Jack La Rue
Acting
Born 1902-05-03
Died 1984-01-11
New York City, New York, USA
135 credits
Read 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.
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Filmography
— top 60 of 135
Perry Mason
Love, American Style
The Man from U.N.C.L.E.
Tombstone Territory
The Millionaire
MGM Parade
Lights Out
The Girl from U.N.C.L.E.
A Farewell to Arms
Robin and the 7 Hoods
The Sea Hawk
Captains Courageous
I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang
42nd Street
Special Agent
General Electric Theater
Complicated Women
My Favorite Brunette
Won Ton Ton: The Dog Who Saved Hollywood
Hard Guy
20,000 Years in Sing Sing
The Story of Temple Drake
Hollywood on Parade No. B-10
Ringside Maisie
Dakota
The Spy in the Green Hat
40 Pounds of Trouble
The Spanish Main
The Gang's All Here
For Those Who Think Young
Pardon My Sarong
Cornered
Road to Utopia
Swamp Woman
Times Square Lady
Valley of the Giants
Three on a Match
American Empire
The Payoff
The Mouthpiece
Dancing Pirate
Charlie Chan in Panama
No Orchids for Miss Blandish
Paesano
His Night Out
Gambling Ship
The All-American
Her Husband Lies
Christopher Strong
Highways by Night
Footsteps in the Dark
The Kennel Murder Case
Murder in the Music Hall
In Old Sacramento
The Girl in 419
Robin Hood of Monterey
Little Big Shot
Strike Me Pink
The Woman Accused
Ride the Man Down
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