in Room 426" in 1993. La Rue's final major public appearance was in Hello Danny, a biographical show performed at the "Benidorm Palace", which opened on 11 November 2007. The part of the young La Rue was played by Jerry Lane, who also co-created and directed. La Rue appeared at the start of the show and then in an interview on stage in part of the second half. He also performed a number of songs. Personal life La Rue would often perform parts of his show in men's clothes, and was often seen out of costume on television. In later life, he was more candid about his private life, including his homosexuality. La Rue lived with his manager and life partner of 37 years, Jack Hanson, until Hanson's death in 1984. They had met following World War II in 1947. In 1970, La Rue bought The Swan Inn at Streatley in Berkshire. He was later forced by circumstances to sell it. In the 1970s, La Rue spent more than £1 million on the purchase and restoration of a country house hotel, Walton Hall, in Warwickshire, and signed it over in 1983, as he could not manage it and his career, to a pair of Canadian con men. La Rue had given control of the hotel to the two Canadians with a promise of further investment with the retention of La Rue's name on the hotel itself. This eventually led to a police investigation where La Rue was cleared of any suspicion but discovered he had lost more than £1 million. The con men had bankrupted La Rue but he insisted in continuing to work to pay off the debts incurred rather than retire. Illness and death La Rue suffered a mild stroke in January 2006 while in Spain on holiday: as a result, his final pantomime and all subsequent performances were cancelled. He had been suffering from prostate cancer for many years. He had several further strokes and developed throat cancer. He died shortly before midnight on 31 May 2009 at the age of 81. His friend and costume designer, Annie Galbraith, was with him (he was living at her home in Tunbridge Wells) when he died. La Rue was laid to rest with his partner, Jack Hanson, in St Mary's Catholic Cemetery, Kensal Green, west London. Accolades He was appointed OBE in the 2002 Queen's Birthday Honours List. La