Career
He appeared in over 300 films, mainly in westerns. Lease arrived in Hollywood in 1924. He found bit and supporting parts at Film Booking Office (FBO), Rayart, more, and was given the opportunity to play a few leads.
His first film was A Woman Who Sinned (FBO, 1924).
He had a featured role in director Frank Capra"s The Younger Generation (Columbia, 1929), a tale of a Jewish family that move 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.
In between lead roles, Lease did featured parts in some B westerns. Rex"s finale as a star had him teaming up with Rin-Tin-Tin Junior. in The Silver Trail (Reliable, 1937).
Though no longer afforded star billing, he continued in smaller roles into the 1950s in films and on television On January 3, 1966, Rex"s son Richard found his father dead on the kitchen floor at his Van Nuys, California home.
He had died sometime between New Year"s Eve and January 3. Son Richard was later shot and killed in a traffic altercation with 2 teenagers. Lease was married at least 5 times.
