Lash LaRue

Lash LaRue

Born: June 15, 1917
Died: May 21, 1996
in Gretna, Louisiana, USA
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Alfred "Lash" LaRue (June 15, 1917 – May 21, 1996) was a popular western motion picture star of the 1940s and 1950s. He had exceptional skill with the bullwhip and taught Harrison Ford how to use a bullwhip for the Indiana Jones movies. LaRue was one of the first recipients of the Golden Boot Awards in 1983.

LaRue was originally screen tested by Warner Bros. but was rejected because he looked too much like Humphrey Bogart, then one of the studio's contract stars . He began acting in films in 1944 (at age 27) as Al LaRue, appearing in two musicals and a serial before being given a role in a Western film that would result in his being cast in a cowboy persona for virtually the rest of his career. He was given the name Lash because of the 18-foot (5.5 m)-long bullwhip he used to help bring down the bad guys. The popularity of his first role as the Cheyenne Kid, a sidekick of singing cowboy hero Eddie Dean, not just brandishing a whip but using it expertly to disarm villains, paved the way for LaRue to be featured in his own series of Western films. After appearing in all three of the Eddie Dean Cinecolor singing Westerns in 1945-46, he starred in quirky B-westerns from 1947 to 1951, at first for Poverty Row studio PRC, then for Eagle-Lion when they took over the studio, and later for producer Ron Ormond.

He developed his image as the cowboy hero Lash LaRue, dressed all in black, and inherited from Buster Crabbe a comic sidekick in the form of "Fuzzy Q. Jones" played by Al St. John. LaRue played the Cheyenne Kid sidekick in about 8 films, before he starred in his own film series, playing a character actually named "Marshall Lash LaRue". Those 11 films (from 1948-1951) are the ones that western movie fans refer to as the "Lash LaRue" film series.

He was different from the usual cowboy hero of the era: dressed in black, he spoke with a "city tough-guy" accent somewhat like that of Humphrey Bogart, whom he physically resembled. His use of a bullwhip, however, was what set him apart from bigger cowboy stars such as Gene Autry and Roy Rogers. His influence was felt throughout the dying medium of B-westerns; for example, he had an imitator, Whip Wilson, who starred in his own brief series, and even Roy Rogers started picking up and using a bullwhip in some of his Republic Studios Westerns made in the same period.

He also made frequent personal appearances at small-town movie theaters that were showing his films during his heyday of 1948-51, a common practice for cowboy stars in those days. However, his skillful displays of stunts with his whip, done live on movie theater stages, also convinced young Western fans that there was at least one cowboy hero who could do in real life the same things he did on screen. He continued working in films and television until he retired in 1990.

LaRue died of emphysema in 1996 (age 78) at Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center in Burbank, California, and was cremated at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California. He was survived by his wife, Frances Bramlett LaRue, three sons and three daughters.

Movies for Lash LaRue...

Roy Rogers, King of the Cowboys
Title: Roy Rogers, King of the Cowboys
Character: Himself (archive footage)
Released: October 1, 1992
Type: Movie
Thys Ockersen enjoyed in his childhood in the Fifties with his friends the Roy Rogers pictures in the local cinema. Many years later he starts his search for the old singing cowboy and his wife Dale Evans. A journey that starts in Amsterdam with a meeting with Roy's granddaughter Mindy who lives there. On his travels he meets co-stars of Roy and Dale and their director William Witney. And then there's the Roy Rogers Museum in Victorville where Thys talks with Roy Rogers and Dale Evans and sees the stuffed Trigger.
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Lash LaRue: A Man and His Memories
Title: Lash LaRue: A Man and His Memories
Released: January 1, 1992
Type: Movie
Tim Ormond’s rarely seen documentary in which the beloved western star reflects upon his life and work.
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Pair of Aces
Title: Pair of Aces
Character: Henry
Released: January 14, 1990
Type: Movie
A Texas Ranger has to protect his two daughters as he investigates a serial killer who is attacking cheerleaders. Meanwhile he finds himself working with a safe cracker who claims to be innocent of the charges filed against him.
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Escape
Title: Escape
Character: Gas Station Owner
Released: November 27, 1989
Type: Movie
A young woman travels from Chicago to a corrupt North Carolina town to investigate her brother's disappearance.
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Stagecoach
Title: Stagecoach
Character: Lash
Released: May 18, 1986
Type: Movie
Story follows a stagecoach ride through Old West Apache territory. On board are a cavalry man's pregnant wife, a prostitute with a broken heart, a Marshal taking in his prisoner Johnny Ringo, a crooked gambler, and the infamous Doc Holliday
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The Dark Power
Title: The Dark Power
Character: Ranger Girard
Released: June 1, 1985
Type: Movie
The spirits of dead Indians are haunting a couple's house, and they call in an exorcist, whose trademark is a black whip, to get rid of them.
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Alien Outlaw
Title: Alien Outlaw
Character: Alex Thompson
Released: January 1, 1985
Type: Movie
Aliens land in a small town where Jesse Jamison is about to have a gun show and bullets fly after the aliens start killing people. Watch out Diamond Booking agency for your next momentous event!
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Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch
Title: Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch
Character: (archive footage)
Released: May 1, 1976
Type: Movie
A Western-genre narrative, loosely woven from old clips from B-Western features.
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Hard on the Trail
Title: Hard on the Trail
Character: Slade
Released: January 1, 1971
Type: Movie
Lash La Rue played the villain in the film, and was not involved in any of the sex scenes.
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Lanton Mills
Title: Lanton Mills
Character: Phantom
Released: November 3, 1969
Type: Movie
Tilman and Lanton Mills, two cowboys who set off on horseback to rob a bank. On the way, they stop to see their boss, the "Old Man", only to discover he has been murdered by another cowboy, John Sparks.
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Please Don't Touch Me!
Title: Please Don't Touch Me!
Character: Dr. Warren
Released: January 1, 1959
Type: Movie
A woman who is unable to have sex with her husband goes to a psychiatrist for help. He sends her to a hypnotist, who finds out she has a deep, dark secret.
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Title: 26 Men
Released: November 1, 1957
Type: TV
26 Men is a syndicated American western television series about the Arizona Rangers, an elite group commissioned in 1901 by the legislature of the Arizona Territory and limited, for financial reasons, to twenty-six active members. Russell Hayden was the producer of the series and the co-composer of the theme song. The series aired between October 15, 1957 and June 30, 1959, for a total of 78 episodes.
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Guns Don't Argue
Title: Guns Don't Argue
Character: 'Doc' Barker
Released: January 1, 1957
Type: Movie
The actions of various criminals such as Dillinger, Pretty Boy Floyd, Bonnie and Clyde and Baby Face Nelson are reenacted in this film.
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Title: Cheyenne
Released: September 20, 1955
Type: TV
Cheyenne is an American western television series of 108 black-and-white episodes broadcast on ABC from 1955 to 1963. The show was the first hour-long western, and in fact the first hour-long dramatic series of any kind, with continuing characters, to last more than one season. It was also the first series to be made by a major Hollywood film studio which did not derive from its established film properties, and the first of a long chain of Warner Brothers original series produced by William T. Orr.
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Title: The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp
Released: September 6, 1955
Type: TV
The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp is a television western series loosely based on the life of frontier marshal Wyatt Earp. The half-hour black-and-white program aired for 229 episodes on ABC from 1955 to 1961 and featured Hugh O'Brian in the title role.
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Title: Judge Roy Bean
Released: September 1, 1955
Type: TV
Judge Roy Bean is a syndicated American Western series starring Edgar Buchanan as the legendary Kentucky-born Judge Roy Bean, a justice of the peace known as "The Law West of the Pecos".
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Title: Lash of the West
Character: Marshal Lash La Rue
Released: January 4, 1953
Type: TV
Short-lived kids' series found Lash La Rue, as his U.S. Marshal alter-ego, sitting in his office recounting tales of the old west involving his grandfather. These tales were represented by extracts from La Rue's western movies made after WWII for Ron Ormond and Western Adventures, Inc., the precursor of Howco Productions, who also made this show. As the series episodes lasted only 15 minutes, the material from each movie stretched over several episodes, giving the series a serial-like quality. The series aired on ABC on Sunday night at 6:30 p.m Eastern time from January 4, 1953 to April 26, 1953.
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Title: Gang Busters
Released: March 20, 1952
Type: TV
Gang Busters is a 30 minute television series, hosted by Chester Morris, that aired on NBC from March 20 to Oct. 23, 1952. The series dramatized FBI cases.
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The Frontier Phantom
Title: The Frontier Phantom
Character: Lash La Rue / The Frontier Phantom
Released: February 2, 1952
Type: Movie
Lash Larue seeks to arrest his twin brother, known as the Frontier Phantom
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The Black Lash
Title: The Black Lash
Character: U.S. Marshal Lash LaRue
Released: January 2, 1952
Type: Movie
Having sent Deuce Rago to prison in Frontier Revenge (1948), Lash finds he's out and his outlaw gang are at it again. This time he has the Lawyer Leonard and Joan to help him out and Lash and Fuzzy must bring him in once more.
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The Vanishing Outpost
Title: The Vanishing Outpost
Character: Lash LaRue
Released: November 1, 1951
Type: Movie
Walker is an undercover Pinkerton Agent and gets Lash and Fuzzy involved in cleaning up the Taggert. A mash up of old Lash films and other movies and released as an original film.
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The Thundering Trail
Title: The Thundering Trail
Character: Marshal Lash LaRue
Released: July 2, 1951
Type: Movie
Lash and Fuzzy have been sent to escort the new Governor to the Capitol City. West and his outlaw gang are out to stop them. When Lash's first attempt is foiled, he realizes the Governor's supposedly deaf and dumb servant is the informant and sets a trap for the gang.
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Title: Racket Squad
Released: June 7, 1951
Type: TV
Racket Squad is an American TV crime drama series starring Reed Hadley as Captain John Braddock, a fictional detective working for the San Francisco, California Police Department. The show aired in syndication for a season before being picked up by CBS for three seasons. The series was filmed at Hal Roach Studios in Culver City, California, and was sponsored by cigarette manufacturer Philip Morris, hence there was a pack of the sponsor's brand on Braddock's desk at the beginning and end of the episode, as well as occasional scenes of him or other characters "lighting up".
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King of the Bullwhip
Title: King of the Bullwhip
Character: Lash LaRue
Released: December 20, 1950
Type: Movie
A whip-cracking federal marshal goes under cover as a masked bandit to ferret out a gold-bullion thief.
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The Daltons' Women
Title: The Daltons' Women
Character: Lash LaRue
Released: February 25, 1950
Type: Movie
The Dalton gang has moved west taking new identities and Marshals Lash and Fuzzy are after them. They receive help from Pinkerton agent Joan Talbot as they try to sort out who the bad guys really are.
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Son of a Badman
Title: Son of a Badman
Character: Lash La Rue
Released: April 15, 1949
Type: Movie
Lash and Fuzzy come to town to unmask the mysterious outlaw kingpin, El Sombre.
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Son of Billy the Kid
Title: Son of Billy the Kid
Character: Jack Garrett
Released: April 2, 1949
Type: Movie
Lash helps a reformed Billy the Kid protect his bank from bandits.
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Outlaw Country
Title: Outlaw Country
Character: Lash La Rue / Frontier Phantom
Released: January 7, 1949
Type: Movie
Lash goes south of the border looking for a counterfeiter, a kidnapped engraver and his daughter, and the mysterious Frontier Phantom, while Fuzzy St. John studies hypnotism.
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Frontier Revenge
Title: Frontier Revenge
Character: Lash La Rue
Released: December 26, 1948
Type: Movie
Marshals Lash and Fuzzy are sent to get the goods on Duce Rago. To join Rago's gang, Lash decides to pose as an outlaw by wearing the known belt buckle of a notorious outlaw.
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Dead Man's Gold
Title: Dead Man's Gold
Character: Lash LaRue
Released: September 9, 1948
Type: Movie
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Mark of the Lash
Title: Mark of the Lash
Character: Lash LaRue
Released: August 15, 1948
Type: Movie
There's a dispute over water rights, and every lawman that arrives to settle the score is killed. It's up to Lash to settle the score and find out who is behind all the killings.
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The Enchanted Valley
Title: The Enchanted Valley
Character: Pretty Boy
Released: March 24, 1948
Type: Movie
Armed robbers invade the home of a crippled boy and his grandfather and the effect the boy and his surroundings have on them is reforming.
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Cheyenne Takes Over
Title: Cheyenne Takes Over
Character: Marshal Cheyenne Davis
Released: December 17, 1947
Type: Movie
Cheyenne has been ordered to take a vacation so Fuzzy has him go to a ranch of a friend. When they arrive at the El Lobo ranch, they find that his friend is dead and they want no visitors.
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The Fighting Vigilantes
Title: The Fighting Vigilantes
Character: Marshal Cheyenne Davis
Released: November 15, 1947
Type: Movie
Taylor's men are robbing incoming supply wagons to enable Taylor to sell goods at inflated prices. The Vigilantes led by Frank Jackson are doing the same so the ranchers won't starve. Marshals Lash and Fuzzy arrive to try and find the real culprits.
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Return of the Lash
Title: Return of the Lash
Character: Marshal Cheyenne Davis
Released: October 10, 1947
Type: Movie
Six wanted outlaws are rounded up and captured by the Cheyenne Kid. Collecting the reward money, Cheyenne instructs his sidekick Fuzzy Q. Jones to give the money to a group of financially strapped ranchers. Alas, Fuzzy falls off his horse, loses his memory, and forgets what became of the money.
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Stage to Mesa City
Title: Stage to Mesa City
Character: Marshal Cheyenne Davis
Released: September 13, 1947
Type: Movie
Lash and Fuzzy sent to help John Watson with his stage line arrive to find him murdered. Recognizing the outlaws they trail them to their leader Baxter. But before Baxter can tell who the big boss is he is shot. After getting the stage through to assure the mail contract, Lash now realizes who the boss is.
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Ghost Town Renegades
Title: Ghost Town Renegades
Character: Marshal Cheyenne Davis
Released: July 26, 1947
Type: Movie
Gold has been found and Sharp is out to get the land. He has the land owners killed and then has Watson forge new deeds. Cheyenne and Fuzzy arrive in time to save Trent. Then they go after the gang and its leader.
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Heartaches
Title: Heartaches
Character: DeLong aka Trigger Malone (as Al LaRue)
Released: June 28, 1947
Type: Movie
Up-and-coming Hollywood actor/crooner, Vic Morton, has a secret. He starts receiving death threats in the mail and an attempt on his life is made. Soon after, two of his associates are murdered. Who is behind it all?
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Pioneer Justice
Title: Pioneer Justice
Character: Marshal Cheyenne Davis
Released: June 28, 1947
Type: Movie
A ranger in Buffalo Gap has been killed and the trail leads to a gang headed by Bill Judd. When there is yet another killing, the sheriff seems remarkably hesitant to arrest the culprit and may be taking his orders from a mystery boss. Teaming up with Al's pretty sister and her Uncle Bob, Cheyenne and Fuzzy go in search of the mystery villain.
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Border Feud
Title: Border Feud
Character: Marshal Cheyenne Davis
Released: May 10, 1947
Type: Movie
A marshal with a whip and a sheriff with a sense of humor end a gold-mine feud.
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Law of the Lash
Title: Law of the Lash
Character: Marshal Cheyenne Davis
Released: February 28, 1947
Type: Movie
When Decker's gang holds up a stage, henchman Lefty takes a lady's rings. Later lefty accidentally exposes the rings buying ammunition and Cheyenne sees them. When Lefty tries to shoot Cheyenne he is captured. Now Cheyenne wants the rest of the gang and their leader.
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Wild West
Title: Wild West
Character: Stormy Day (as Al LaRue)
Released: December 1, 1946
Type: Movie
Eddie and his sidekicks have been called in to help get a new telegraph line through. Dawson and his men along with his stooge Judge are out to stop them. When Eddie and the boys catch three of Dawson's men destroying telegraph equipment, the Judge releases them and this leads to the showdown between the two sides.
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The Caravan Trail
Title: The Caravan Trail
Character: Cherokee (as Al La Rue)
Released: April 19, 1946
Type: Movie
The Caravan Trail stars PRC Pictures' resident singing cowboy Eddie Dean. This time around, wagonmaster Dean is appointed sheriff of a lawless frontier territory. Immediately getting down to business, our hero goes after a band of land-grabbing outlaws who've been terrorizing the homesteaders. The film is stolen hands down by supporting play Al LaRue, who as "Lash" LaRue would eventually be awarded a western series of his own. Like most of Eddie Dean's 1946 releases, The Caravan Trail was lensed in the two-hued Cinecolor process. Read more at http://www.allmovie.com/movie/the-caravan-trail-v8165#ome2SWX8mH31k9yd.99
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Song of Old Wyoming
Title: Song of Old Wyoming
Character: The Cheyenne Kid
Released: October 11, 1945
Type: Movie
Old Ma Conway champions statehood for Wyoming, believing the measure would put an end to the territory's lawlessness; but the elderly woman is opposed by cattle buyer and tax assessor Lee Landow and greedy banker Dixon. When Ma offers her opinion in a newspaper article, Landow sends his henchman Ringo to put the fear of God in the woman.
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Lady on a Train
Title: Lady on a Train
Character: Circus Club Waiter / Henchman
Released: August 3, 1945
Type: Movie
While watching from her train window, Nikki Collins witnesses a murder in a nearby building. When she alerts the police, they think she has read one too many mystery novels. She then enlists a popular mystery writer to help her solve the crime on her own, but her sleuthing attracts the attentions of suitors and killers.
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The Master Key
Title: The Master Key
Character: Migsy
Released: April 24, 1945
Type: Movie
Before the outbreak of WWII, Nazi sympathizers plot to undermine America.