Do You Know... Rex Allen?

Do you know…
that Rex Allen (born: Rex Elvie Allen in Willcox, Arizona on December 31, 1920 – died: in Tucson, Arizona on December 17, 1999) was an American film actor, singer and songwriter who is particularly known as the narrator in many Disney nature and Western film productions?

• Rex Allen got his start in show business on the East Coast as a vaudeville singer, then found work in Chicago as a performer on the WLS-AM program, National Barn Dance.

• In 1949 Republic Pictures in Hollywood gave Rex a screen test and put him under contract. Beginning in 1950, Allen starred as himself in 19 of Hollywood's Western movies.

• One of Allen's most successful singles was "Don't Go Near the Indians", which reached the top 5 of Billboard magazine's Hot Country Singles chart in November 1962.

• Rex Allen died on December 17, two weeks before his 79th birthday, of a massive coronary, causing him to collapse in the driveway of his home. He suffered additional injuries when his caretaker accidentally ran over him in the driveway.

• Cremated, his ashes were scattered at Railroad Park in Willcox where most of his memorabilia is on display.