REX ALLEN BIOGRAPHY & FILMOGRAPHY:

Rex Allen was born on December 31st, 1920 in Willcox, Arizona with the birth name Elvie Rex Allen.  His parents were Horace E. Allen and Luella Faye Clark.  His father played the fiddle and as a young boy he would sing with his dad at local functions in their town. 
 
After High School graduation he began touring as a Southwest Rodeo Rider and then began singing in vaudeville on the East Coast.  He was soon able to find employment working in radio in Chicago on a WLS-AM program, National Barn Dance. 
 
In 1948 Mercury Records signed Allen to a recording album and he made a variety of successful country music albums.  Rex was also given a screen test in 1949 by Republic Pictures and was then put under film contract.  By 1950, Allen was starring as himself in a total of nineteen western films where he gained the nickname 'The Arizona Cowboy'.  He was the last western actor to make a singing western in 1954.  
 
In 1952 he switched to Decca recording label and continued to record music with them up until the 1970's while still working in the film industry as well.  Allen was also the voice narrator for many Disney documentaries in the 60's earing him the nickname, "The Voice of the West".  
 
Due to the popularity of westerns decreasing his film career was successful yet short.  From 1958 to 1959, he made the transition to television starring in a television series called, "Frontier Doctor".  Allen was also the voice for numerous national advertisements.  
 
Rex Allen married three times throughout his lifetime.  First to Doris Winsor, however dates were unknown but the couple did have one daughter together.  His second marriage was too Bonnie Linder on August 25th 1946 but they too divorced and had four children together.  His third and final marriage was to Virginia Hudson on November 25th, 1992 and the couple were divoriced in 1999.
 
Rex Allen passed away on Deecember 17th, 1999 in Tucson Arizona when sadly he was hit by the car of his caretaker when he had a heart attack behind the car, fell over and the driver was unaware of Rex Allen behind him.  He was cremated and his ashes were scattered at Railroad Park in Wilcox.
 
In 1983, Rex Allen was inducted into the Great Western Performers of the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum.  He was also honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his contribution to the Motion Picture Industry.  The author, Paula Simpson wrote a book titled, "My Life" Sunrise to Sunset-The Arizona Cowboy" in 1989 which told Rex Allen's life story.      
 
 
Filmography

1957-1986  Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color 
1986   Hold the Back Page 
1973   Charlotte's Web  
1971   The Virginian 
1966   Swamp Country 
1961   Tomboy and the Champ  
1961   The Saga of Windwagon Smith
1958-1959  Frontier Doctor 
1957   The Red Skelton Hour
1954   Rails Into Laramie  
1954   Phantom Stallion  
1953   Red River Shore  
1953   Shadows of Tombstone  
1953   Down Laredo Way  
1953   Sweethearts on Parade  
1953   Iron Mountain Trail  
1953   Old Overland Trail  
1952   South Pacific Trail
1952   Old Oklahoma Plains  
1952   I Dream of Jeanie 
1952   Border Saddlemates  
1952   The Last Musketeer  
1952   Colorado Sundown 
1951   Utah Wagon Train  
1951   Rodeo King and the Senorita  
1951   Thunder in God's Country  
1951   Silver City Bonanza  
1950   Under Mexicali Stars  
1950   Redwood Forest Trail
1950   Hills of Oklahoma  
1950   The Arizona Cowboy