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