Rex Lease

THE UTAH KID-1930-In this early sound western na outlaw Cal Reynolds (Rex Lease) Is forced to marry a woman named Jenny (Dorothy Sebastian) in order to save her life from his cutthroat pals at their secret hideout. With his help, she returns home and to her fiance Jim the sheriff (Walter Miller) who's been chasing the outlaw! Returning to the hidden lair, Reynolds beats up the mean and bigger Butch, the kind of leader despite Butch using chair and a broken bottle in their fight. Cal visits Jenny and is arrested by Jim but Jenny convinces Jim to let Cal go since he saved her life and she admits the marriage was not consummated. Later Jim uses a horse Cal gave Jenny to find the outlaw hideout. A big gun battle ensues and Cal, not sure who to help rides away. One of the outlaws follows him. When things don't look so good Butch and his bestie Baxter (Boris Karloff)) hightail it themselves. They also take the preacher that earlier married Cal and Jenny. Butch goes to Jim’s house where Cal is now his prisoner. Jim kills Butch and plans to ride away but Jenny stops him and they declare their love for one another. Jim is pushed aside and Baxter gets away! The preacher is shot and seems to be dead but in the next scene is being helped up. 

Star Rex Lease co-starred in many silent films and had a successful transition to talkies. He starred in several movies and serials but also appeared in bit roles, usually uncredited  (A CHUMP AT OXFORD, THE GRAPES OF WRATH). He appeared in 6 Abbott & Costello movies (and one episode of their TV show) which leads me to believe he and Lou Costello could have been friends since the team would try to get old timers work. Lease was married at least 5 times and died in 1966. (Director Richard Thorpe started out on silent films and later made some Tarzan entries. 

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