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.
Personal info
Gender
Male
Birthday
1902-05-03
Place of birth
New York City, New York, USA
Images
Cast
42nd Street
1933
6.92
Radio Patrol
1932
0.00
American Empire
1942
3.80
A Farewell to Arms
1932
6.10
Fugitive from a Prison Camp
1940
0.00
Man Against Woman
1932
3.33
The Story of Temple Drake
1933
6.40
Cornered
1945
6.11
Road to Utopia
1946
6.70
No Orchids for Miss Blandish
1948
6.09
Three on a Match
1932
6.20
Blessed Event
1932
6.50
Footsteps in the Dark
1941
6.82
Charlie Chan in Panama
1940
6.78
The King On Main Street
1925
6.50
Captains Courageous
1937
7.45
Robin and the 7 Hoods
1964
6.10
My Favorite Brunette
1947
6.63
Gangs Inc.
1941
5.20
The Spanish Cape Mystery
1935
5.40
The Gang's All Here
1939
5.00
Special Agent
1935
6.20
Gambling Ship
1933
5.22
The Kennel Murder Case
1933
6.03
Night World
1932
6.67
Remember Last Night?
1935
4.90
Virtue
1932
6.40
The Spanish Main
1945
6.30
For Heaven's Sake
1950
6.63
Terror Aboard
1933
6.00
Hard Guy
1941
5.00
Highways by Night
1942
6.00
The Payoff
1942
5.80
Little Big Shot
1935
6.00
For Those Who Think Young
1964
5.25
Murder in the Music Hall
1946
4.60
The Mouthpiece
1932
5.90
Secret of the Chateau
1934
5.00
Forgotten Girls
1940
4.50
Trapped by G-Men
1937
0.00
The Girl in 419
1933
3.50
East of the River
1940
5.70
Murder in Soho
1939
5.00
The Girl from Monterrey
1943
0.00
A Scream in the Dark
1943
3.00
To the Last Man
1933
5.70
That I May Live
1937
6.50
Headline Shooter
1933
6.20
Dangerous Passage
1944
4.40
Good Dame
1934
5.50
Machine Gun Mama
1944
3.80
Under the Pampas Moon
1935
5.00
X Marks the Spot
1942
3.90
Straight Is the Way
1934
5.50
The Desert Song
1943
5.90
Dancing Pirate
1936
5.50
Valley of the Giants
1938
6.00
Follow the Leader
1944
2.67
The Last Ride
1944
6.20
Yellow Cargo
1936
4.00
Born to Fight
1936
0.00
The Bridge of Sighs
1936
6.00
Ellis Island
1936
5.00
Mind Your Own Business
1936
0.00
Miss Fane's Baby Is Stolen
1934
5.00
Dangerous Holiday
1937
1.00
Her Husband Lies
1937
5.50
Robin Hood of Monterey
1947
5.90
Under the Big Top
1938
5.50
Leave It to the Irish
1944
3.13
Lawyer Man
1932
6.00
Follow the Leader
1930
4.50
You Can't Beat the Law
1943
5.20
His Night Out
1935
0.00
The Fighting Rookie
1934
3.33
The Spy in the Green Hat
1967
6.57
Fine Manners
1926
7.50
The Law Rides Again
1943
6.00
Strike Me Pink
1936
6.60
Santa Fe Uprising
1946
0.00
Calling All Cars
1935
2.00
While Paris Sleeps
1932
5.80
Bush Pilot
1947
4.70
Times Square Lady
1935
6.00
After the Dance
1935
6.00
40 Pounds of Trouble
1962
5.20
A Tenderfoot Goes West
1936
3.00
Christopher Strong
1933
5.80
Ride the Man Down
1952
6.50
In Old Caliente
1939
5.00
Take the Stand
1934
4.70
Steppin' in Society
1945
0.00
The Sultan's Daughter
1943
3.00
Dakota
1945
5.10
The Daring Young Man
1935
0.00
Arson Racket Squad
1938
0.00
The Woman Accused
1933
5.90
Pistol Packin' Mama
1943
5.00
Never a Dull Moment
1943
6.00
Enemy Agent
1940
5.50
Swamp Woman
1941
4.80
Smart Guy
1943
5.00
No Ransom
1934
0.00
In Old Sacramento
1946
6.00
Waterfront Lady
1935
4.00
The Sea Hawk
1940
7.20
Ringside Maisie
1941
4.50
Gentleman from Dixie
1941
6.00
Big Town Czar
1939
0.00
Complicated Women
2003
6.70
Bogart: The Untold Story
1997
0.00
The All-American
1932
5.00
20,000 Years in Sing Sing
1932
6.30
I Demand Payment
1938
3.67
Pardon My Sarong
1942
6.35
The Lucky Devil
1925
6.50
Secret Service In Darkest Africa
1943
5.00
The House of Terror
1928
0.00
The Headline Woman
1935
4.00
Men of the Hour
1935
0.00