Jack La Rue

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.

Place of Birth: Not available

Birthday: May 03, 1902

Deathday: January 11, 1984

Popularity:

6.129

Known For

42nd Street
42nd Street

1933-03-11

Radio Patrol
Radio Patrol

1932-06-02

American Empire
American Empire

1942-12-11

A Farewell to Arms
A Farewell to Arms

1932-12-08

Fugitive from a Prison Camp
Fugitive from a Prison Camp

1940-10-05

Man Against Woman
Man Against Woman

1932-11-15

The Story of Temple Drake
The Story of Temple Drake

1933-05-06

Cornered
Cornered

1945-11-23

Road to Utopia
Road to Utopia

1946-02-27

No Orchids for Miss Blandish
No Orchids for Miss Blandish

1948-04-15

Three on a Match
Three on a Match

1932-10-29

Blessed Event
Blessed Event

1932-09-10

Footsteps in the Dark
Footsteps in the Dark

1941-03-08

Charlie Chan in Panama
Charlie Chan in Panama

1940-03-01

The King On Main Street
The King On Main Street

1925-10-24

Captains Courageous
Captains Courageous

1937-06-25

Robin and the 7 Hoods
Robin and the 7 Hoods

1964-06-24

My Favorite Brunette
My Favorite Brunette

1947-03-19

Gangs Inc.
Gangs Inc.

1941-06-13

A Desperate Chance for Ellery Queen
A Desperate Chance for Ellery Queen

1942-05-07

The Spanish Cape Mystery
The Spanish Cape Mystery

1935-10-09

The Gang's All Here
The Gang's All Here

1939-03-04

Special Agent
Special Agent

1935-09-14

Gambling Ship
Gambling Ship

1933-06-23

The Kennel Murder Case
The Kennel Murder Case

1933-10-28

Night World
Night World

1932-05-04

Remember Last Night?
Remember Last Night?

1935-10-28

Virtue
Virtue

1932-10-25

The Spanish Main
The Spanish Main

1945-10-01

For Heaven's Sake
For Heaven's Sake

1950-12-15

Terror Aboard
Terror Aboard

1933-04-14

Little Big Shot
Little Big Shot

1935-09-07

Hard Guy
Hard Guy

1941-10-17

Highways by Night
Highways by Night

1942-10-02

The Payoff
The Payoff

1942-11-24

For Those Who Think Young
For Those Who Think Young

1964-06-01

Murder in the Music Hall
Murder in the Music Hall

1946-04-10

The Mouthpiece
The Mouthpiece

1932-03-21

Secret of the Chateau
Secret of the Chateau

1934-12-03

Forgotten Girls
Forgotten Girls

1940-03-15

Trapped by G-Men
Trapped by G-Men

1937-09-09

The Girl in 419
The Girl in 419

1933-05-26

East of the River
East of the River

1940-11-09

Murder in Soho
Murder in Soho

1939-02-01

The Girl from Monterrey
The Girl from Monterrey

1943-10-04

A Scream in the Dark
A Scream in the Dark

1943-10-15

To the Last Man
To the Last Man

1933-09-15

That I May Live
That I May Live

1937-09-13

Headline Shooter
Headline Shooter

1933-07-28

Dangerous Passage
Dangerous Passage

1944-12-18

Good Dame
Good Dame

1934-03-16

Machine Gun Mama
Machine Gun Mama

1944-08-18

Under the Pampas Moon
Under the Pampas Moon

1935-06-01

X Marks the Spot
X Marks the Spot

1942-11-04

Straight Is the Way
Straight Is the Way

1934-08-10

The Desert Song
The Desert Song

1943-12-17

Dancing Pirate
Dancing Pirate

1936-05-22

Valley of the Giants
Valley of the Giants

1938-09-17

Follow the Leader
Follow the Leader

1944-06-03

The Last Ride
The Last Ride

1944-10-07

Yellow Cargo
Yellow Cargo

1936-11-07

Born to Fight
Born to Fight

1936-11-02

Girl 27
Girl 27

2007-07-27

The Bridge of Sighs
The Bridge of Sighs

1936-02-14

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

1936-08-01

Ellis Island
Ellis Island

1936-11-04

Mind Your Own Business
Mind Your Own Business

1936-12-18

Miss Fane's Baby Is Stolen
Miss Fane's Baby Is Stolen

1934-01-12

Dangerous Holiday
Dangerous Holiday

1937-06-06

Her Husband Lies
Her Husband Lies

1937-03-13

Robin Hood of Monterey
Robin Hood of Monterey

1947-09-06

Under the Big Top
Under the Big Top

1938-08-31

Leave It to the Irish
Leave It to the Irish

1944-08-26

Lawyer Man
Lawyer Man

1932-12-24

Follow the Leader
Follow the Leader

1930-12-06

You Can't Beat the Law
You Can't Beat the Law

1943-01-29

His Night Out
His Night Out

1935-10-01

The Fighting Rookie
The Fighting Rookie

1934-05-15

The Spy in the Green Hat
The Spy in the Green Hat

1967-02-03

Fine Manners
Fine Manners

1926-08-29

The Law Rides Again
The Law Rides Again

1943-08-06

Strike Me Pink
Strike Me Pink

1936-01-24

Santa Fe Uprising
Santa Fe Uprising

1946-11-15

Calling All Cars
Calling All Cars

1935-01-25

While Paris Sleeps
While Paris Sleeps

1932-05-08

Bush Pilot
Bush Pilot

1947-06-07

Times Square Lady
Times Square Lady

1935-03-08

After the Dance
After the Dance

1935-06-25

40 Pounds of Trouble
40 Pounds of Trouble

1962-12-31

A Tenderfoot Goes West
A Tenderfoot Goes West

1936-10-15

Christopher Strong
Christopher Strong

1933-03-09

Ride the Man Down
Ride the Man Down

1952-11-25

In Old Caliente
In Old Caliente

1939-06-19

Take the Stand
Take the Stand

1934-08-07

Steppin' in Society
Steppin' in Society

1945-07-09

The Sultan's Daughter
The Sultan's Daughter

1943-12-16

Dakota
Dakota

1945-12-15

The Daring Young Man
The Daring Young Man

1935-07-17

Arson Racket Squad
Arson Racket Squad

1938-03-27

The Woman Accused
The Woman Accused

1933-02-17

Pistol Packin' Mama
Pistol Packin' Mama

1943-12-15

I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang
I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang

1932-11-09

Never a Dull Moment
Never a Dull Moment

1943-11-19

Enemy Agent
Enemy Agent

1940-04-18

Swamp Woman
Swamp Woman

1941-12-05

Smart Guy
Smart Guy

1943-12-17

No Ransom
No Ransom

1934-10-07

In Old Sacramento
In Old Sacramento

1946-05-31

Waterfront Lady
Waterfront Lady

1935-10-04

The Sea Hawk
The Sea Hawk

1940-08-10

Ringside Maisie
Ringside Maisie

1941-08-01

Gentleman from Dixie
Gentleman from Dixie

1941-09-02

Big Town Czar
Big Town Czar

1939-05-03

Complicated Women
Complicated Women

2003-05-06

Bogart: The Untold Story
Bogart: The Untold Story

1997-01-05

The All-American
The All-American

1932-10-01

20,000 Years in Sing Sing
20,000 Years in Sing Sing

1932-12-24

I Demand Payment
I Demand Payment

1938-12-13

Pardon My Sarong
Pardon My Sarong

1942-08-07

The Lucky Devil
The Lucky Devil

1925-07-13

Secret Service In Darkest Africa
Secret Service In Darkest Africa

1943-07-24

The House of Terror
The House of Terror

1928-01-01

The Headline Woman
The Headline Woman

1935-05-14

Won Ton Ton: The Dog Who Saved Hollywood
Won Ton Ton: The Dog Who Saved Hollywood

1976-07-26