• • How many knew that Gaspere Biondolillo took the stage-name of "Jack LaRue"? Jack LaRue [born 3 May 1902 in New York City] was part of the original Broadway cast when MAE WEST brought her hit "Diamond Lil" to the Royale Theatre in April 1928. Onstage Jack LaRue played Lil's Latin lover Juarez. [Gilbert Roland played that role, under a Russian moniker, in the film version: She Done Him Wrong.]
• • After graduating from DeWitt Clinton High School in the Bronx, Gaspere Biondolillo became a piano tuner. Dropping into a casting office off Broadway one morning, as he made his rounds of keyboard adjustments, he found himself hired to work as a bellhop in a film that featured actor Edmond O'Brien. For three days work, he earned $45, which sparked his interest in more acting assignments. For the next two years, he tried to get film work - - and failed. However, Otis Skinner brought him to the stage in a production of "Blood and Sand"; this was at the Empire Theatre [September - November 1921]. After his Broadway debut, many more plays came his way.
• • In 1933, George Raft was suspended by Paramount Pictures for refusing to take the unsympathetic role of Trigger in a film based on William Faulkner's novel Sanctuary - - renamed "The Story of Temple Drake" with Miriam Hopkins in the film's title role. Paramount cast Jack LaRue instead of George Raft. One job LaRue lost out on, though, was a meaty bit in "Scarface"; Howard Hawks cast LaRue as Guino Rinaldo, the killer protege of Paul Muni (height: 5' 10") - - but then Hawks decided that LaRue (height: 5' 11½") was too tall for this part. Go figure.
• • LaRue went on to make over 100 movies and many TV appearances.
• • On 13 September 1936, Carlo Roncoroni, head of the new Cines studio in Rome, flew to Hollywood to invite Jack LaRue to appear in the title role - - of a film about Christopher Columbus. "According to tentative plans," noted The N.Y. Times, "the picture would be made by an Italian company and Roncoroni believes that, because of its subject, it would be an ideal entering wedge to the American film market."
• • Mae West liked LaRue and fished him into "Go West, Young Man" [released in November 1936]. They also worked together on other theatre projects, for instance, on Mae's theatrical production: Sextette. This comedy - - about a woman with many ex-husbands - - opened on 7 July 1961 at Edgewater Beach Playhouse in Chicago. Jack LaRue played one of her former spouses, an American gangster.
• • In 1973, when the Masquers Club honored Mae West with a "Mae Day" tribute, the ceremony was attended by Jack LaRue, George Raft, Jack Noland, and others.
• • Jack LaRue died [11 January 1984 in Santa Monica, California] of a heart attack at age 82.
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Mae West
• • Photo: Mae West ad • • Jack LaRue • • 1930s • •
NYC
Mae West.
i found it unusual that jack chose larue as stage last name. Spanish and Italians, as you know were heavily discriminated against in hollywood (and show business in general)and i thought it interesting that jack didn't use an American last name like so many other European actors. also, larue is a Spanish name. did jack have Spanish in his family? i know his son jack larue jr stared in Spanish speaking film in the 70s. interesting.
ReplyDeleteLa Rue is a French name. "La rue" means "the street" in the French language.
ReplyDeleteoh man we are all just a bunch of mixed up melting pots in this world aren't we? i say this because i know quite a few latinos with the last name larue. guess their mixed!
ReplyDeleteI recently found out that Jack La Rue is a distant cousin of mine and the Biondiolillo's came from Sicily. He is actually my grandmothers cousin and her fathers sibling's child.They were "right off the boat" so to speak so as far as I know Jack (Gaspere) was born 100% Sicilian/American.As far as the stage name goes,who knows why he chose it? Maybe he liked the way it sounded or thought it easy enough for casting directors and people to remember. - C.L.
ReplyDeleteJack opened an Italian restaurant in Studio City back in and around 1950-60's. Very Italian, great food.
ReplyDeletetk
I met Jack La Rue around 1957 or 58 on more than one occasion with my mom and step dad. I was about 12 or 13 and we were a guest at a BBQ at his home. I recall he had a blonde wife. I also met him at his restaurant (not sure of the year - late 50s or early 60s) where my biological father also knew him. Jack would frequently comment to my dad "how would you like to buy a saloon?" I assume he was joking. My recollection is that the restaurant which I believe was on Ventura Blvd in Studio City had excellent food and Jack seemed like a very nice man to me as a teenager.
ReplyDeleteI lived off Laurel Canyon in the 60's and would drive my bike past LaRue's restaurant on Ventura Bl. It has stayed in my mind all these years because the restaurant sign had a very cool-looking caricature of him with a smoking cigarette either dangling from his lips, or clutched in his hand. It took about 40 more years before I ever found out who he was!
ReplyDeleteI grew up in Studio City, too, and Until a few minutes ago I thought Jack LaRue and Lash LaRue were actually the same person. A similar look. Now I know why the restaurant wasn't called "Lash LaRue's." I always wondered why. Now I know. Jack was also about 20 years older. Never had the pleasure of eating there. Hadn't thought of it in years.
DeleteJack LaRue's parents were born in Sicily. His mother was my grandfather's sister. That would make him my first cousin once removed. There was talk of my grandfather's mother having a Spanish heritage, but Europeans have long memories and that could mean the Spanish link went back generations. Certainly there was no overt evidence.
ReplyDeleteJack LaRue was a friend of Rudolph Valentino. It was family gossip that he lost roles to Valentino because he was taller.
To Chris Lingach: "He is actually my grandmothers cousin and her fathers sibling's child." He is actually my mother's cousin and her father's sister's child. We are apparently cousins. I was born Anita Muratori. What is your connection to the Saglimbenes (the maiden name of Jack's mother).
ReplyDelete• • It is quite improbable that Jack LaRue "lost roles to Valentino because he was taller."
ReplyDelete.
• • As you know, the silent film star died when he was 31 years old (in 1926).
• • Rudolph Valentino [6 May 1895 - 23 August 1926]
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• • Mae West cast Jack LaRue in "Diamond Lil" in April 1928 -- and brought him out to Hollywood in 1933.
By then Valentino was turning to dust.
Oh my god - this guy had a lot of cousins!!! My grandmother used to tell me he was her cousin too! and that he had three sisters named Emily, Mary and I forget the name of the third sister. My Grandmother's maiden name was LoBue and he changed the spelling to the LaRue....interesting stuff though.
ReplyDeleteThe other sister was Pauline Biondolillo ( her maiden name was LoBue ).
DeleteThe third sisters name was Rose, she died of cancer. My Father Don Young was married to Emily. He was with Jack playing cards the day he died. They were best friends and my dad was sad about his death the rest of his life.
DeleteJack La Rue actually first went by Jack LoBue - which was his mother maiden name (Josephine LoBue). The press misspelled it and the rest is history. My husbands grandmother was his brother.
ReplyDelete• • Thank you, Heidi, for explaining the original surname: "LoBue."
Delete• • But don't you mean to say your husband's grandFATHER was his brother -- not his grandmother?
• • Please see above for a previously posted ancestry comment about Jack LaRue.
ReplyDelete• • Anita Muratori wrote: What is your connection to the Saglimbenes (the maiden name of Jack's mother)?