Lash LaRue

• Name — Lash LaRue • Birth Name — Alfred LaRue • Born — 15 June 1917 • Birthplace — Gretna, Louisiana, U.S. • Died — 21 May 1996 • Place of death — Burbank, California, U.S. • Other Names — Al LaRue • Years Active — 1944–1990 • Occupation — Actor • Spouse — * Reno Browne • Barbra Fuller • Frances Bramlett • Illustration — Sarah Padden, Eddie Dean, and Lash LaRue in Song of Old Wyoming (1945).

LaRue was born in Gretna, Louisiana, in 1917, and reared in various towns throughout Louisiana. In his teens the family moved to Los Angeles, California, where he attended St. John's Military Academy and the College of the Pacific. Strangely, his California death records reportedly indicate the actor's father's surname was Wilson and that Lash was born in Michigan.

In the later 1950s, LaRue was featured on the children's program The Gabby Hayes Show (in footage from his old PRC Westerns). He appeared several times on the syndicated television series 26 Men, true stories of the Arizona Rangers. LaRue also appeared on Jimmie Jackson's television show Memory Lane. He appeared seven times in different roles in the 1956 TV Western Judge Roy Bean. One of his roles on Judge Roy Bean was as the outlaw John Wesley Hardin. He portrayed another real-life criminal, Doc Barker, in the TV series Gangbusters; his performance was later edited into a feature film, Guns Don't Argue. LaRue and Steve Brodie shared the role (from 1959–1961) of Sheriff Johnny Behan in Cochise County, Arizona, on ABC's The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp, starring Hugh O'Brian. LaRue appeared five times; Brodie, nine times. A role as the villain in a pornographic Western, Hard on the Trail, in 1972, led him to repentance as a missionary for ten years, as he had not been informed of the adult nature of the film and would not have consented to appear in the film. He did not actually appear in any of the pornographic scenes. The film was later released without the pornographic scenes and retitled Hard Trail in an attempt to eliminate the double entendre.

For a time he was married to Reno Browne, a B-Western film actress, who together with Dale Evans was one of only two Western actresses ever to have their own comic book fashioned after their characters. He later married Barbra Fuller, a radio, film and television actress. Their marriage lasted 14 months; they wed February 23, 1951 in Yuma, Arizona, and divorced June 2, 1952. They had no children but did have a godchild, child actor J.P. Sloane, the son of "Television's Singing Troubadour" Jimmie Jackson and "Television's Hollywood Hostess" Anita Coleman.

LaRue died of emphysema in 1996 at Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center in Burbank, California. He had recently undergone triple-bypass surgery. He was cremated at Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Glendale, California. He was survived by his wife, Frances Bramlett LaRue, three sons and three daughters. He had reportedly been married at least ten times.

• Year — Title — Role — Studio — Notes • 1944 — Christmas Holiday — Man — Universal Pictures — Uncredited • 1945 — The Master Key — Migsy — Serial; credited as "Alfred La Rue" • Lady on a Train — Circus club waiter • 1945 — Song of Old Wyoming — The Cheyenne Kid — Producers Releasing Corporation — Credited as "Al La Rue" • 1946 — The Caravan Trail — Cherokee • Wild West — Stormy Day — Aka Prairie Outlaws • 1947 — Law of the Lash — Cheyenne Davis — First lead role • Border Feud • Pioneer Justice • Heartaches — DeLong / Trigger Malone • Ghost Town Renegades — Cheyenne Davis • Stage to Mesa City • Return of the Lash • The Fighting Vigilantes • Cheyenne Takes Over • 1948 — The Enchanted Valley — Pretty Boy — Eagle-Lion Films • Dead Man's Gold — Marshal Lash LaRue — Western Adventure Productions, Inc. • Mark of the Lash • Frontier Revenge • 1949 — Outlaw Country • Son of Billy the Kid — Jack Garrett • Son of a Bad Man — Marshal Lash LaRue • 1950 — The Daltons' Women • King of the Bullwhip • 1951 — The Thundering Trail • The Vanishing Outpost • 1952 — The Black Lash • The Frontier Phantom • 1957 — Guns Don't Argue — Doc Barker — Visual Drama Inc. — feature film compiled from the TV series Gangbusters • Comics Lash LaRue Western comic books were published first by Fawcett Comics (issues #1 through 46) and later by Charlton Comics (issues #47 through 84), between 1949 and 1961. The first issue alone today is worth upwards of $1,000 in near mint condition. They were among the most popular Western-themed comics of the era. Initially, LaRue and other Western stars weren't paid royalties by Fawcett; they were satisfied with just the publicity. (AC later published two reprint editions in 1990.) LaRue comics sold well with a total of 12 million copies in 1952 alone. Many stories featured his godson, J.P. Sloane. • Later films • Year — Title — Role — Notes • 1963 — Please Don't Touch Me — Bill • 1969 — Lanton Mills — Phantom — Short • 1972 — Hard on the Trail — Slade — Pornographic film • 1984 — Chain Gang • 1985 — Alien Outlaw — Alex Thompson • 1987 — The Dark Power — Ranger Girard • 1986 — Stagecoach — Lash — Television film • 1989 — Escape — Gas station owner • 1990 — Pair of Aces — Henry — Television film

Lash LaRue was recorded at birth as Alfred LaRue. His recorded language was English. He married Reno Browne and Barbra Fuller.