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
Thug (uncredited)
42nd Street
Slick (uncredited)
Radio Patrol
Pierre - Beauchard Henchman
American Empire
Priest
A Farewell to Arms
Red Nelson
Fugitive from a Prison Camp
Alberti
Man Against Woman
Trigger
The Story of Temple Drake
Diego, Hotel Valet
Cornered
LeBec
Road to Utopia
Slim Grisson
No Orchids for Miss Blandish
Ace's Henchman (uncredited)
Three on a Match
Louis De Marco
Blessed Event
Ace Vernon
Footsteps in the Dark
Emil Manolo
Charlie Chan in Panama
Member of King's Retinue in Paris Hotel Lobby (uncredited)
The King On Main Street
Priest
Captains Courageous
Tomatoes
Robin and the 7 Hoods
Tony
My Favorite Brunette
Mickey Roman
Paper Bullets
Tommy Gould
A Desperate Chance for Ellery Queen
Gardner
The Spanish Cape Mystery
Alberni
The Gang's All Here
Jake Andrews
Special Agent
Pete Manning
Gambling Ship
Eduardo Grassi
The Kennel Murder Case
Henchman (uncredited)
Night World
Baptiste Bouclier
Remember Last Night?
Toots O'Neil
Virtue
Lt. Escobar
The Spanish Main
Tony Clark
For Heaven's Sake
Gregory Cordoff
Terror Aboard
Vic Monroe
Hard Guy
Johnny Lieber, Gangster
Highways by Night
John Angus
The Payoff
Jack Doré
Little Big Shot
Cronin's Business Associate
For Those Who Think Young
Bruce Wilton
Murder in the Music Hall
Joe Garland (Uncredited)
The Mouthpiece
Lucien Vonaire
Secret of the Chateau
Eddie Nolan
Forgotten Girls
Fred Drake
Trapped by G-Men
Sammy
The Girl in 419
Frank 'Frisco' Scarfi
East of the River
Steve Marco
Murder in Soho
Al Johnson
The Girl from Monterrey
Cross
A Scream in the Dark
Jim Daggs
To the Last Man
That I May Live
Ricci
Headline Shooter
Mike
Dangerous Passage
Bluch Brown
Good Dame
Jose
Machine Gun Mama
Bazan
Under the Pampas Moon
Marty Clark
X Marks the Spot
Monk
Straight Is the Way
Lt. Bertin
The Desert Song
Lt. Chago (Baltazar's Aide)
Dancing Pirate
Ed Morrell
Valley of the Giants
Larry
Follow the Leader
Joe Genna
The Last Ride
Al Perrelli
Yellow Cargo
Smoothy Morgan
Born to Fight
Packy Lacy
The Bridge of Sighs
Smiley Clark
It Couldn't Have Happened (But It Did)
Dude
Ellis Island
Cruger
Mind Your Own Business
Bert
Miss Fane's Baby Is Stolen
Gollenger
Dangerous Holiday
'Trigger'
Her Husband Lies
Don Ricardo Gonzales
Robin Hood of Monterey
Ricardo Le Grande
Under the Big Top
Rockwell
Leave It to the Irish
Spike Murphy (uncredited)
Lawyer Man
Gangster (uncredited)
Follow the Leader
Cain
You Can't Beat the Law
Joe Ferranza
His Night Out
Patrolman Jim Trent
The Fighting Rookie
Federico 'Feet' Stilletto
The Spy in the Green Hat
New Year's Eve Celebrant
Fine Manners
Duke Dillon
The Law Rides Again
Mr. Thrust
Strike Me Pink
Bruce Jackson
Santa Fe Uprising
Jerry Kennedy
Calling All Cars
Julot
While Paris Sleeps
Paul Girard
Bush Pilot
Jack Kramer
Times Square Lady
Mitch
After the Dance
Nick the Greek
40 Pounds of Trouble
James "Killer" Madden
A Tenderfoot Goes West
Carlo
Christopher Strong
Kennedy
Ride the Man Down
Manuel Delgardo / Sujarno
In Old Caliente
George Gaylord
Take the Stand
Bow Tie
Steppin' in Society
Rata
The Sultan's Daughter
Suade
Dakota
Cubby
The Daring Young Man
Bud Morgan
Arson Racket Squad
Little Maxie
The Woman Accused
Johnny Rossi
Pistol Packin' Mama
Ackerman (uncredited)
I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang
Joey
Never a Dull Moment
Alex
Enemy Agent
Pierre Pertinax Pontineau Briand Broussicourt d'Olivier, aka Pete Oliver
Swamp Woman
Matt Taylor
Smart Guy
Larry Romero
No Ransom
Laramie
In Old Sacramento
Tom Braden
Waterfront Lady
Lt. Ortega
The Sea Hawk
Ricky Du Prez
Ringside Maisie
Thad Terrill
Gentleman from Dixie
Mike Luger
Big Town Czar
Self (archive footage)
Complicated Women
Self (archive footage)
Bogart: The Untold Story
Joe Fiore
The All-American
Prisoner at Check-In (uncredited)
20,000 Years in Sing Sing
Smiles Badolio
I Demand Payment
Tabor (uncredited)
Pardon My Sarong
Prizefight Attendant
The Lucky Devil
Hassan
Secret Service In Darkest Africa
The House of Terror
Phil Zarias
The Headline Woman
Silent Film Villain
Won Ton Ton: The Dog Who Saved Hollywood
Personal Info
Known For
Acting
Known Credits
123
Gender
Male
Birthday
1902-05-03
Place of Birth
New York City, New York, USA
Also Known As
Gaspere Biondolillo