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
1933
asThug (uncredited)
1932
asSlick (uncredited)
1942
asPierre - Beauchard Henchman
1932
asPriest
1940
asRed Nelson
1932
asAlberti
1933
asTrigger
1945
asDiego, Hotel Valet
1946
asLeBec
1948
asSlim Grisson
1932
asAce's Henchman (uncredited)
1932
asLouis De Marco
1941
asAce Vernon
1940
asEmil Manolo
1925
asMember of King's Retinue in Paris Hotel Lobby (uncredited)
1937
asPriest
1964
asTomatoes
1947
asTony
1941
asMickey Roman
1942
asTommy Gould
1935
asGardner
1939
asAlberni
1935
asJake Andrews
1933
asPete Manning
1933
asEduardo Grassi
1932
asHenchman (uncredited)
1935
asBaptiste Bouclier
1932
asToots O'Neil
1945
asLt. Escobar
1950
asTony Clark
1933
asGregory Cordoff
1935
asJack Doré
1942
asJohn Angus
1942
asJohnny Lieber, Gangster
1941
asVic Monroe
1964
asCronin's Business Associate
1946
asBruce Wilton
1932
asJoe Garland (Uncredited)
1934
asLucien Vonaire
1940
asEddie Nolan
1937
asFred Drake
1933
asSammy
1939
asSteve Marco
1940
asFrank 'Frisco' Scarfi
1943
asAl Johnson
1943
asCross
1933
asJim Daggs
1937
as
1933
asRicci
1944
asMike
1934
asBluch Brown
1944
asJose
1935
asBazan
1942
asMarty Clark
1934
asMonk
1943
asLt. Bertin
1936
asLt. Chago (Baltazar's Aide)
1938
asEd Morrell
1944
asLarry
1944
asJoe Genna
1936
asAl Perrelli
1936
asSmoothy Morgan
2007
asSelf (archive footage)
1936
asPacky Lacy
1936
asSmiley Clark
1936
asDude
1934
asBert
1936
asCruger
1937
asGollenger
1937
as'Trigger'
1947
asDon Ricardo Gonzales
1938
asRicardo Le Grande
1944
asRockwell
1932
asSpike Murphy (uncredited)
1930
asGangster (uncredited)
1943
asCain
1935
asJoe Ferranza
1934
asPatrolman Jim Trent
1967
asFederico 'Feet' Stilletto
1926
asNew Year's Eve Celebrant
1943
asDuke Dillon
1936
asMr. Thrust
1946
asBruce Jackson
1935
asJerry Kennedy
1932
asJulot
1947
asPaul Girard
1935
asJack Kramer
1935
asMitch
1962
asNick the Greek
1936
asJames "Killer" Madden
1933
asCarlo
1952
asKennedy
1939
asManuel Delgardo / Sujarno
1934
asGeorge Gaylord
1945
asBow Tie
1943
asRata
1945
asSuade
1935
asCubby
1938
asBud Morgan
1933
asLittle Maxie
1943
asJohnny Rossi
1932
asAckerman (uncredited)
1943
asJoey
1940
asAlex
1941
asPierre Pertinax Pontineau Briand Broussicourt d'Olivier, aka Pete Oliver
1943
asMatt Taylor
1934
asLarry Romero
1946
asLaramie
1935
asTom Braden
1940
asLt. Ortega
1941
asRicky Du Prez
1941
asThad Terrill
1939
asMike Luger
2003
asSelf (archive footage)
1997
asSelf (archive footage)
1932
asJoe Fiore
1932
asPrisoner at Check-In (uncredited)
1938
asSmiles Badolio
1942
asTabor (uncredited)
1925
asPrizefight Attendant
1943
asHassan
1928
as
1935
asPhil Zarias
1976
asSilent Film Villain
as
asCafe Proprietor
asNick Rocco
asCricket Rosselli
asNarrator (voice)
asRalphie Fargo
asMr. Smith
Production
Crew
Directing
