Rita La Roy (born Ina La Roi Stuart; October 2, 1901 – February 18, 1993) was an American actress and dancer, beginning her career in 1929, and having her last significant role in 1940.
Early life While the studio publicity machine claimed she had been born in Paris, France, she was actually born in the small town of Bonners Ferry, Idaho in 1901. Her early years saw her work as both a dress designer and a stock company actress, before moving onto vaudeville, where she became a dancer.
Performing on the Pantages and Orpheum theater circuits, she was known for erotic acts, which included dances such as the "frog dance", the "peacock dance" and the "cobra dance" in which her feet and legs were tied together under a stylized snakeskin so that she danced by undulating her torso.
Career La Roy appeared in over 50 films, the best known of which was Blonde Venus, which starred Marlene Dietrich. After her acting career, she had a school for models in Hollywood.
Film career In 1929, she made her film debut in The Delightful Rogue, starring opposite matinee idol Rod La Rocque.
Over the next several years, working as part of the RKO Radio Pictures stable, she appeared in both starring and supporting roles. While her final significant role was in the 1940 comedy-mystery Hold That Woman!, she had several small roles during the 1940s, including in such films as Sergeant York and You're My Everything.
Post-film life After retiring from film, for the most part, in the early 1940s, she ran the Rita La Roy Modeling School and Agency. She later wrote and produced her own shows for the local television station in Los Angeles, KTLA. For one of those programs she won an Emmy in 1948. She died of pneumonia in Chula Vista, California in 1993, aged 91.
Personal life La Roy married agent Ben Hershfield on September 27, 1931. They separated in September 1933, and he sued for divorce in October 1933. In 1942 La Roy married horse trainer A. G. Foley.
Filmography Title Year Role Notes Masquerade 1929 Girl The Love Trap 1929 Mary Harrington The Delightful Rogue 1929 Nydra Dynamite 1929 Good Mixer Uncredited Lilies of the Field 1930 Florette Lovin' the Ladies 1930 Louise Endicott Midnight Mystery 1930 Madeline Austen Conspiracy 1930 Nita Strong Leathernecking 1930 Fortune Teller Check and Double Check 1930 Elinor Crawford Sin Takes a Holiday 1930 Grace Lawrence Playthings of Hollywood 1930Virginia King A Holy Terror 1931 Kitty Carroll Traveling Husbands 1931 Daisy The Gay Diplomat 1931 Natalie Left Over Ladies 1931 Vera Lane The Yellow Ticket 1931 Fania Rubinstein The Secret Witness 1931 Mrs. Sylvia Folsom Uncredited Amateur Daddy 1932 Lottie Pelgram So Big 1932 Paula Storm Uncredited While Paris Sleeps 1932 Fifi Sinners in the Sun 1932 Lil Hollywood Speaks 1932 Millie Coreen Bachelor's Affairs 1932 Sonya Denton The Honor of the Press 1932 Daisy Tellem Blonde Venus 1932 Taxi Belle Hooper Hot Saturday 1932 Camille From Hell to Heaven 1933 Elsie Ruby I've Got Your Number 1934 Sassy Call Girl Uncredited Whirlpool 1934 Thelma One Is Guilty 1934 Lola Deveroux Name the Woman 1934 Marie Denton Fugitive Lady 1934 Sylvia Brooks After Office Hours 1935Branch's Society Girlfriend Uncredited Hollywood Boulevard 1936 Nella The Mandarin Mystery 1936 Martha Kirk Lady from Nowhere 1936 Mabel Donner Find the Witness 1937 Rita Calmette King of Gamblers 1937 Woman at table Uncredited The Hit Parade 1937 Woman ex-convict Uncredited Mountain Music 1937 Mrs. Hamilton B. Lovelace Flight from Glory 1937 Molly Dangerous to Know 1938 Mrs. Barnett Uncredited Condemned Women 1938 Cora Border G-Man 1938 Mrs. Rita Browning Smashing the Rackets 1938 Reluctant Witness Uncredited Fixer Dugan 1939 Patricia 'Pat' O'Connell Hold That Woman! 1940 Lulu Driscoll Sergeant York 1941 Saloon Girl Uncredited Hangmen Also Die! 1943 Girl Uncredited You're My Everything 1949 Fashion Editor Uncredited
References
External links
Rotten Tomatoes profile