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.
Acting (120 movies)
42nd Street
1933
Radio Patrol
1932
American Empire
1942
A Farewell to Arms
1932
Fugitive from a Prison Camp
1940
Man Against Woman
1932
The Story of Temple Drake
1933
Cornered
1945
Road to Utopia
1946
No Orchids for Miss Blandish
1948
Three on a Match
1932
Blessed Event
1932
Footsteps in the Dark
1941
Charlie Chan in Panama
1940
The King On Main Street
1925
Captains Courageous
1937
Robin and the 7 Hoods
1964
My Favorite Brunette
1947
Gangs Inc.
1941
A Desperate Chance for Ellery Queen
1942
The Spanish Cape Mystery
1935
The Gang's All Here
1939
Special Agent
1935
Gambling Ship
1933
The Kennel Murder Case
1933
Night World
1932
Remember Last Night?
1935
Virtue
1932
The Spanish Main
1945
For Heaven's Sake
1950
Terror Aboard
1933
Hard Guy
1941
Highways by Night
1942
The Payoff
1942
Little Big Shot
1935
For Those Who Think Young
1964
Murder in the Music Hall
1946
The Mouthpiece
1932
Secret of the Chateau
1934
Forgotten Girls
1940
Trapped by G-Men
1937
The Girl in 419
1933
East of the River
1940
Murder in Soho
1939
The Girl from Monterrey
1943
A Scream in the Dark
1943
To the Last Man
1933
That I May Live
1937
Headline Shooter
1933
Dangerous Passage
1944
Good Dame
1934
Machine Gun Mama
1944
Under the Pampas Moon
1935
X Marks the Spot
1942
Straight Is the Way
1934
The Desert Song
1943
Dancing Pirate
1936
Valley of the Giants
1938
Follow the Leader
1944
The Last Ride
1944
Yellow Cargo
1936
Born to Fight
1936
The Bridge of Sighs
1936
It Couldn't Have Happened (But It Did)
1936
Mind Your Own Business
1936
Miss Fane's Baby Is Stolen
1934
Dangerous Holiday
1937
Her Husband Lies
1937
Robin Hood of Monterey
1947
Under the Big Top
1938
Lawyer Man
1932
Follow the Leader
1930
You Can't Beat the Law
1943
His Night Out
1935
The Fighting Rookie
1934
The Spy in the Green Hat
1967
Fine Manners
1926
The Law Rides Again
1943
Strike Me Pink
1936
Santa Fe Uprising
1946
Calling All Cars
1935
While Paris Sleeps
1932
Bush Pilot
1947
Times Square Lady
1935
After the Dance
1935
40 Pounds of Trouble
1962
A Tenderfoot Goes West
1936
Christopher Strong
1933
Ride the Man Down
1952
In Old Caliente
1939
Take the Stand
1934
Steppin' in Society
1945
The Sultan's Daughter
1943
Dakota
1945
The Daring Young Man
1935
Arson Racket Squad
1938
The Woman Accused
1933
Pistol Packin' Mama
1943
I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang
1932
Never a Dull Moment
1943
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