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Jack La Rue
Acting
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. L…
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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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BODY OF WORK
Jack La Rue's Filmography
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Complicated Women
as Self (archive footage)
Bogart: The Untold Story
as Self (archive footage)
Won Ton Ton: The Dog Who Saved Hollywood
as Silent Film Villain
Paesano
as Bartender
The Spy in the Green Hat
as Federico 'Feet' Stilletto
Robin and the 7 Hoods
as Tomatoes
For Those Who Think Young
as Cronin's Business Associate
40 Pounds of Trouble
as Nick the Greek (uncredited)
Ride the Man Down
as Kennedy
For Heaven's Sake
as Tony Clark
No Orchids for Miss Blandish
as Slim Grisson
Robin Hood of Monterey
as Don Ricardo Gonzales
Bush Pilot
as Paul Girard
My Favorite Brunette
as Tony
Santa Fe Uprising
as Bruce Jackson
In Old Sacramento
as Laramie
Murder in the Music Hall
as Bruce Wilton
Road to Utopia
as LeBec
Dakota
as Suade
Cornered
as Diego, Hotel Valet
The Spanish Main
as Lt. Escobar
Steppin' in Society
as Bow Tie
Dangerous Passage
as Mike
The Last Ride
as Joe Genna
Leave It to the Irish
as Rockwell
Machine Gun Mama
as Jose
Follow the Leader
as Larry
The Desert Song
as Lt. Bertin
Smart Guy
as Matt Taylor
The Sultan's Daughter
as Rata
Pistol Packin' Mama
as Johnny Rossi
Never a Dull Moment
as Joey
A Scream in the Dark
as Cross
The Girl from Monterrey
as Al Johnson
The Law Rides Again
as Duke Dillon
Secret Service In Darkest Africa
as Hassan
You Can't Beat the Law
as Cain
American Empire
as Pierre - Beauchard Henchman
The Payoff
as John Angus
X Marks the Spot
as Marty Clark
Highways by Night
as Johnny Lieber, Gangster
Pardon My Sarong
as Tabor (uncredited)
A Desperate Chance for Ellery Queen
as Tommy Gould
Swamp Woman
as Pierre Pertinax Pontineau Briand Broussicourt d'Olivier, aka Pete Oliver
Hard Guy
as Vic Monroe
Gentleman from Dixie
as Thad Terrill
Ringside Maisie
as Ricky Du Prez
Gangs Inc.
as Mickey Roman
Footsteps in the Dark
as Ace Vernon
East of the River
as Frank 'Frisco' Scarfi
Fugitive from a Prison Camp
as Red Nelson
The Sea Hawk
as Lt. Ortega
Enemy Agent
as Alex
Forgotten Girls
as Eddie Nolan
Charlie Chan in Panama
as Emil Manolo
In Old Caliente
as Manuel Delgardo / Sujarno
Big Town Czar
as Mike Luger
The Gang's All Here
as Alberni
Murder in Soho
as Steve Marco
I Demand Payment
as Smiles Badolio
Valley of the Giants
as Ed Morrell
Under the Big Top
as Ricardo Le Grande
Arson Racket Squad
as Bud Morgan
That I May Live
Trapped by G-Men
as Fred Drake
Captains Courageous
as Priest
Dangerous Holiday
as Gollenger
Her Husband Lies
as 'Trigger'
Mind Your Own Business
as Cruger
Yellow Cargo
as Al Perrelli
No Poster
Ellis Island
as Dude
Born to Fight
as Smoothy Morgan
A Tenderfoot Goes West
as James "Killer" Madden
It Couldn't Have Happened (But It Did)
as Smiley Clark
Dancing Pirate
as Lt. Chago (Baltazar's Aide)
The Bridge of Sighs
as Packy Lacy
Strike Me Pink
as Mr. Thrust
Remember Last Night?
as Baptiste Bouclier
The Spanish Cape Mystery
as Gardner
Waterfront Lady
as Tom Braden
His Night Out
as Joe Ferranza
Special Agent
as Jake Andrews
Little Big Shot
as Jack Doré
The Daring Young Man
as Cubby
After the Dance
as Mitch
Under the Pampas Moon
as Bazan
The Headline Woman
as Phil Zarias
Men of the Hour
as Nick Thomas
Times Square Lady
as Jack Kramer
Calling All Cars
as Jerry Kennedy
Secret of the Chateau
as Lucien Vonaire
No Poster
No Ransom
as Larry Romero
Straight Is the Way
as Monk
Take the Stand
as George Gaylord
The Fighting Rookie
as Patrolman Jim Trent
Hollywood on Parade No. B-10
as Self
Good Dame
as Bluch Brown
Miss Fane's Baby Is Stolen
as Bert
The Kennel Murder Case
as Eduardo Grassi
To the Last Man
as Jim Daggs
Headline Shooter
as Ricci
Gambling Ship
as Pete Manning
The Girl in 419
as Sammy
The Story of Temple Drake
as Trigger
Terror Aboard
as Gregory Cordoff
42nd Street
as Mug with Murphy (uncredited)
Christopher Strong
as Carlo
The Woman Accused
as Little Maxie
20,000 Years in Sing Sing
as Prisoner at Check-In (uncredited)
Lawyer Man
as Spike Murphy (uncredited)
A Farewell to Arms
as Priest
Man Against Woman
as Alberti
I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang
as Ackerman (uncredited)
Three on a Match
as Ace's Henchman (uncredited)
Virtue
as Toots O'Neil
The All-American
as Joe Fiore
Blessed Event
as Louis De Marco
Radio Patrol
as Slick (uncredited)
While Paris Sleeps
as Julot
Night World
as Henchman (uncredited)
The Mouthpiece
as Joe Garland (Uncredited)
Follow the Leader
as Gangster (uncredited)
The House of Terror
Fine Manners
as New Year's Eve Celebrant
The King On Main Street
as Member of King's Retinue (uncredited)
The Lucky Devil
as Prizefight Attendant