Had a heart attack and fell down behind his caretaker's car, which was parked in the driveway of his home, and which ran over him later. Apparently, the car actually killed him.
Inducted into the Hall of Great Western Performers of the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in 1983.
His horse was named Koko "The Miracle Horse of the Movies".
He was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6821 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California on August 20, 1975.
He married Doris Winsor and they had a daughter named Rexine.
During World War II, he lived in New Jersey. He sang on radio station WTNJ in Trenton under the name "Cactus Rex". He went from there to the National Barn Dance in Chicago, and from there to Hollywood.