Rex Bell Explained

Rex Bell
Order:21st
Office:Lieutenant Governor of Nevada
Term Start:January 1, 1955
Term End:July 4, 1962
Governor:Charles H. Russell
Grant Sawyer
Predecessor:Clifford A. Jones
Successor:Maude Frazier
Birth Name:George Francis Beldam
Birth Date:16 October 1903
Birth Place:Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Death Place:Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.
Party:Republican
Profession:Actor, politician
Children:2

Rex Bell (born George Francis Beldam; October 16, 1903 – July 4, 1962) was an American actor and politician. Bell primarily appeared in Western films during his career. He also appeared in the 1930 movie True to the Navy, starring Clara Bow; Bell and Bow married the following year.

Bell later became involved in politics with the Nevada Republican Party and was the 21st lieutenant governor of Nevada from 1955 until his death in 1962.

Early years

Bell was born George Francis Beldam in Chicago on October 16, 1903.[1]

Film career

Bell made his film debut in Wild West Romance in 1928,[2] and went on to act in a number of films, mostly Westerns, in which he had the lead role. Fox Film executives were reported to be grooming Bell to be a successor to Tom Mix.[3] He left the movie industry in 1936, although he had generally small roles in a few later films.

In 1931,[4] Bell and his wife, actress Clara Bow, founded the Walking Box Ranch,[5] at Searchlight, Nevada.[6]

His final film appearance was an uncredited but very prominent role as a loquacious old cowboy in a bar and attending a rodeo in John Huston's The Misfits (1961) starring Clark Gable and Marilyn Monroe.

Political career

In 1944, Bell ran for the United States House of Representatives on the Republican ticket against Democrat Berkeley Bunker. The Nevada State Journal commented on November 1: "He has made friends where ever he appeared, but consensus is that the time is too short to overcome a handicap of not being so well known as his opponent".[7] The election was held November 7, and Bell got 19,096 votes while Bunker received 36,648.[8]

Bell was the leader of the Nevada Republican Party and in 1948 was an alternate to the Republican National Convention. He was also active in the Nevada Chamber of Commerce and Boy Scouts.[9]

The ties Bell forged during those years helped him win the Lieutenant Governor's office in 1954. That election year, Charles H. Russell, the incumbent Republican governor, also won. In 1958, Democrat Grant Sawyer unseated Russell, but Bell won re-election as Lieutenant Governor (Bell and his Nevada state political position are mentioned in John D. MacDonald's 1960 novel The Only Girl in the Game). Bell died after giving a campaign speech on July 4, 1962, while running for governor, still in office, of a heart attack at the El Rancho Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.

Other activities

Television

Bell was host of the program Cowboys and Injuns in 1950. It began on a station in Los Angeles[2] and went on to be broadcast on ABC. The show focused on legends that were derived from folklore of cowboys and Native Americans in the United States.[10]

Business

Bell operated Rexco Incorporated, which manufactured and distributed novelty gift items. He and his brother also had two clothing stores in Nevada.[2]

Personal life

Bell married actress Clara Bow in 1931.[5] They had two sons, Tony Beldam, who changed his name to Rex Anthony Bell Jr., and George Beldam Jr.[11] [12] Rex Bell Jr. appeared in two Western films—Stage to Thunder Rock (1964), in the role of "Shotgun Rex", and Young Fury (1965), and later served as district attorney of Clark County from 1987 to 1995.[13]

Bell died of a heart attack on July 4, 1962, a few hours after attending a political rally and picnic in Las Vegas.[14]

The Rex Bell Elementary School in Las Vegas was named in honor of Bell.[15]

Filmography

YearTitleRoleNotes
1928Wild West Romance Phil O'Malley
1928The Cowboy Kid Jim Barrett
1928Girl-Shy Cowboy Joe Benson
1928Taking a Chance Joe Courtney
1929Joy Street Eddie
1929Pleasure Crazed Peters (chauffeur)
1929Salute Cadet Uncredited
1929Happy Days Rex Bell
1929They Had to See Paris Clark McCurdy
1930Harmony at Home Dick Grant
1930Courage Lynn Willard
1930True to the Navy Eddie
1930Lightnin' Larry - Betty's Husband
1931Battling with Buffalo Bill Dave Archer Serial
1931Forgotten Women Jimmy Burke
1931Law of the Sea Cole Andrews
1932The Arm of the Law Robin Dale
1932Broadway to Cheyenne Breezy Kildare
1932The Man from Arizona Kent Rogers
1932Lucky Larrigan Craig Larrigan - posing as Tex aka Lucky
1932Crashin' Broadway Tad Wallace
1933Diamond Trail Speed Morgan - posing as Frisco Eddie
1933Fighting Texans Randy Graves
1933The Fugitive Joe Kean
1933Rainbow Ranch Ed Randall
1933Hollywood on Parade No. A-8 Himself Short
1934The Tonto Kid Skeets Slawson aka The Tonto Kid
1934Gunfire Jerry Dunbar
1935Fighting Pioneers Lieutenant Bentley
1935Border Vengeance Announced Rodeo Guest Star Uncredited
1935Saddle Aces Steve Brandt
1936Too Much Beef Johnny Argyle alias Tucson Smith
1936West of Nevada Jim Carden, posing as Jim Lloyd
1936Men of the Plains Jim Dean - aka Tom Porter
1936Idaho Kid Todd Hollister aka Idaho
1936Law and Lead Jimmy Sawyer
1936Stormy Trails Tom Storm
1942Tombstone, the Town Too Tough to Die Virgil Earp
1942Dawn on the Great Divide Jack Carson
1952Lone Star Minor Role Uncredited
1952Sky Full of Moon Himself Uncredited
1961The Misfits Old Cowboy Uncredited, (final film role)

Notes and References

  1. News: Clothier . Gary . Vernor's got start after war . June 8, 2021 . . United Feature Syndicate . February 11, 2007 . Saint Joseph, Michigan . 6 B . Newspapers.com.
  2. Rex Bell: Nevada's Goodwill Ambassador . Films of the Golden Age . Winter 2017–2018 . 91 . 58–59.
  3. News: Being groomed to follow Mix . June 8, 2021 . . November 4, 1928 . Muncie, Indiana . 26 . Newspapers.com.
  4. News: J.M.. Kalil . WALKING BOX RANCH: Sale brings less than third of asking price. . 2000-12-20 . 2009-03-19 . mdy-all.
  5. News: J.M.. Kalil . Ranch sells for $650,000. Las Vegas Review-Journal . 2000-11-19 . 2009-03-19 .
  6. Book: Reid, Harry. Harry Reid. Searchlight: The Camp That Didn't Fail. University of Nevada Press. 103. 978-0-8741-7753-4. 2007-11-05.
  7. News: Politicians Open Drive As Record Balloting Predicted. Arthur N.. Suverkrup. United Press. Nevada State Journal. November 1, 1944. 2. June 12, 2023.
  8. News: FDR Majority Is Announced. Nevada State Journal. November 18, 1944.
  9. Web site: Nevada Day Grand Marshals . 2008-03-03 . 2008-05-17 . https://web.archive.org/web/20080517014506/http://www.nevadaday.com/parade/grandmarshals/1953.htm . dead .
  10. Book: Terrace. Vincent. Encyclopedia of Television Shows, 1925 through 2010. January 10, 2014. McFarland. Jefferson, N.C.. 978-0-7864-6477-7. 216. 2nd.
  11. http://www.b-westerns.com/rexbell.htm B-Westerns
  12. News: Mordaunt. Hall. Movies . https://web.archive.org/web/20110520010917/http://movies.nytimes.com/person/613297/Rex-Bell . dead . 2011-05-20 . Movies & TV Dept.. The New York Times. Mordaunt Hall. May 19, 2011. 2008-04-11.
  13. News: Doug. McMurdo. John L.. SMITH. Rex Bell Jr., former Clark County district attorney, dies at 76 . July 9, 2011 . July 3, 2018 . Las Vegas Review-Journal .
  14. News: Funeral Held for Rex Bell; Widow, Clara Bow, Attends . . July 10, 1962 . subscription.
  15. Web site: About Us: Namesake. Rex Bell Elementary School. June 12, 2023.