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Rod la Rocque became interested in the theatre while in his teens. He began appearing in small parts during this time. At one time, he was employed with Essanay, but when they ceased production, he went to New York. In 1918, he appeared in Let's Get a Divorce with Billie Burke. Even though he was fascinated with the movies, he still devoted time to the theatre. The film that made him a star was his starring role in The Ten Commandments directed by Cecil B. DeMille. In 1925, he met Vilma, and ultimately married her in a lavish wedding ceremony in 1927. After this, the couple continued to work in the movies, and in 1930, producer Archie Selwyn asked Rod and Vilma to star in the play, Cherries Are Ripe. Rod was interviewed during the play and the following is what he had to say about his life and his work. 

"THE LIFE STORY OF ROD LA ROCQUE -- A Stage Star - since the age of seven, luck forced him onto the screen and he made good... Unlike the great majority of actors, Rod la Rocque did not have to run away from home to take up his theatrical career; neither did his parents want him to be a lawyer, a doctor, or an engineer. This tall, handsome favorite of the screen just drifted onto the stage at the age of seven before any definite thought had been given to his life work. 
It happened overnight when Willard Mack, then playing in Detroit, needed a lusty-voiced youngster to replace a boy who was leaving. The great actor was stopping at a hotel managed by La Rocque's father and made known his needs with the result that La Rocque, junior, not unwillingly, became an actor under the tutelage of one of America's finest thespians.
That was the young man's start in life. His success with Mack earned him further child parts in Salome Jane, The Middleman, and Shore Acres before he was ten years of age. His high falsetto voice and ability to yodel well took him from the Omaha high school to the leading role in The Blue Girl presented by traveling players.
After a brief tour of the Midwest, the stock company disbanded in Chicago and La Rocque was, in professional parlance, stranded high and dry without a dime. With Essanay's Chicago motion picture studios being within walking distance, he applied for work there, his training on the stage earned him a sympathetic audience. He was given featured roles to do in a series of George Ade's Fables. After these had run their course he played the villain in a group of productions starring Bryant Washburn. 
Upon the closing of the historic Essanay studios, the budding actor borrowed train fare to New York. Luck was with him and in a few days he managed to get the leading role in Billie Burke's picture, Let's Get Married. Following this he made five productions for Samuel Goldwyn, a few others opposite Mabel Normand and Mae Marsh and then returned to the stage opposite Alice Brady in Alice Ascends. 
A period of bad luck temporarily halted his progress, but this was terminated when he was cast in one of the two leading roles of The Ten Commandments with Richard Dix. 

Since then he has progressed upwards until today he is said to be one of the highest paid free lance actors in motion pictures. 
When the introduction of talking pictures sent movie producers scurrying for actors with stage experience and trained speaking voices, Rod la Rocque had more offers than he could take care of. His first acceptance of a talkie role was with Lillian Gish in One Romantic Night. Dozens of others followed. He recently appeared with Norma Shearer in one of the most successful screen productions called Let Us Be Gay, which further enhanced his fame. 
However, he longed to return to his first love, the stage and jumped at the opportunity of starring with Vilma Banky, Mrs. Rod la Rocque, in Cherries Are Ripe, a John Emerson-Anita Loos story produced by Mr. Arch Selwyn. 
He is six feet three inches tall, thirty-two years of age, and La Rocque is his real name. He was born in Chicago of non-professional parents."
Contact: info@vilma-banky.com
The chart at left illustrates the La Rocque/Banky tree

Roderick La Rocque was the son of Edward Andrew La Rocque and Ann Rice. Sister, Monique, was born July 20, 1901 in Chicago, and died March 12, 1990 in Los Angeles, California. I don't believe that she ever married.  [Monique is pictured at right]

--Father, Edward Andrew La Rocque was born August 06, 1864 in Canada, and died January 17, 1947 in Los Angeles, CA, son of Robert Andrew [Adrien] La Rocque and Harriet Ross, who were married November 23, 1859 in Buckingham, Canada.
--Mother, Ann Rice, was born October 01, 1873 in Milwaukee, Milwaukee Co., Wisconsin, and died September 23, 1948 in Los Angeles, CA, daughter of Michael Rice of Ireland and Bridget Short of Wisconsin.

Little is known of Vilma's parents; however, their birth and death years have been verified. Both were born in Hungary, and had two additional children: Gisella, born in 1903, and Gyula (Viktor), born in 1899. See Mystery of Vilma's Birth for more information on the Banky family.
Rod & Vilma - a beautiful love story straight out of Hollywood
Monique La Rocque
Roderick la Rocque, the son of Andrew Edward la Rocque and Ann Rice was born November 29, 1898 in Chicago, Illinois. His sister, Monique, was born in 1901. In the days before Vilma, he was known as one of the most eligible bachelors. He died October 15, 1969 in Beverly Hills, California.
A handsome profile of Rod la Rocque, taken for a fan photo hand-out about 1927 - 1928