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Rex Lease
Rex Lease
Rex Lease
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Rex Lloyd Lease (February 11, 1903 – January 3, 1966) was an American actor. He appeared in over 300 films, mainly in Poverty Row Westerns.

Key Information

Biography

[edit]

Rex Lease arrived in Hollywood in 1924. He found bit and supporting parts at Film Booking Office (FBO), Rayart, and more, and was given the opportunity to play a few leads. His first film was A Woman Who Sinned (FBO, 1924).[1]

Lease's earliest Westerns were a pair of Tim McCoy silents at MGM, one of which was The Law of the Range (MGM, 1928) which had a young Joan Crawford as the heroine and Lease as the Solitaire Kid. McCoy and Lease became friends, and over the next dozen or so years, he appeared in seven more McCoy Westerns.

He had a featured role in director Frank Capra's The Younger Generation (Columbia, 1929), a tale of a Jewish family that moves to a more up-scale neighborhood.

He successfully made the transition to talkies, and starred in melodramas, action flicks, old dark house mysteries, and comedies, as well as a couple of Western serials and about a dozen low-budget sagebrush yarns and outdoor adventures.[2] His work in the 1930s included six Western films for Superior Talking Pictures Corporation. Some featured cowboy music, and some had him paired with young actor Bobby Nelson.[3]

In between lead roles, Lease featured parts in some B Westerns. He was Hoot Gibson's brother in Cavalcade of the West (Walter Futter Prod., 1936); Lease played the "Pecos Kid" in McCoy's Lightnin' Bill Carson (Puritan, 1936); played Col. William B. Travis in Heroes of the Alamo and he worked in a couple of Tom Tyler's, Ridin' On (Reliable, 1936) and Fast Bullets (Reliable, 1936). Lease had the lead in the 1936 film serial Custer's Last Stand (1936).

Lease's finale as a star had him teaming up with Rin-Tin-Tin Jr. in The Silver Trail (Reliable, 1937).

Though no longer afforded star billing, he continued in smaller roles into the 1950s in films (recurring as the sheriff in four Ma and Pa Kettle movies) and on TV.

Personal life

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In 1930, Lease pleaded guilty in a Malibu court to a charge of battery on actress and dancer Vivian Duncan.[4] The charge resulted from his beating of Duncan at a home in Malibu Beach on July 7, 1930.[5] He paid a $50 fine, insisting that she initiated the altercation. Duncan's brother, Harold, retaliated in August 1930, beating Lease in a hotel cafe in Hollywood.[4]

Lease was married at least five times.

Death

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On January 3, 1966, Lease was found dead by his son Richard on the kitchen floor at his Van Nuys, California, home. He had died sometime between New Year's Eve and January 3. The cause of death was undisclosed. Richard was later shot and killed at age 25 in a road rage traffic altercation with two teenagers.[citation needed]

Selected filmography

[edit]

References

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[edit]
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Rex Lease

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Rex Lease is an American actor known for his prolific career in B-westerns, action serials, and low-budget films spanning the silent era through the 1950s. Born Rex Lloyd Lease on February 11, 1903, in Central City, West Virginia, he appeared in more than 270 films, often portraying rugged heroes, cowboys, or supporting characters in Poverty Row productions. Raised in Ohio after early family hardships, Lease briefly attended Ohio Wesleyan University with an interest in the ministry before turning to acting through local theater and drama clubs. He arrived in Hollywood in 1924 and debuted in the silent film A Woman Who Sinned, quickly progressing to leads in melodramas, comedies, and early westerns, including roles alongside Tim McCoy and a young Joan Crawford in The Law of the Range (1928). He successfully transitioned to sound films in the late 1920s, starring in titles such as The Utah Kid (1930) and Troopers Three (1930). Lease reached his peak as a leading man in the mid-1930s with independent westerns like The Cowboy and the Bandit (1935), Cyclone of the Saddle (1935), and the serial Custer's Last Stand (1936), though his starring opportunities were limited by the instability of Poverty Row studios. He later shifted to supporting and character roles in numerous B-westerns with stars such as Gene Autry, Roy Rogers, and John Wayne, as well as appearances in non-western features and serials. In the 1950s, he became a familiar guest actor on television western series including The Lone Ranger, The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp, and Maverick. Lease retired from acting around 1960 and remained active in community and political affairs until his death on January 3, 1966, in Van Nuys, California.

Early life

Birth and family background

Rex Lloyd Lease was born Rex Lloyd Lease on February 11, 1903, in Central City (now part of Huntington), Cabell County, West Virginia. His father was Luther "Pete" Lease, and his mother was Vernie Florence Lovett, who had married on September 6, 1902, in Huntington, Cabell County, West Virginia. Lease was born approximately five months after his parents' marriage. His mother died of consumption on February 12, 1910, in Glenwood, Mason County, West Virginia, leaving the family in difficult circumstances. In the 1910 U.S. Census, seven-year-old Rex was living as a grandson with his maternal grandparents, Joseph C. Lovette and Druzella M. Lovette, in Glenwood, along with other family members including his aunt Nora Belle Lovette. A younger sibling had been born and died in infancy in Columbus, Ohio, in December 1905, indicating an early family presence there. The family later relocated to Columbus, Ohio, where Lease was raised.

Youth and education

Rex Lease was raised in the Columbus, Ohio area after his family relocated from West Virginia. Various Hollywood trade papers reported that he considered a life in the clergy and attended Ohio Wesleyan University, though his enrollment was brief and unconfirmed in official registrar records under his name; his son later affirmed the attendance. During this period, Lease initially pursued studies aligned with entering the ministry. He participated in the campus drama club, and with encouragement from peers, he began engaging in dramatic readings at his church and local theatre, marking a shift away from religious studies toward performance opportunities.

Film career

Entry into silent films

Rex Lease arrived in Hollywood in 1924 and began his film career with bit and supporting parts at studios including Film Booking Offices (FBO) and Rayart. His first credited film was the melodrama A Woman Who Sinned (FBO, 1924), directed by Finis Fox and released in July 1924, in which he played the grown evangelist son of the protagonist Irene Rich after replacing the originally cast Cullen Landis, who had suffered an injury on the first day of his scheduled filming. The production, which involved extensive sets, location shooting in Mexico, and a large number of extras for revival scenes, starred Morgan Wallace as the antagonist and marked Lease's entry into more substantial screen work at the age of about 21. Before entering the film industry, Lease had considered a career in the ministry and reportedly attended Ohio Wesleyan University, though records of his enrollment have been questioned. Over the next few years, he took on featured roles in other silent films, including Moulders of Men (FBO, 1927) alongside Conway Tearle and child actor Frankie Darro, as well as Frank Capra's The Younger Generation (Columbia, 1929) with Jean Hersholt and Ricardo Cortez. Lease's earliest Western appearances occurred in a pair of silent films opposite Tim McCoy at MGM, one of which was The Law of the Range (MGM, 1928), where he played the outlaw Solitaire Kid in support of McCoy's lead role and opposite a young Joan Crawford as the heroine. By the late silent period, Lease transitioned from juvenile parts to more prominent roles, displaying the looks, voice, and on-camera comfort that positioned him for leading-man potential as the industry moved toward sound.

Starring roles in B-Westerns and serials

Rex Lease found his most prominent opportunities as a leading actor in low-budget Poverty Row B-Westerns during the 1930s, starring in a brief but notable series of films produced by small independent companies. He appeared in approximately 220 sound films overall, including 126 B-Westerns and 17 serials, though his leading roles were concentrated in the mid-1930s. These productions typically featured modest budgets, familiar genre tropes, and recurring supporting players from the independent Western circuit. His most substantial run of starring vehicles came in 1935 with Superior Talking Pictures, where he headlined six Western features: The Cowboy and the Bandit (considered one of the strongest entries), Cyclone of the Saddle, Pals of the Range, Fighting Caballero, The Ghost Rider, and Rough Riding Ranger. These films often included young co-star Bobby Nelson, veteran actors such as George Chesebro and William Desmond, and stunt performers like Yakima Canutt, with musical contributions from groups like the Arizona Wranglers. Lease played different characters in each without a consistent screen persona, horse, or costume typical of more established B-Western series. Later starring efforts included The Silver Trail (1937) for Reliable Pictures, in which he played cowboy Bob Crandall alongside Rin-Tin-Tin Jr., marking his final leading role and the last production from that company. In serials, he starred as Kit Cardigan, chief of scouts, in the 15-chapter Custer's Last Stand (1936), a Weiss/Stage & Screen production directed by Elmer Clifton that incorporated extensive stock footage. He also gave a notable performance as Colonel William Travis in the historical Western Heroes of the Alamo (1937), produced by Sunset Productions. His period of leading roles in B-Westerns and serials effectively ended by 1937 as the independent Poverty Row market contracted.

Supporting and character roles

In the 1940s and 1950s, Rex Lease transitioned from leading roles in earlier B-Westerns to a steady career as a supporting and character actor, often in uncredited or minor parts that capitalized on his familiar cowboy persona. He appeared in numerous films during this period, including supporting work in Lone Texas Ranger (1945) and Flame of the Barbary Coast (1945), as well as other Republic Pictures productions where he played reliable types such as sheriffs, ranchers, heavies, or background figures. Lease also portrayed the local sheriff in four entries of the Ma and Pa Kettle comedy series, providing one of his more recurring character assignments amid otherwise smaller roles. Lease extended his presence into television during the 1950s and early 1960s, taking guest roles in several Western series. These included multiple appearances on The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp, as well as episodes of Maverick, Tales of Wells Fargo, Fury, The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin, Jefferson Drum, and others, often in small parts like townsmen, henchmen, or minor functionaries. His final film credit came with an uncredited role as a card player in The Rawhide Years (1956), starring Tony Curtis. Lease's later career reflected a shift to reduced visibility after his earlier stardom, with his work spanning from the silent era into the television age across more than three decades.

Personal life

Marriages and family

Rex Lease had a turbulent personal life marked by five marriages and divorces. His first marriage was to actress Charlotte Merriam in 1925, ending in divorce in 1929. His second marriage was to actress Eleanor Hunt in 1931; the union proved brief, involving several separations and reconciliations before concluding the same year. His third marriage was to Elsa Roberts in 1935 in Yuma, Arizona; it ended in divorce in 1936. Lease married Isabelle "Belle" Riehle around 1938. This marriage produced two sons, Gary Lloyd Lease (1940-2008) and Richard Lloyd Lease (1941-1967). The couple remained together until their divorce in the mid-1950s. His fifth marriage was to Helen Ince, widow of director Ralph Ince, in the mid-1950s; it also ended in divorce.

Death

Circumstances

Rex Lease died on January 3, 1966, at his home in Van Nuys, California. His son Richard found him dead on the kitchen floor. Lease had died sometime between New Year's Eve and the discovery of his body on January 3.

Legacy

Rex Lease is best remembered for his portrayals of handsomely rugged heroes in Western and dramatic feature films from the 1920s through the 1940s. His prolific career encompassed more than 270 films, predominantly low-budget Poverty Row Westerns and serials produced by independent studios such as Tiffany, Sono-Art, Superior Talking Pictures, and Reliable. Lease's extensive involvement in these productions helped sustain the tradition of B-Westerns during the 1930s, when many small companies faced financial pressures and eventual collapse amid industry consolidation. After initial attempts at starring roles in the early sound era, he transitioned to supporting and character parts in higher-profile films and later television, exemplifying the durable path of many actors who bridged the silent-to-sound divide and adapted to changing market demands. Though he never achieved major stardom, Lease's body of work in the B-Western genre continues to receive attention from enthusiasts through detailed documentation on specialized sites.

Selected filmography

Rex Lease appeared in more than 270 films during his long career in Hollywood, transitioning from early silent pictures to sound-era B-westerns, serials, and later supporting roles in feature films. His selected filmography highlights representative works across these eras. Among his early silent credits is A Woman Who Sinned (1924), one of his first notable appearances. He starred in the silent western The Law of the Range, showcasing his early work in the genre. In the sound era, he featured in The Silver Trail, a western adventure. He took a role in the historical production Heroes of the Alamo (1937), reflecting his presence in period and action films. Later in his career, he appeared in the western The Rawhide Years (1956), one of his final film credits. These titles illustrate the breadth of his contributions, particularly in western and action genres.
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