Rex Reason

Berlin, Germany

Biography

Rex Reason was an American actor born on November 30, 1928, in Berlin, Germany, to American parents. He grew up in Los Angeles and initially had no acting aspirations, but his mother encouraged both him and his brother Rhodes Reason to pursue acting careers. Reason's acting journey began when he played the lead in "Seventh Heaven" at Glendale's Hoover High School. He then enlisted in the U.S. Army at 17, serving from 1946 to 1948. After his discharge, he enrolled at the Pasadena Playhouse and became involved in little theater. His film career started with a leading role in "Storm Over Tibet" (1952). Reason then signed with Universal-International in 1953, where he appeared in several notable films. He is perhaps best known for his role as Dr. Cal Meacham in the science fiction classic "This Island Earth" (1955). Reason's career also included television work. He starred in two series: the syndicated western "Man Without a Gun" (1957-1959) and the ABC/Warner Bros. drama "The Roaring Twenties" (1960-1962). Known for his tall stature (6'2"), handsome looks, and distinctive baritone voice, Reason left the entertainment industry in the early 1960s to pursue a career in real estate. He was married three times and had two children from his first marriage. Rex Reason passed away on November 19, 2015, in Walnut, California, at the age of 86 due to bladder cancer.

Movies

Matinee Theater is an American anthology series that aired on NBC during the Golden Age of Television, from 1955 to 1958. The series, which ran daily in the afternoon, was frequently live. It was produced by Albert McCleery, Darrell Ross, George Cahan and Frank Price with executive producer George Lowther. McCleery had previously produced the live series Cameo Theatre which introduced to television the concept of theater-in-the-round, TV plays staged with minimal sets. Jim Buckley of the Pewter Plough Playhouse recalled: When Al McCleery got back to the States, he originated a most ambitious theatrical TV series for NBC called Matinee Theater: to televise five different stage plays per week live, airing around noon in order to promote color TV to the American housewife as she labored over her ironing. Al was the producer. He hired five directors and five art directors. Richard Bennett, one of our first early presidents of the Pewter Plough Corporation, was one of the directors and I was one of the art directors and, as soon as we were through televising one play, we had lunch and then met to plan next week’s show. That was over 50 years ago, and I’m trying to think; I believe the TV art director is his own set decorator —yes, of course! It had to be, since one of McCleery’s chief claims to favor with the producers was his elimination of the setting per se and simply decorating the scene with a minimum of props. It took a bit of ingenuity.

More info
Matinee Theater
1955