biography

Rex Reason Born on November 30, 1928, in Berlin, Germany, to American parents who were actors, Rex Reason grew up in Los Angeles along with his younger brother, fellow actor Rhodes Reason. Reason enlisted in the Army upon graduating from high school in Glendale. After his honorable discharge in the late 1940s, he began to cultivate an interest in acting and enrolled in the Pasadena Playhouse, eventually taking roles in community theater. In the early 1950s Reason was discovered and signed by Columbia; the studio cast him as the star in his first credited film role in the adventure flick Storm Over Tibet (1952; with Myron Healey). Also in 1952, he married his first wife, Eloise. They parted ways in 1960 after having two children.

Rex Reason Reason signed a contract with Universal-International in late 1953, where he acted in such films as The Creature Walks Among Us (1956; with Jeff Morrow) and Raw Edge (1956; with Yvonne De Carlo and Rory Calhoun). Reason is perhaps best known for his role as Dr. Cal Meacham in Universal's science fiction classic This Island Earth (1955; with Faith Domergue and Russell Johnson); however, he acted in a number of dramas and westerns. When his contract with Universal expired in 1957, Reason signed with 20th Century Fox and switched his focus to television, starring in the series Man Without a Gun (syndicated, 1957-1959) and the western movie The Miracle of the Hills (1959; with Nan Leslie and June Vincent), which proved to be his final film. Later, he moved to Warner Bros. in the series The Roaring 20's (ABC, 1960-1962). Around the time he was putting the wraps on his acting career, Reason married actress Sanita Pelkey, but the marriage didn't last a year.

the films of rex reason

Storm Over Tibet (1952)

Rex Reason

Columbia Studios promotional photo from Storm Over Tibet. This film was shot in just nine days (thanks to Michael Barnum)

Kiss of Fire (1955)

Rex Reason and Jack Palance

From the Universal-International costume drama Kiss of Fire with Jack Palance

This Island Earth (1955)

Rex ReasonRex ReasonJeff Morrow, Faith Domergue, and Rex Reason

From This Island Earth. LEFT: Reason struggles with a Mutant. CENTER: Reason and Jeff Morrow fight a Mutant. RIGHT: With Jeff Morrow, Faith Domergue, and Rex Reason in Metaluna. Universal's This Island Earth was lampooned by Mystery Science Theater 3000 in Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie, also released by Universal. After the release of the film in 1995, Reason won many new fans, and he even appeared at the Mystery Science Theater 3000 ConventioCom ExpoFest-A-Rama 2: Electric Bugaloo to sign autographs

The Creature Walks Among Us (1956)

Rex Reason and Jeff Morrow

Reason inspects the Gill Man in Universal's The Creature Walks Among Us. This film marks Rex Reason's only other science fiction film appearance and was the final installment in the Creature From the Black Lagoon trilogy of films. But while The Creature From the Black Lagoon and Revenge of the Creature were shot in 3-D, The Creature Walks Among Us was shot flat

Raw Edge (1956)

Rex Reason, Yvonne De Carlo, and Rory CalhounRex Reason

Scenes from Universal's western Raw Edge. LEFT: With Yvonne De Carlo and Rory Calhoun. RIGHT: Promotional still (thanks to Michael Barnum)


Badlands of Montana (1957)

Rex Reason and Beverly GarlandRex Reason

From the 20th Century Fox western Badlands of Montana. LEFT: With Beverly Garland. RIGHT: Promotional still (thanks to Michael Barnum)

The Rawhide Trail (1958)

Rex ReasonRex ReasonRex Reason and Rusty Lane

LEFT: Promotional photo from the Allied Artists western The Rawhide Trail (thanks to Jeff Adcock). CENTER: Window card. RIGHT: Scene from the film with Reason and Rusty Lane (thanks to Michael Barnum)

Thundering Jets (1958)

Rex Reason and Audrey DaltonRex Reason

LEFT: From the Fox release Thundering Jets with Audrey Dalton. RIGHT: Scene with Rex Reason, Gregg Palmer, Sid Melton, and Dick Foran (thanks to Michael Barnum)

later years

After signing with Warner Bros. in 1960, Reason went to work on the big-budget ABC TV series The Roaring 20's (1960-1962; with Dorothy Provine) as a semi-regular. The show lasted two seasons and was canceled in 1962. Reason still had time to go on his contract, but he decided against pursuing acting as a career and bought his contract back from Warner Bros. He went into real estate ventures and did voiceover work. In his later years, he occasionally appeared at autograph conventions. Rex Reason passed away on November 19, 2015, just a few days shy of his 87th birthday. He was survived by his third wife, Shirley, whom he married in 1968 and a son and daughter from his first marriage.

filmography

FILM
The Miracle of the Hills (1959) with Nan Leslie and Jay North
The Sad Horse (1959) with Eve Brent
The Rawhide Trail (1958) with Nancy Gates
Thundering Jets (1958) with Dick Foran, Audrey Dalton, Barry Coe, and Robert Conrad
Badlands of Montana (1957) with Beverly Garland and Keith Larsen
Band of Angels (1957) with Clark Gable, Yvonne De Carlo, Andrea King, and Sidney Poitier
Under Fire (1957) with Harry Morgan and Steve Brodie
The Creature Walks Among Us (1956) with Jeff Morrow and Leigh Snowden
Raw Edge (1956) with Yvonne De Carlo, Rory Calhoun, Mara Corday, John Gavin, and Ed Fury
Lady Godiva Of Coventry (1955) with Maureen O'Hara and George Nader
Smoke Signal (1955) with Dana Andrews, Piper Laurie, and William Talman
Kiss of Fire (1955) with Jack Palance, Barbara Rush, and Martha Hyer
This Island Earth (1955) with Faith Domergue, Jeff Morrow, Russell Johnson, and Lance Fuller
Taza, Son of Cochise (1954) with Rock Hudson, Barbara Rush, Gregg Palmer, Morris Ankrum, and Lance Fuller
Yankee Pasha (1954) with Jeff Chandler, Rhonda Fleming, and Mamie Van Doren
China Venture (1953) with Edmund O'Brien, Dabbs Greer, and Alvy Moore
Mission Over Korea (1953) with John Hodiak, John Derek, and Harvey Lembeck
Storm Over Tibet (1952) with Diana Douglas and Myron Healey

TELEVISION SERIES
The Roaring 20's, 1960-1962 ABC TV series. Reason portrayed Scott Norris
Man Without a Gun, 1957-1959 syndicated TV series. Reason portrayed Adam MacLean

TELEVISION GUEST APPEARANCES
Wagon Train, episode The Myra Marshall Story, originally aired October 21, 1963
G.E. True, episode Pattern for Espionage, originally aired March 24, 1963
Perry Mason, episode The Case of the Ancient Romeo, originally aired May 5, 1962
The Alaskans, episode The Ballad of Whitehorse, originally aired June 12, 1960
Sugarfoot, episode The Captive Locomotive, originally aired June 7, 1960
The Alaskans, episode Calico, originally aired May 22, 1960
Bourbon Street Beat, episode Swamp Fire, originally aired April 11, 1960
Bronco, episode Montana Passage, originally aired April 5, 1960
The Alaskans, episode Disaster at Gold Hill, originally aired March 20, 1960
77 Sunset Strip, episode Blackout, originally aired March 11, 1960
The Alaskans, episode Spring-Fever, originally aired February 7, 1960
Trackdown, episode The San Saba Incident, originally aired October 18, 1957
Conflict, episode The Velvet Cage, originally aired June 11, 1957
The Ford Television Theatre, episode Singapore, originally aired April 17, 1957
Conflict, episode Capital Punishment, March 5, 1957
Tales of the 77th Bengal Lancers, episode The Imposter, originally aired February 10, 1957
Conflict, episode Passage to Maranga, originally aired February 5, 1957
Conflict, episode Stranger on the Road, originally aired December 11, 1956
The Millionaire, episode The Olivia Grainger Story, originally aired May 30, 1956
Matinee Theatre, episode Friday the 13th, originally aired January 13, 1956
Lux Video Theatre, episode Thunder on the Hill, originally aired May 25, 1955
Lux Video Theatre, episode Gavin's Darling, originally aired April 22, 1954
Schlitz Playhouse, episode Knave of Hearts, originally aired July 24, 1953
The Ford Television Theatre, episode The People Versus Johnston, originally aired June 25, 1953
The Ford Television Theatre, episode The Son-in-Law, originally aired April 30, 1953

rex reason trailers now showing

Watch the trailer for Rex Reason's 1956 sci-fi film The Creature Walks Among Us

rex reason film now showing

Watch Rex Reason's 1955 western Smoke Signal
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This page premiered March 9, 2001.
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