Roderick Ross La Rocque (November 29, 1898 – October 15, 1969) was an American actor.

Biography

La Rocque was born in Chicago, Illinois to Edmund La Rocque and Ann (née Rice) La Rocque. His father was of French-Canadian descent and his mother was of Irish descent. He began appearing in stock theater at the age of seven and eventually ended up at the

Essanay Studios The Essanay Film Manufacturing Company was an early American motion picture studio. The studio was founded in 1907 in Chicago, and later developed an additional film lot in Niles Canyon, California. Its various stars included Francis X. Bushma ...

as a teenager in Chicago where he found steady work until the studios closed. He then moved to New York City and worked on the stage until he was noticed by

Samuel Goldwyn Samuel Goldwyn (born Szmuel Gelbfisz; yi, שמואל געלבפֿיש; August 27, 1882 (claimed) January 31, 1974), also known as Samuel Goldfish, was a Polish-born American film producer. He was best known for being the founding contributor an ...

who took him to Hollywood. Over the next two decades, he appeared in films and made the transition to sound films. Vilma Bánky, Rod La Rocque-no watermark

In 1927, he married Hungarian actress

Vilma Bánky Vilma Bánky (born Vilma Koncsics;Hungarian civil registration document from Nagydorog, available through LDS records; film number 1793002 Items 4–5 9 January 1901 – 18 March 1991) was a Hungarian-American silent film actress. Although her ...

in a lavish, highly publicized wedding. They were married until his death in 1969. The couple had no children. He retired from movies in 1941 and became a real estate broker. For his contribution to the film industry, La Rocque was awarded a star on the

Hollywood Walk of Fame The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a historic landmark which consists of more than 2,700 five-pointed terrazzo and brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in Hollywood, Calif ...

Partial filmography

* ''The Showman'' (1914) - Minor Role (uncredited) * ''

The Alster Case ''The Alster Case'' is a lost 1915 silent film drama directed by J. Charles Haydon and starring Bryant Washburn and Ruth Stonehouse. It was based on a novel, ''The Alster Case'', by Rufus Gillmore. It was produced by the Essanay Company. Plot ...

'' (1915) - Allen Longstreet * ''The Little Shepherd of Bargain Row'' (1916) * ''The Prince of Graustark'' (1916) * ''Efficiency Edgar's Courtship'' (1917) - Wimple * ''

Filling His Own Shoes ''Filling His Own Shoes'' is a 1917 American silent comedy film directed by Harry Beaumont and starring Bryant Washburn, Hazel Daly and Rod La Rocque.Goble p.400 Cast * Bryant Washburn as William Ruggles * Hazel Daly as Ruth Downing * Rod La ...

'' (1917) - Dick Downing * ''The Dream Doll'' (1917) - Her Sweetheart * ''

Sadie Goes to Heaven ''Sadie Goes to Heaven'' is a 1917 American silent comedy film directed by W.S. Van Dyke and starring Mary McAllister, Frances Raymond and Rod La RocqueConnelly p.405 Cast * Mary McAllister as Sadie * Jenny St. George as Sadie's Mother * R ...

'' (1917) - Coal Heaver * '' Uneasy Money'' (1918) - Johnny Gates * ''

Ruggles of Red Gap ''Ruggles of Red Gap'' is a 1935 American comedy western film directed by Leo McCarey and starring Charles Laughton, Mary Boland, Charlie Ruggles, and ZaSu Pitts and featuring Roland Young and Leila Hyams. It was based on the best-selling 1915 ...

'' (1918) - Belknap Jackson * ''

Let's Get a Divorce ''Let's Get a Divorce'' is a 1918 American silent comedy film starring Billie Burke and written for the screen by husband and wife team John Emerson and Anita Loos. The film was produced by the Famous Players-Lasky company and distributed through ...

'' (1918) - Chauffeur * ''

The Venus Model ''The Venus Model'' is a 1918 American silent romantic comedy film starring Mabel Normand and directed by Clarence G. Badger. The film was made at the beginning of the 20th century when Goldwyn Pictures and many early film studios in America's f ...

'' (1918) - Paul Braddock * ''Money Mad'' (1918) - William Gavin Jr. * '' Hidden Fires'' (1918) - George Landis * ''

A Perfect 36 ''A Perfect 36'' is a 1918 American silent comedy film directed by Charles Giblyn, written by Tex Charwate, and starring Mabel Normand and Rod La Rocque. The plot involves Normand's clothes being stolen in a mixup while she was swimming, necessi ...

'' (1918) - O.P. Dildock * ''A Perfect Lady'' (1918) - Bob Griswold * ''Love and the Woman'' (1919) - Walter Pemberton * '' The Trap'' (1919) - Doc Sloan - the Blackmailer * ''Miss Crusoe'' (1919) - Harold Vance * ''

Easy to Get ''Easy to Get'' is a lost 1920 American silent comedy film starring Marguerite Clark and Harrison Ford. It was produced by Famous Players-Lasky and released through Paramount Pictures. ''Easy to Get'' was filmed at Loon Lake, Adirondack Mounta ...

'' (1920) - Dick Elliott * ''

The Stolen Kiss ''The Stolen Kiss'' is a 1920 American silent romance drama film starring Constance Binney. Kenneth Webb directed. The Realart Company, an affiliate of Paramount Pictures, produced the film. A print is preserved at the British Film Institute, ...

'' (1920) - Dudley Hamilt * ''

The Garter Girl ''The Garter Girl'' is a 1920 American silent drama film directed by Edward H. Griffith and starring Corinne Griffith, Sally Crute and Earl Metcalfe.Langman p.49 Cast * Corinne Griffith as Rosalie Ray * Sally Crute as Lynette * Earl Metcalfe as ...

'' (1920) - Arthur Lyle * ''The Common Sin'' (1920) - Hugh Stanton * ''

Life Life is a quality that distinguishes matter that has biological processes, such as signaling and self-sustaining processes, from that which does not, and is defined by the capacity for growth, reaction to stimuli, metabolism, energy ...

'' (1920) - Tom Burnett * ''The Discarded Woman'' (1920) - Sam Radburn - Gold Digger * '' Paying the Piper'' (1921) - Larry Grahame * ''Suspicious Wives'' (1921) - Bob Standing * ''

Slim Shoulders ''Slim Shoulders'' is a lost 1922 silent film society drama directed by Alan Crosland and starring Irene Castle. Cast *Irene Castle - Naomi Warren *Rod La Rocque - Richard Langden *Anders Randolf - Edward Langden *Warren Cook - John Clinton War ...

'' (1922) - Richard Langden * ''

What's Wrong with the Women? ''What's Wrong with the Women?'' is 1922 American silent Jazz Age drama film, directed by Roy William Neill, produced by Daniel Carson Goodman, and starring Wilton Lackaye, Barbara Castleton, and Constance Bennett. It is not known whether ...

'' (1922) - Jack Lee * ''

A Woman's Woman ''A Woman's Woman'' is a 1922 American silent drama film directed by Charles Giblyn and starring Mary Alden, Dorothy Mackaill and Holmes Herbert.Goble p.1022 Cast * Mary Alden as Densie Plummer * Louise Lee as Harriet Plummer * Dorothy Mackaill ...

'' (1922) - Dean Laddbarry * ''

Notoriety Notorious means well known for a negative trait, characteristic, or action. It may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Notorious'' (1946 film), a thriller directed by Alfred Hitchcock * ''Notorious'' (1992 film), a TV film re ...

'' (1922) - Arthur Beal * '' The Challenge'' (1922) - Stanley Roberts * ''

Jazzmania ''Jazzmania'' is a 1923 American silent drama film directed by Robert Z. Leonard and starring his then-wife Mae Murray. In keeping with Murray's previous films and a few of her succeeding films, the movie possesses some of the most provocativ ...

'' (1923) - Jerry Langdon * ''

The French Doll ''The French Doll'' is a 1923 American silent comedy drama film directed by Robert Z. Leonard and starring Mae Murray, Orville Caldwell and Rod La Rocque. It was based on a French-language novel by Paul Armont and Marcel Gerbidon.Goble p.770 ...

'' (1923) - Pedro Carrova * ''

The Ten Commandments The Ten Commandments (Biblical Hebrew עשרת הדברים \ עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדְּבָרִים, ''aséret ha-dvarím'', lit. The Decalogue, The Ten Words, cf. Mishnaic Hebrew עשרת הדיברות \ עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדִּבְ� ...

'' (1923) - Dan McTavish - Her Son * ''

Don't Call It Love "Don't Call It Love" is a song first released by American singer Kim Carnes on her 1981 album ''Mistaken Identity''. The following year it was covered by Captain and Tennille and Dusty Springfield from their albums '' More Than Dancing'' and '' Whi ...

'' (1923) - Patrick Delaney * '' Phantom Justice'' (1924) - Kingsley * '' A Society Scandal'' (1924) - Daniel Farr * ''

Triumph The Roman triumph (Latin triumphus) was a celebration for a victorious military commander in ancient Rome. For later imitations, in life or in art, see Trionfo. Numerous later uses of the term, up to the present, are derived directly or indirectl ...

'' (1924) - King Garnet * '' Code of the Sea'' (1924) - Bruce McDow * '' Feet of Clay'' (1924) - Kerry Harlan * '' Forbidden Paradise'' (1924) - Capt. Alexei Czerny * ''

The Golden Bed ''The Golden Bed'' is a 1925 American silent drama film directed by Cecil B. DeMille. It is based on the novel ''Tomorrow's Bread'' by Wallace Irwin. Jeanie MacPherson wrote the screenplay. Plot As described in a review in a film magazine, ev ...

'' (1925) - Admah Holtz * '' Night Life of New York'' (1925) - Ronald Bentley * ''

Wild, Wild Susan ''Wild, Wild Susan'' is a 1925 American silent comedy film directed by A. Edward Sutherland and starring popular Bebe Daniels. Famous Players–Lasky Famous Players-Lasky Corporation was an American motion picture and distribution company fo ...

'' (1925) - Tod Waterbury * ''

The Coming of Amos ''The Coming of Amos'' is a 1925 American silent romantic drama film directed by Paul Sloane, produced by Cecil B. DeMille and distributed by his Producers Distributing Corporation. Copies of this film survive and can be found on home video an ...

'' (1925) - Amos Burden * ''

Braveheart ''Braveheart'' is a 1995 American historical drama film directed and produced by, and starring Mel Gibson. Gibson portrays Sir William Wallace, a late-13th century Scottish warrior who led the Scots in the First War of Scottish Independence ...

'' (1925) - Braveheart * ''

Red Dice ''The Red Dice'' is a 1926 American silent crime drama film directed by William K. Howard and produced by Cecil B. DeMille. It stars Rod La Rocque and Marguerite De La Motte and was released through Producers Distributing Corporation. Cast P ...

'' (1926) - Alan Beckwith * ''

Bachelor Brides ''Bachelor Brides'' is a 1926 American silent comedy film directed by William K. Howard and starring Rod La Rocque, Elinor Fair and Eulalie Jensen. It is based on a 1925 British-set stage play by Charles Horace Malcolm.Goblp.303/ref> The film ...

'' (1926) - Percy Ashfield - Earl of Duncraggan * ''

Gigolo A gigolo () is a male escort or social companion who is supported by a person in a continuing relationship, often living in her residence or having to be present at her beck and call. The term ''gigolo'' usually implies a man who adopts a lifes ...

'' (1926) - Gideon Gory * '' Cruise of the Jasper B'' (1926) - Jerry Cleggett * ''

Resurrection Resurrection or anastasis is the concept of coming back to life after death. In a number of religions, a dying-and-rising god is a deity which dies and is resurrected. Reincarnation is a similar process hypothesized by other religions, whic ...

'' (1927) - Prince Dimitry Ivanitch Nekhludov * ''

The Fighting Eagle ''The Fighting Eagle'' is a 1927 American silent film adventure and romance drama starring Rod La Rocque. It was directed by Donald Crisp and it was produced by Cecil B. DeMille. The film was set during the Napoleonic Era. ''The Fighting Eagle' ...

'' (1927) - Etienne Gerard * ''

Stand and Deliver ''Stand and Deliver'' is a 1988 American drama film directed by Ramón Menéndez, written by Menéndez and Tom Musca, based on the true story of a high school mathematics teacher, Jaime Escalante. For portraying Escalante, Edward James Olmos ...

'' (1928) - Roger Norman * ''

Hold 'Em Yale ''Hold 'Em Yale'' is a 1935 American comedy film directed by Sidney Lanfield and written by Damon Runyon, Paul Gerard Smith, and Eddie Welch. The film stars Patricia Ellis, Cesar Romero, Buster Crabbe, William Frawley, Andy Devine, and George ...

'' (1928) - Jaime Emmanuel Alvarado Montez * ''

Captain Swagger ''Captain Swagger'' is a 1928 American silent crime drama film directed by Edward H. Griffith and stars Rod La Rocque. The film was produced and distributed by the Pathé Exchange company.

'' (1928) - Captain Swagger / Hugh Drummond * ''

Show People ''Show People'' is a 1928 American silent comedy film directed by King Vidor. The film was a starring vehicle for actress Marion Davies and actor William Haines and included notable cameo appearances by many of the film personalities of the d ...

'' (1928) - Rod La Rocque (uncredited) * ''

Love Over Night ''Love Over Night'' is a 1928 American silent comedy film produced and distributed by Pathé Exchange and starring Rod La Rocque. The film was directed by Edward H. Griffith. A print of ''Love Over Night'' is said to be held at the Museum of Mo ...

'' (1928) - Richard Hill * ''

The One Woman Idea ''The One Woman Idea'' is a 1929 American drama film directed by Berthold Viertel and written by Marion Orth. The film stars Rod La Rocque, Marceline Day, Shirley Dorman, Sharon Lynn, Sally Phipps and Ivan Lebedeff. The film was released on Ju ...

'' (1929) - Prince Ahmed * ''

The Man and the Moment ''The Man and the Moment'' is a formerly lost 1929 part-talkie romantic comedy film directed by George Fitzmaurice and starring Billie Dove. The film is mainly a silent film, with talking sequences as well as a synchronized music score and sound ...

'' (1929) - Michael Towne * '' Our Modern Maidens'' (1929) - Abbott * ''

The Delightful Rogue ''The Delightful Rogue'' is a 1929 pre-Code romantic adventure film produced and distributed by RKO Pictures. The film was directed by A. Leslie Pearce, with the screenplay by Wallace Smith, based on his short story, ''A Woman Decides''. The ...

'' (1929) - Lastro * ''

The Locked Door ''The Locked Door'' is a 1929 American pre-Code drama film directed by George Fitzmaurice, and starring Rod LaRocque, Barbara Stanwyck, William "Stage" Boyd and Betty Bronson. It is based on the 1919 play ''The Sign on the Door'' by Channing ...

'' (1929) - Frank Devereaux * ''

Beau Bandit ''Beau Bandit'' is a 1930 American Pre-Code Western film, directed by Lambert Hillyer, from a screenplay by Wallace Smith, based on his short story, "Strictly Business" which appeared in the April 1929 edition of ''Hearst's International-Cosmo ...

'' (1930, preserved Library of Congress) - Montero * '' One Romantic Night'' (1930) - Prince Albert * ''

Let Us Be Gay ''Let Us Be Gay'' is a 1930 American pre-Code romantic comedy-drama film produced and distributed by MGM. It was directed by Robert Z. Leonard and stars Norma Shearer. It was filmed concurrently with and based upon the 1929 play by Rachel Croth ...

'' (1930) - Bob Brown * ''SOS Iceberg'' (1933, English-language version of ''

SOS Eisberg is a Morse code distress signal (), used internationally, that was originally established for maritime use. In formal notation is written with an overscore line, to indicate that the Morse code equivalents for the individual letters of "SOS" ...

'' with

Leni Riefenstahl Helene Bertha Amalie "Leni" Riefenstahl (; 22 August 1902 – 8 September 2003) was a German film director, photographer and actress known for her role in producing Nazi propaganda. A talented swimmer and an artist, Riefenstahl also became in ...

) - Dr. Carl Lawrence * '' Mystery Woman'' (1935) - Jacques Benoit * ''

Hi, Gaucho! ''Hi, Gaucho!'' was a 1935 American comedy film directed by Tommy Atkins (who also wrote the story), from a screenplay by Adele Buffington. Released by RKO Radio Pictures on October 11, 1935, the film stars John Carroll (in his first credited r ...

'' (1935) - Escurra, aka Captain Garcia * ''

Frisco Waterfront ''Frisco Waterfront'' is a 1935 American drama film directed by Arthur Lubin and Joseph Santley and starring Ben Lyon, Helen Twelvetrees and Rod La Rocque. Plot Gubernatorial candidate Glen Burton hates newspaper editor Dan Elliott, who married ...

'' (1935) - Dan Elliott * ''

Taming the Wild ''Taming the Wild'', also known as ''Madcap'', is a 1936 American Western film directed by Bob Hill for producer Sam Katzman's poverty row studio Victory Pictures and starring Rod La Rocque. Plot Madcap society girl June Bolton has a talent for ...

'' (1936) - Dick Clayton * '' The Preview Murder Mystery'' (1936) - Neil DuBeck / Joe Walker * '' Till We Meet Again'' (1936) - Carl Schrottle * '' The Drag-Net'' (1936) - Lawrence Thomas Jr. * ''

Clothes and the Woman ''Clothes and the Woman'' is a 1937 British romance film directed by Albert de Courville and starring Rod La Rocque, Tucker McGuire and Constance Collier. It was made at Elstree Studios.Wood p.89 While enjoying a holiday in the resort of Cannes, ...

'' (1937) - Eric Thrale * '' The Shadow Strikes'' (1937) - Lamont Granston * '' International Crime'' (1938) - Lamont Cranston * ''

The Hunchback of Notre Dame ''The Hunchback of Notre-Dame'' (french: Notre-Dame de Paris, translation=''Our Lady of Paris'', originally titled ''Notre-Dame de Paris. 1482'') is a French Gothic novel by Victor Hugo, published in 1831. It focuses on the unfortunate story ...

'' (1939) - Phillippe * '' Beyond Tomorrow'' (1940) - Phil Hubert * ''

Dr. Christian Meets the Women ''Dr. Christian Meets the Women'' is a 1940 American film directed by William C. McGann, one of the series of six Dr. Christian films featuring Jean Hersholt. Plot summary Professor Kenneth Parker, a God-fearing physical culturist, arrives to ...

'' (1940) - Prof. Kenneth Parker * ''

Dark Streets of Cairo ''Dark Streets of Cairo'' is a 1940 American mystery film directed by László Kardos and starring Sigrid Gurie, Ralph Byrd, Eddie Quillan, George Zucco and Katherine DeMille. The central plot of the film concerns " group ofjewel smugglers in ...

'' (1941) - Inspector Joachim * ''

Meet John Doe ''Meet John Doe'' is a 1941 American comedy-drama film directed and produced by Frank Capra, written by Robert Riskin, and starring Gary Cooper and Barbara Stanwyck. The film is about a "grassroots" political campaign created unwittingly by ...

'' (1941) - Ted Sheldon (final film role)

References

;Notes ;Bibliography *Schildgen, Rachel A. ''More Than a Dream: Rediscovering the Life & Films of Vilma Banky'' .

External links

* *
Rod La Rocque
at Virtual History
Portraits of Rod La Rocque; NY Public Library, Billy Rose collection
{{DEFAULTSORT:La Rocque, Rod 1898 births 1969 deaths American male film actors American male silent film actors Male actors from Chicago American people of French-Canadian descent American people of Irish descent 20th-century American male actors