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