Jack La Rue
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
Credits
- 2007 · Girl 27 as Self (archive footage)
- 2003 · Complicated Women as Self (archive footage)
- 1997 · Bogart: The Untold Story as Self (archive footage)
- 1976 · Won Ton Ton: The Dog Who Saved Hollywood as Silent Film Villain
- 1969 · Love, American Style as Mr. Smith
- 1967 · The Spy in the Green Hat as Federico 'Feet' Stilletto
- 1966 · The Girl from U.N.C.L.E. as
- 1964 · Robin and the 7 Hoods as Tomatoes
- 1964 · For Those Who Think Young as Cronin's Business Associate
- 1962 · 40 Pounds of Trouble as Nick the Greek
- 1957 · Perry Mason as Cafe Proprietor
- 1955 · The Millionaire as Cricket Rosselli
- 1953 · General Electric Theater as Nick Rocco
- 1953 · General Electric Theater as Ralphie Fargo
- 1952 · Ride the Man Down as Kennedy
- 1950 · For Heaven's Sake as Tony Clark
- 1949 · Lights Out as Narrator (voice)
- 1948 · No Orchids for Miss Blandish as Slim Grisson
- 1947 · Robin Hood of Monterey as Don Ricardo Gonzales
- 1947 · Bush Pilot as Paul Girard
- 1947 · My Favorite Brunette as Tony
- 1946 · Santa Fe Uprising as Bruce Jackson
- 1946 · In Old Sacramento as Laramie
- 1946 · Murder in the Music Hall as Bruce Wilton
- 1946 · Road to Utopia as LeBec
- 1945 · Dakota as Suade
- 1945 · Cornered as Diego, Hotel Valet
- 1945 · The Spanish Main as Lt. Escobar
- 1945 · Steppin' in Society as Bow Tie
- 1944 · Dangerous Passage as Mike
- 1944 · The Last Ride as Joe Genna
- 1944 · Leave It to the Irish as Rockwell
- 1944 · Machine Gun Mama as Jose
- 1944 · Follow the Leader as Larry
- 1943 · The Desert Song as Lt. Bertin
- 1943 · Smart Guy as Matt Taylor
- 1943 · The Sultan's Daughter as Rata
- 1943 · Pistol Packin' Mama as Johnny Rossi
- 1943 · Never a Dull Moment as Joey
- 1943 · A Scream in the Dark as Cross
- 1943 · The Girl from Monterrey as Al Johnson
- 1943 · The Law Rides Again as Duke Dillon
- 1943 · Secret Service In Darkest Africa as Hassan
- 1943 · You Can't Beat the Law as Cain
- 1942 · American Empire as Pierre - Beauchard Henchman
- 1942 · The Payoff as John Angus
- 1942 · X Marks the Spot as Marty Clark
- 1942 · Highways by Night as Johnny Lieber, Gangster
- 1942 · Pardon My Sarong as Tabor (uncredited)
- 1942 · A Desperate Chance for Ellery Queen as Tommy Gould
- 1941 · Swamp Woman as Pierre Pertinax Pontineau Briand Broussicourt d'Olivier, aka Pete Oliver
- 1941 · Hard Guy as Vic Monroe
- 1941 · Gentleman from Dixie as Thad Terrill
- 1941 · Ringside Maisie as Ricky Du Prez
- 1941 · Gangs Inc. as Mickey Roman
- 1941 · Footsteps in the Dark as Ace Vernon
- 1940 · East of the River as Frank 'Frisco' Scarfi
- 1940 · Fugitive from a Prison Camp as Red Nelson
- 1940 · The Sea Hawk as Lt. Ortega
- 1940 · Enemy Agent as Alex
- 1940 · Forgotten Girls as Eddie Nolan
- 1940 · Charlie Chan in Panama as Emil Manolo
- 1939 · In Old Caliente as Manuel Delgardo / Sujarno
- 1939 · Big Town Czar as Mike Luger
- 1939 · The Gang's All Here as Alberni
- 1939 · Murder in Soho as Steve Marco
- 1938 · I Demand Payment as Smiles Badolio
- 1938 · Valley of the Giants as Ed Morrell
- 1938 · Under the Big Top as Ricardo Le Grande
- 1938 · Arson Racket Squad as Bud Morgan
- 1937 · That I May Live as
- 1937 · Trapped by G-Men as Fred Drake
- 1937 · Captains Courageous as Priest
- 1937 · Dangerous Holiday as Gollenger
- 1937 · Her Husband Lies as 'Trigger'
- 1936 · Mind Your Own Business as Cruger
- 1936 · Yellow Cargo as Al Perrelli
- 1936 · Ellis Island as Dude
- 1936 · Born to Fight as Smoothy Morgan
- 1936 · A Tenderfoot Goes West as James "Killer" Madden
- 1936 · It Couldn't Have Happened (But It Did) as Smiley Clark
- 1936 · Dancing Pirate as Lt. Chago (Baltazar's Aide)
- 1936 · The Bridge of Sighs as Packy Lacy
- 1936 · Strike Me Pink as Mr. Thrust
- 1935 · Remember Last Night? as Baptiste Bouclier
- 1935 · The Spanish Cape Mystery as Gardner
- 1935 · Waterfront Lady as Tom Braden
- 1935 · His Night Out as Joe Ferranza
- 1935 · Special Agent as Jake Andrews
- 1935 · Little Big Shot as Jack Doré
- 1935 · The Daring Young Man as Cubby
- 1935 · After the Dance as Mitch
- 1935 · Under the Pampas Moon as Bazan
- 1935 · The Headline Woman as Phil Zarias
- 1935 · Times Square Lady as Jack Kramer
- 1935 · Calling All Cars as Jerry Kennedy
- 1934 · Secret of the Chateau as Lucien Vonaire
- 1934 · No Ransom as Larry Romero
- 1934 · Straight Is the Way as Monk
- 1934 · Take the Stand as George Gaylord
- 1934 · The Fighting Rookie as Patrolman Jim Trent
- 1934 · Good Dame as Bluch Brown
- 1934 · Miss Fane's Baby Is Stolen as Bert
- 1933 · The Kennel Murder Case as Eduardo Grassi
- 1933 · To the Last Man as Jim Daggs
- 1933 · Headline Shooter as Ricci
- 1933 · Gambling Ship as Pete Manning
- 1933 · The Girl in 419 as Sammy
- 1933 · The Story of Temple Drake as Trigger
- 1933 · Terror Aboard as Gregory Cordoff
- 1933 · 42nd Street as Thug (uncredited)
- 1933 · Christopher Strong as Carlo
- 1933 · The Woman Accused as Little Maxie
- 1932 · 20,000 Years in Sing Sing as Prisoner at Check-In (uncredited)
- 1932 · Lawyer Man as Spike Murphy (uncredited)
- 1932 · A Farewell to Arms as Priest
- 1932 · Man Against Woman as Alberti
- 1932 · I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang as Ackerman (uncredited)
- 1932 · Three on a Match as Ace's Henchman (uncredited)
- 1932 · Virtue as Toots O'Neil
- 1932 · The All-American as Joe Fiore
- 1932 · Blessed Event as Louis De Marco
- 1932 · Radio Patrol as Slick (uncredited)
- 1932 · While Paris Sleeps as Julot
- 1932 · Night World as Henchman (uncredited)
- 1932 · The Mouthpiece as Joe Garland (Uncredited)
- 1930 · Follow the Leader as A Gangster
- 1928 · The House of Terror as
- 1926 · Fine Manners as New Year's Eve Celebrant
- 1925 · The King On Main Street as Member of King's Retinue in Paris Hotel Lobby (uncredited)
- 1925 · The Lucky Devil as Prizefight Attendant