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Jack La Rue

Jack La Rue

Actor · 1902 – 1984 · New York City, New York, USA

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.

Movies24

  • Movie7.8
  • Movie6.2

    Robin and the 7 Hoods

    1964 · 76 votes

  • Movie7.2

    The Sea Hawk

    1940 · 161 votes

  • Movie7.4

    Captains Courageous

    1937 · 196 votes

  • Movie6.9

    42nd Street

    1933 · 224 votes

  • Movie6.1

    A Farewell to Arms

    1932 · 166 votes

  • Movie6.3

    Three on a Match

    1932 · 75 votes

  • Movie4.4
  • Movie5.7

    40 Pounds of Trouble

    1962 · 21 votes

  • Movie6.4

    The Spanish Main

    1945 · 33 votes

  • Movie5.6

    Ringside Maisie

    1941 · 5 votes

  • Movie6.7

    My Favorite Brunette

    1947 · 62 votes

  • Movie6.5
  • Movie6.4
  • Movie5.2

    Dakota

    1945 · 38 votes

  • Movie6.7

    Road to Utopia

    1946 · 49 votes

  • Movie6.8

    Charlie Chan in Panama

    1940 · 22 votes

  • Movie5.7
  • Movie
  • Movie6.2

    Special Agent

    1935 · 14 votes

  • Movie6.6

    The Spy in the Green Hat

    1967 · 16 votes

  • Movie6.1

    The Kennel Murder Case

    1933 · 60 votes

  • Movie5.7

    Hard Guy

    1941 · 3 votes

  • Movie6.3

    East of the River

    1940 · 8 votes

Series9

  • TV7.7

    Perry Mason

    1957 · 139 votes

  • TV6.2

    Love, American Style

    1969 · 21 votes

  • TV5.8

    The Millionaire

    1955 · 4 votes

  • TV7.2

    The Man from U.N.C.L.E.

    1964 · 75 votes

  • TV6.0

    Lights Out

    1949 · 5 votes

  • TV6.9

    Tombstone Territory

    1957 · 11 votes

  • TV7.5

    MGM Parade

    1955 · 2 votes

  • TV6.9
  • TV6.8