Lies

    Her Husband Lies

  • In Old Caliente

    In Old Caliente

  • Take the Stand

    Take the Stand

  • A Scream in the Dark

    A Scream in the Dark

  • Charlie Chan in Panama

    Charlie Chan in Panama

  • The Spanish Main

    The Spanish Main

  • The All-American

    The All-American

  • My Favorite Brunette

    My Favorite Brunette

  • That I May Live

    That I May Live

  • Steppin' in Society

    Steppin' in Society

  • Calling All Cars

    Calling All Cars

  • American Empire

    American Empire

  • Times Square Lady

    Times Square Lady

  • The Fighting Rookie

    The Fighting Rookie

  • In Old Sacramento

    In Old Sacramento

  • Dangerous Passage

    Dangerous Passage

  • Complicated Women

    Complicated Women

  • Good Dame

    Good Dame

  • The Bridge of Sighs

    The Bridge of Sighs

  • Highways by Night

    Highways by Night

  • Machine Gun Mama

    Machine Gun Mama

  • The Headline Woman

    The Headline Woman

  • The Payoff

    The Payoff

  • Follow the Leader

    Follow the Leader

  • Footsteps in the Dark

    Footsteps in the Dark

  • The Daring Young Man

    The Daring Young Man

  • Dancing Pirate

    Dancing Pirate

  • Dangerous Holiday

    Dangerous Holiday

  • For Those Who Think Young

    For Those Who Think Young

  • While Paris Sleeps

    While Paris Sleeps

  • Fine Manners

    Fine Manners

  • Man Against Woman

    Man Against Woman

  • Enemy Agent

    Enemy Agent

  • The King On Main Street

    The King On Main Street

  • The Last Ride

    The Last Ride

  • Trapped by G-Men

    Trapped by G-Men

  • The Mouthpiece

    The Mouthpiece

  • Arson Racket Squad

    Arson Racket Squad

  • Never a Dull Moment

    Never a Dull Moment

  • Robin Hood of Monterey

    Robin Hood of Monterey

  • After the Dance

    After the Dance

  • The Law Rides Again

    The Law Rides Again

  • I Demand Payment

    I Demand Payment

  • Big Town Czar

    Big Town Czar

  • You Can't Beat the Law

    You Can't Beat the Law

  • Pistol Packin' Mama

    Pistol Packin' Mama

  • Born to Fight

    Born to Fight

  • Gangs Inc.

    Gangs Inc.

  • The Lucky Devil

    The Lucky Devil