Rex Bell
| Rex Bell | |
|---|---|
Congressional run of 1944
|
|
| 21st Lieutenant Governor of Nevada | |
|
In office 1955–1962 |
|
| Governor |
Charles H. Russell Grant Sawyer |
| Preceded by | Clifford A. Jones |
| Succeeded by | Maude Frazier |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
George Francis Beldam October 16, 1903 Chicago, Illinois |
| Died | July 4, 1962 (aged 58) Las Vegas, Nevada |
| Resting place | Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) |
Clara Bow (m.1931-1962; his death) |
| Profession |
Film actor Politician |
Rex Bell, born George Francis Beldam (October 16, 1903 – July 4, 1962), was an American actor and politician. He was a Western movie star and the 21st Lieutenant Governor of Nevada.
Bell made his movie debut in Wild West Romance in 1928, and went on to act in a number of films, mostly Westerns, in which he had the lead role. He left the movie industry in 1936, although he had generally small roles in a few later films.
In 1931, Bell and his wife, actress Clara Bow, founded the Walking Box Ranch, at Searchlight, Nevada.
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". The election was held November 7, and Bell got 19,096 votes against Bunker who received 36,648.
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.
The ties Bell forged during those years helped him win the Lieutenant Governor's office in 1954. That 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). He died in office of a heart attack in 1962.
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