Bart LaRue was born Jimmie Bartell LaRue on January 23, 1932, in Foard County, Texas, to James Blair LaRue and Iva Pearl Teague LaRue. His father, a railroad worker, passed away suddenly from a heart attack shortly after the birth of his granddaughter Kristin. Bart's mother, Iva Pearl, lived a long life, passing away just shy of her 100th birthday on December 15, 2010.
Bart attended High School in Sweetwater, Texas, and at 17, he enrolled at McMurry College. However, he left college before graduating to pursue a career as a clown in the circus. He later attended Boston University, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Theatre Arts and met his future wife, Valrie Erickson. The couple married and had their first child, Alecia, in 1955 in Sweetwater, Texas.
Bart and Valrie, both actors, established the LaRue Theatre in Abilene, Texas, and he also taught at McMurry University. They had three more children: Erin (born 1960),Devin (born 1962),and Kristin (born 1964).
In the early 1960s, the LaRues relocated to Southern California, where Bart worked consistently as a character actor. He also wrote, directed, and produced independent films until his passing from a heart attack on January 23, 1990, in Sweetwater, Texas, at the age of 57.
