In Search of Lash LaRue - Page 1, the short version
Updated: March 29, 2022 Questions or comments - send an e-mail to to Chuck Anderson at:   | ||
 (Courtesy of Minard Coons) Al La Rue as the "Cheyenne Kid" in SONG OF OLD WYOMING (PRC, 1945).  (Courtesy of Minard Coons)  (Courtesy of Donn & Nancy Moyer) |  | Off and on over the past fifteen years or so, I've documented family history and early years of Lash LaRue as his real life was an enigma (at least, to me). Books and biographies on our whip crackin', B western hero have him born in various states but the most prevalent birth place is Gretna, Louisiana. And he was a hairdresser before Hollywood ... and he sang and played guitar at the Dew Drop Inn in New Orleans ... more. All those stories rekindled my interest and I made a decision to devote a chunk of time for further research on our black-garbed movie cowboy.
Can't blame past researchers for misinformation as they didn't have access to all the info now available on the Internet in old newspapers, trade publications, fan magazines, census, marriage records, birth records, death certificate, etc. A few years ago, I hit the proverbial mother lode with online information at the Coloma, Michigan Library. Coloma is a few miles from Watervliet, Michigan, the birthplace and childhood home of Lash. There's a dozen or so articles on Lash as a youngster as well as later articles with local citizens remembering him and his family. The library has free online access to the Coloma (Michigan) Courier and Watervliet (Michigan) Record newspapers. You'll find a link to the library below. In 2018, I obtained a copy of Lash's 1996 California death certificate ... along with a surprise. There was a second document - an amended / corrected death certificate which was filed in 2002. In 2019, I obtained Lash's birth certificate from the State of Michigan. "Reu Alfred Wilson" was born June 15, 1917 in Watervliet, Michigan. The birth certificate is below. In September - October, 2021, I hit paydirt! Lash's World War II draft registration has him born on June 15, 1917 in Watervliet, Michigan. Also found a January, 1966 interview with Lash in the Tampa, Florida Tribune newspaper. In that interview, Lash confirmed that he was born Reu Alfred Wilson in Watervliet, Michigan in 1917. Link to that article is at the bottom of this webpage. In February, 2022, I found a 1992 newspaper interview - Lash said he had no involvement with the Indiana Jones movies and training Harrison Ford on the bullwhip. A brief summary of Lash's birth through 1940:
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| There's a bunch of info on Lash, much of it relatively new. And coverage is on two separate webpages.
This page is a summary of the main findings on Lash and confirms that:
Lash LaRue was born Reu Alfred Wilson
on June 15, 1917 in Watervliet, Michigan. Webpage number two is a comprehensive (very lengthy) list of facts, dates, records, et al. There, you will find more on Lash as a hairdresser ... his first wife was Wilda Juanita Cruthers (1918 - 1989) ... most Lash bios incorrectly report his birth place as Gretna, Louisiana ... doubtful that he played guitar at the Dew Drop Inn in New Orleans ... there were lots of marriages ... his death certificate, amended death certificate, and cremation error. And he was not involved in training Harrison Ford on the bullwhip for the Indiana Jones movies. Below, you will find links to many newspaper clippings on Lash.
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The Coloma, Michigan Library has an online archive of the Coloma, Michigan Courier, Watervliet, Michigan Record, and Tri-City Record newspapers. There's a dozen or so articles on Lash as a youngster as well as later articles with local citizens remembering him and his family. Below are a few of those newspaper reports:
Link to the Coloma, Michigan Library and their Coloma (Michigan) Courier and Watervliet (Michigan) Record newspaper archives: http://23.25.1.108/colomas.html
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Bobbi Ann Johnson Holmes was a friend of Lash's late son Ronald Alfred Wilson (1937 - 2007) who later changed his name to Ronald Alfred LaRue. She did an interview with Ron, and there's lots of details on his mother Wilda Juanita Cruthers (1918 - 1989). Ron and his first wife Marleen traveled the carnival circuit with Lash for about three years in the 1950s: https://bobbiholmes.com/ron_larue/
Following are excerpts from the article (I've capitalized several names to highlight them):
"Ron LaRue was born RONALD ALFRED WILSON on October 24, 1937, to parents ALFRED WILSON and WILDA CRUTHERS WILSON, in San Francisco California. Ron's parents were about 18 years old, in love, and Alfred, like Alfred's mother, was a hairdresser. Alfred had not yet become an entertainer, and hadn't yet changed his surname to LaRue."
Lash's son Ronald Alfred Wilson / Ronald Alfred LaRue passed away on December 12, 2007 in Lake Havasu City, Arizona. The December 14, 2007 News-Herald, Lake Havasu City, Arizona newspaper had an obituary / funeral notice for Ronald Alfred LaRue and survivors included "brothers, Patrick (Terri) LaRue, of California, and Kim LaRue, of California; sister, Vicki Payne, of Georgia": |
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Alfred L. Wilson and wife Wilda J. Wilson are in the 1939 Stockton, California City Directory which is available on Ancestry.com. They were living at 3299 N. Cal in Stockton, and Alfred is an employee of Mrs. M. J. Reveal:
In that same 1939 Stockton, California City Directory is Mrs. Maude J. Reveal and her beauty shop at 38 E. Acacia, and this confirms Lash's early work as a hairdresser ... or employed at her beauty shop:
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In June, 2019, I sent for Lash's Michigan birth certificate, and below is a crop from the full page document. He was born Reu Alfred Wilson on June 15, 1917 in Watervliet, Berrien County, Michigan. Parents were 22 year old Sara Louise Bussell [sic] (born Canada) and 31 year old Charles A. Wilson (born High Seas). As to the spelling of Louise's last name being Bussell or Busselle: on her 1913 marriage license to Charles Wilson, she signed the license as "Louise Busselle". If you'd like a copy of the complete birth certificate, send an e-mail to ye Old Corral webmeister.
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ProQuest Military records had the World War II draft registration dated October 16, 1940 for 23 year old La Rue Alfred Wilson. He was born June 15, 1917 in Watervalette [sic], Michigan; lived at 454 South Norton, Los Angeles; occupation was self employed. His contact was uncle Menard E. Harp in the Wilmington neighborhood in Los Angeles County. Menard E. Harp was the husband of Virginia Ruth Busselle, the sister of Lash's mother Louise Busselle. The reverse side of the registration card (not shown) has Lash at 5 feet, 10 inches tall and 145 pounds.
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His death certificate: 78 year old Alfred Lash LaRue was born June 14, 1917 in Michigan to Charles A. Wilson and Sara Louise Busselle. His residence was 10050 Toluca Lake Avenue, Toluca Lake, Los Angeles County, California; he was married; a self employed actor; and informant was wife Marion LaRue who resided with him at that Toluca Lake address.
Lash passed away May 21, 1996 at St. Joseph Medical Center, Burbank, California. Immediate cause of death was shock due to Ischemic Cardio Myopathy, Coronary Artery Disease, and Arteriosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease. His other medical conditions included Severe COPD and Renal Failure. Also listed is a March 1, 1996 coronary artery bypass operation. Funeral director was Forest Lawn, Hollywood Hills. Marion was planning a funeral service. But there was a horrendous error by Forest Lawn and Lash was cremated early, prior to her viewing his body and snipping a lock of his hair as a remembrance. A lawyer for Forest Lawn confirmed their mistake. No funeral service was held ... Marion had questions about Lash's cremains ... and she filed a lawsuit.
The November 27, 1996 Napa Valley, California Register newspaper has an article and the headline was: "No rest yet for the remains of Lash Larue" : https://www.newspapers.com/clip/88888235/the-napa-valley-register/ Marion could not be convinced the cremains were really her husband. And about six years after his death, there was an amended (corrected) death certificate. Dated February 22, 2002, the change was to box "40. Place of Final Disposition" of Lash's cremains:
from: Marion LaRue, 10050 Toluca Lake Avenue, Toluca Lake, California 91602
If you'd like copies of the two death certificates, send an e-mail to ye Old Corral webmeister.
 (Courtesy of Bill Sasser) Lash's wife Marion Carney Callahan was married several times. Circa 1983, she married B western bad guy Terry Frost and they attended several western film festivals. Above are Marion, an unidentified young man, and Terry Frost at the 1991 Charlotte Festival. Marion and Terry resided at that Toluca Lake, California address. Terry passed away in 1993 and Marion tied the knot again ... with Lash LaRue. Marion Carney passed away in 2012. |
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There's scuttlebutt that Lash was married ten or twelve times. Info below on nine wives / marriages / common-law arrangements:
 (Courtesy of Bill Sasser) Above - Lash was re-united with ex-wife Reno Browne / Reno Blair at the 1987 Charlotte Film Fest. Her real name was Josephine Ruth Clarke and she was suffering from cancer that would claim her life in 1991. She was a great rider and made a batch of films for Monogram Pictures in the 1940s with Johnny Mack Brown, Whip Wilson, and Jimmy Wakely. On January 10, 1962, she married Lash LaRue. They resided in Reno, Nevada and ran the Clarke family owned El Ruth Court motel which they re-named to "Lash LaRue's Lodge". November, 1963 newspaper want ad below.
 January 9, 1963 article in the Reno Gazette-Journal about Lash, actress wife Reno Blair / Reno Browne, and their "Lash LaRue's Lodge" in Reno: https://www.newspapers.com/clip/93369174/reno-gazette-journal/
In interviews, newspaper reports, etc., Lash claimed he was the father of five children (3 sons and 2 daughters):
Doing the math from the above, it appears Lash's five children were sons Ronald, Paddy/Pat, and Kim, daughter Vicky/Vicki ... and an unidentified daughter. |
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In the 1960s, Lash was battling various issues including depression and money problems. In January, 1966, he had 35 cents in his pocket and was jailed on a vagrancy charge in Miami, Florida. He had been working the carnival circuit and a carny employee bailed him out.
Soon after that incident, Lash did an interview which was published in the January 11, 1966 Tampa, Florida Tribune newspaper. In that interview, Lash confirmed his birth name and birth location - quote:
"The former cowboy star admits his real name is Reu Alfred Wilson. He also admits to being 48 years old. According to Larue, publicity has always had it that he was born in Gretna, La. 'But I wasn't, I was born in Watervliet, Mich., he said.' " Link to that January 11, 1966 Tampa, Florida Tribune newspaper interview of Lash: https://www.newspapers.com/clip/86350463/the-tampa-tribune/ |
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Just about every bio on Lash indicates he taught Harrison Ford how to use a bullwhip for the Indiana Jones movies. In a 1992 interview, Lash said that did NOT happen - his quote:
"I can't understand why they didn't contact me. Harrison Ford and me cracking those bullwhips - that would have been a great combination." Here's that 1992 interview with his comments on Harrison Ford:
July 16, 1992 Charlotte, North Carolina Observer has a Lash LaRue interview. He talks about his next-to-last wife Frances. He's the father of 3 sons and 2 daughters. And he did NOT teach Harrison Ford how to use a bullwhip for the Indiana Jones movies:
2019 death announcement for stuntman Anthony 'Bronco' McLoughlin. Quote from the article: "As part of his work in 1984 sequel Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, he taught Harrison Ford how to use his iconic bullwhip properly.": https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/stunt-legend-taught-harrison-ford-use-bullwhip-indiana-jones-dies-80-120827834.html |