Reginald Denny (actor)
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Reginald Leigh Dugmore (20 November 189116 June 1967), known professionally as Reginald Denny, was an English
actor An actor or actress is a person who portrays a character in a performance. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. The analogous Greek term is (), li ...
,
aviator An aircraft pilot or aviator is a person who controls the flight of an aircraft by operating its Aircraft flight control system, directional flight controls. Some other aircrew, aircrew members, such as navigators or flight engineers, are al ...
, and UAV pioneer.


Acting career

Born Reginald Leigh Dugmore on 20 November 1891 in
Richmond Richmond most often refers to: * Richmond, Virginia, the capital of Virginia, United States * Richmond, London, a part of London * Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town in England * Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada * Richmond, California, ...
,
Surrey Surrey () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in South East England, bordering Greater London to the south west. Surrey has a large rural area, and several significant urban areas which form part of the Greater London Built-up Area. ...
, England (part of
Greater London Greater may refer to: *Greatness, the state of being great *Greater than, in inequality (mathematics), inequality *Greater (film), ''Greater'' (film), a 2016 American film *Greater (flamingo), the oldest flamingo on record *Greater (song), "Greate ...
since 1965), he came from a theatrical family; his father was actor and opera singer W.H. Denny. In 1899, he began his stage career in ''
A Royal Family ''A Royal Family'' is a 1915 American silent drama film directed by William Nigh and starring Fuller Mellish, Montagu Love and Anna Murdock.Parish & Pitts p.293 It is also sometimes alternatively titled ''The Royal Family''. Cast * Fuller Mell ...
'' and starred in several London productions from age seven to twelve. He attended St. Francis Xavier College in Mayfield, Sussex, but, at 16, he ran away from school to train as a
pugilist Boxing (also known as "Western boxing" or "pugilism") is a combat sport in which two people, usually wearing protective gloves and other protective equipment such as hand wraps and mouthguards, throw punches at each other for a predetermined ...
with Sir Harry Preston at the
National Sporting Club The National Sporting Club was a club founded in London in 1891, which did more to establish the sport of boxing in Great Britain than any other organisation. Origins The club was founded on 5 March 1891 as a private club. Its premises were at ...
. He also appeared in several British stage productions touring the music halls of England of ''
The Merry Widow ''The Merry Widow'' (german: Die lustige Witwe, links=no ) is an operetta by the Austro-Hungarian composer Franz Lehár. The librettists, Viktor Léon and Leo Stein, based the story – concerning a rich widow, and her countrymen's attempt t ...
''. In 1911, he went to the United States to appear in Henry B. Harris's stage production of ''
The Quaker Girl ''The Quaker Girl'' is an Edwardian musical comedy in three acts with a book by James T. Tanner, lyrics by Adrian Ross and Percy Greenbank, and music by Lionel Monckton. In its story, ''The Quaker Girl'' contrasts dour Quaker morality with Pa ...
'', then joined the Bandmann Opera Company as a baritone touring
India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
and the
Far East The ''Far East'' was a European term to refer to the geographical regions that includes East and Southeast Asia as well as the Russian Far East to a lesser extent. South Asia is sometimes also included for economic and cultural reasons. The ter ...
India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
where he performed for
Krishna Raja Wadiyar IV Maharaja Krishnaraja Wadiyar IV (Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar; 4 June 1884 – 3 August 1940) was the twenty-fourth maharaja of the Kingdom of Mysore, from 1902 until his death in 1940. He is popularly called ''Rajarshi'' ( sa, rājarṣi, lit ...
. Although he worked in "flickers" during 1911 and 1912, Reginald officially began his film career in 1915 with the
World Film Company The World Film Company or World Film Corporation was an American film production and distribution company, organized in 1914 in Fort Lee, New Jersey. Short-lived but significant in American film history, World Film was created by financier and fil ...
and made films both in the United States and Britain until the 1960s. Among the numerous stage productions in which he starred, Reginald appeared in
John Barrymore John Barrymore (born John Sidney Blyth; February 14 or 15, 1882 – May 29, 1942) was an American actor on stage, screen and radio. A member of the Drew and Barrymore theatrical families, he initially tried to avoid the stage, and briefly att ...
's 1920 Broadway production of ''Richard III''; the two actors became friends and starred in several films together including ''Sherlock Holmes'' (1922), ''Hamlet'' (1933), ''Romeo and Juliet'' (1936), and Paramount's ''
Bulldog Drummond Hugh "Bulldog" Drummond is a fictional character, created by H. C. McNeile and published under his pen name "Sapper". Following McNeile's death in 1937, the novels were continued by Gerard Fairlie. Drummond is a First World War veteran who, ...
'' series (1937–1938). Denny was a well-known actor in silent films, and with the advent of
talkies A sound film is a motion picture with synchronized sound, or sound technologically coupled to image, as opposed to a silent film. The first known public exhibition of projected sound films took place in Paris in 1900, but decades passed before ...
he became a character actor. He played the lead role in a number of his earlier films, generally as a comedic Englishman in such works as ''
Private Lives ''Private Lives'' is a 1930 comedy of manners in three acts by Noël Coward. It concerns a divorced couple who, while honeymooning with their new spouses, discover that they are staying in adjacent rooms at the same hotel. Despite a perpetuall ...
'' (1931) and later had reasonably steady work as a supporting actor in dozens of films, including '' The Little Minister'' (1934) with
Katharine Hepburn Katharine Houghton Hepburn (May 12, 1907 – June 29, 2003) was an American actress in film, stage, and television. Her career as a Hollywood leading lady spanned over 60 years. She was known for her headstrong independence, spirited perso ...
, ''
Anna Karenina ''Anna Karenina'' ( rus, «Анна Каренина», p=ˈanːə kɐˈrʲenʲɪnə) is a novel by the Russian author Leo Tolstoy, first published in book form in 1878. Widely considered to be one of the greatest works of literature ever writt ...
'' (1935) with
Greta Garbo Greta Garbo (born Greta Lovisa Gustafsson; 18 September 1905 – 15 April 1990) was a Swedish-American actress. Regarded as one of the greatest screen actresses, she was known for her melancholic, somber persona, her film portrayals of tragedy, ...
,
Alfred Hitchcock Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock (13 August 1899 – 29 April 1980) was an English filmmaker. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the history of cinema. In a career spanning six decades, he directed over 50 featur ...
's ''
Rebecca Rebecca, ; Syriac: , ) from the Hebrew (lit., 'connection'), from Semitic root , 'to tie, couple or join', 'to secure', or 'to snare') () appears in the Hebrew Bible as the wife of Isaac and the mother of Jacob and Esau. According to biblical ...
'' (1940) and the
Frank Sinatra Francis Albert Sinatra (; December 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998) was an American singer and actor. Nicknamed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Chairman of the Board" and later called "Ol' Blue Eyes", Sinatra was one of the most popular ...
crime caper film ''
Assault on a Queen ''Assault on a Queen'' is a 1966 American action-adventure film directed by Jack Donohue and starring Frank Sinatra and Virna Lisi. Based on a 1959 novel by Jack Finney, it was adapted for the screen by Rod Serling and released by Paramount Pic ...
'' (1966). He made frequent appearances in television during the 1950s and 1960s. His last role was in ''
Batman Batman is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger, and debuted in Detective Comics 27, the 27th issue of the comic book ''Detective Comics'' on ...
'' (1966) as Commodore Schmidlapp. In 2020,
Kino Lorber Kino Lorber is an international film distribution company based in New York City. Founded in 1977, it was originally known as Kino International until it was acquired by and merged into Lorber HT Digital in 2009. It specializes in art house films, ...
released 4K restorations on DVD and Blu-ray of three of Denny's silent comedies: ''
The Reckless Age ''The Reckless Age'' is a 1924 American silent comedy-drama film directed by Harry A. Pollard and starring Reginald Denny. It was produced and distributed by Universal Pictures. It is based on the novel ''Love Insurance'' by Earl Derr Biggers a ...
, Skinner's Dress Suit'', and '' What Happened to Jones?'' in ''The Reginald Denny Collection.''


Aviation career

Denny served as an observer/gunner in the
First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
in the new wartime
Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and ...
. In the 1920s he performed as a stunt pilot with the 13 Black Cats and loaned his WWI
Sopwith Snipe The Sopwith 7F.1 Snipe was a British single-seat biplane fighter of the Royal Air Force (RAF). It was designed and built by the Sopwith Aviation Company during the First World War, and came into squadron service a few weeks before the end of th ...
biplane to
Howard Hughes Howard Robard Hughes Jr. (December 24, 1905 – April 5, 1976) was an American business magnate, record-setting pilot, engineer, film producer, and philanthropist, known during his lifetime as one of the most influential and richest people in th ...
for use in ''Hell's Angels'' (1927). In the early 1930s, Denny became interested in free-flight model airplanes. In 1934, he and oil tycoon
Max Whittier Max H. Whittier (1867–1925) was an American real estate developer and a pioneer in the early California petroleum industry. Biography Max Whittier (born Mericos Hector Whittier), was born to Charles G. Whittier and Ruth Keech, came to California ...
's son, Paul Whittier, formed Reginald Denny Industries and opened a model plane shop, which became a chain known as the Reginald Denny Hobby Shop, now California Hobby Distributors. He designed his "Dennyplane" with its signature model engine "Dennymite" developed by engineer Walter Righter, in addition to the "Denny Jr." which child actors would enter in model plane competitions at Mines Field, which later became
Los Angeles International Airport Los Angeles International Airport , commonly referred to as LAX (with each letter pronounced individually), is the primary international airport serving Los Angeles, California and its surrounding metropolitan area. LAX is located in the W ...
. In 1935, Denny began developing his
remote control In electronics, a remote control (also known as a remote or clicker) is an electronic device used to operate another device from a distance, usually wirelessly. In consumer electronics, a remote control can be used to operate devices such as ...
led "radioplane" for military use. In 1939, he and his partners won the first military
United States Army Air Corps The United States Army Air Corps (USAAC) was the aerial warfare service component of the United States Army between 1926 and 1941. After World War I, as early aviation became an increasingly important part of modern warfare, a philosophical r ...
contract for their radio-controlled target drone, the Radioplane OQ-2. In July 1940, they formed the
Radioplane Company The Radioplane Company was an American aviation company that produced drone aircraft primarily for use as gunnery targets. During World War II, they produced over 9,400 of their Radioplane OQ-3 model, a propeller-powered monoplane, making it the ...
and manufactured nearly fifteen thousand drones for the
US Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...
during the
Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
. The company was purchased by Northrop in 1952. Denny had a great deal in common with
Robert Loraine Robert Bilcliffe Loraine (14 January 1876 – 23 December 1935) was a successful London and Broadway British stage actor, actor-manager, and soldier who later enjoyed a side career as a pioneer aviator. Born in New Brighton, his father was Henr ...
, an older actor / Airman. They had been in a West End production together in 1902 in London, they were both veterans of the RFC (and its successor, the
Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and ...
) and were both still flying and making films in Hollywood in the 1930s.


Personal life

Denny married actress Irene Hilda Haismann on 28 January 1913 in
Calcutta Kolkata (, or , ; also known as Calcutta , List of renamed places in India#West Bengal, the official name until 2001) is the Capital city, capital of the Indian States and union territories of India, state of West Bengal, on the eastern ba ...
; both were with the Bandmann Opera Company. They had one daughter but were divorced in 1928. Denny married actress Isabelle "Betsy Lee" Stiefel in 1928 and they had three children.


Death

Denny died on 16 June 1967, aged 75, after suffering a stroke whilst visiting his sister in his home town of Richmond, England. He was interred at Forest Lawn-Hollywood Hills Cemetery in
Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
, California.Pucci, Kimberly: ''Prince of Drones: The Reginald Denny Story'', October 2019. His four children and wife Isabelle (died 1996, aged 89) survived him.


Partial filmography


Silent

* ''Niobe'' (1915) as Cornelius Griffin * '' The Melting Pot'' (1915) as Undetermined Role (uncredited) * ''
The Red Lantern ''The Red Lantern'' is a 1919 American silent drama film starring Alla Nazimova, who plays dual roles, and directed by Albert Capellani. It is notable today for being Anna May Wong's screen debut. A single print survives in Europe with rumors o ...
'' (1919) * ''Bringing Up Betty'' (1919) as Tom Waring * '' The Oakdale Affair'' (1919) as Arthur Stockbridge * ''
A Dark Lantern ''A Dark Lantern'' is a lost 1920 American silent drama film produced and released by Realart Pictures. It is based on a 1905 novel of the same name by Elizabeth Robins. John S. Robertson directed and Alice Brady and her then husband James Cr ...
'' (1920) as Prince Anton * '' 39 East'' (1920) as Napoleon Gibbs Jr. * ''
Paying the Piper ''Paying the Piper'' is a 1949 Warner Bros. ''Looney Tunes'' cartoon directed by Robert McKimson. The short was released on March 12, 1949, and stars Porky Pig. It is a parody of the fairy tale The Pied Piper and it involves Porky trying to stop a ...
'' (1921) as Keith Larne * ''
The Price of Possession ''The Price of Possession'' is a lost 1921 American silent romantic drama film directed by Hugh Ford and starring Ethel Clayton. It was produced by Jesse Lasky. Cast * Ethel Clayton as Helen Carston *Rockliffe Fellowes as Jim Barston, A Bush ...
'' (1921) as Robert Dawnay * ''
Experience Experience refers to conscious events in general, more specifically to perceptions, or to the practical knowledge and familiarity that is produced by these conscious processes. Understood as a conscious event in the widest sense, experience involv ...
'' (1921) * ''
Disraeli Benjamin Disraeli, 1st Earl of Beaconsfield, (21 December 1804 – 19 April 1881) was a British statesman and Conservative Party (UK), Conservative politician who twice served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. He played a centr ...
'' (1921) as Charles, Viscount Deeford * ''
Footlights Cambridge University Footlights Dramatic Club, commonly referred to simply as the Footlights, is an amateur theatrical club in Cambridge, England, founded in 1883 and run by the students of Cambridge University. History Footlights' inaugural ...
'' (1921) as Brett Page * ''The Beggar Maid'' (1921, Short) as the Earl of Winston / King Cophetua * ''
Tropical Love ''Tropical Love'' is a 1921 American silent drama film directed by Ralph Ince and starring Ruth Clifford, Reginald Denny and Huntley Gordon.Munden p.832 It was partly shot on location in Puerto Rico. Cast * Ruth Clifford as Rosario * F.A. Tu ...
'' (1921) as the Drifter * ''
The Iron Trail ''The Iron Trail'' is a 1921 American silent adventure film directed by Roy William Neill and written by Dorothy Farnum. The film stars Wyndham Standing, Thurston Hall, Reginald Denny, Alma Tell, and Harlan Knight. The film was released on Oct ...
'' (1921) as Dan Appleton * ''Let's Go'' (1922, Short) as Kane Halliday / 'Kid' Roberts * ''Round Two'' (1922, Short) as Kane 'Kid Roberts' Halliday * ''
Sherlock Holmes Sherlock Holmes () is a fictional detective created by British author Arthur Conan Doyle. Referring to himself as a " consulting detective" in the stories, Holmes is known for his proficiency with observation, deduction, forensic science and ...
'' (1922) as Prince Alexis * ''Payment Through the Nose'' (1922, Short) as Kane Halliday / Kid Roberts * ''
The Leather Pushers ''The Leather Pushers'' is a 1922 American film serial starring Reginald Denny (and Billy Sullivan in the fourth series), and based on boxing stories by H. C. Witwer originally published in ''Collier's Weekly''. The screenplays were written by ...
'' (1922) as Kane Halliday / Kid Roberts * ''A Fool and His Money'' (1922, Short) as Kane Halliday / Kid Roberts * ''The Taming of the Shrewd'' (1922, Short) as Kane Halliday / Kid Roberts * ''Whipsawed'' (1922, Short) as Kane Halliday / Kid Roberts * ''Never Let Go'' (1922, Short) as Campbell - the Mountie * ''The Jaws of Steel'' (1922, Short) as Cpl. Haldene, N.W.M.P. * ''Plain Grit'' (1922, Short) * '' The Kentucky Derby'' (1922) as Donald Gordon * ''Young King Cole'' (1922, Short) as Kane Halliday / Kid Roberts * ''He Raised Kane'' (1922) as Kane Halliday / Kid Roberts * ''The Chickasha Bone Crusher'' (1923, Short) as Kane Halliday / Kid Roberts * ''When Kane Met Abel'' (1923, Short) as Kane Halliday / Kid Roberts * ''Strike Father, Strike Son'' (1923, Short) as Kane Halliday / Kid Roberts * ''Joan of Newark'' (1923, Short) as Kane Halliday / Kid Roberts * ''
The Abysmal Brute ''The Abysmal Brute'' is a novel by American writer Jack London, published in book form in 1913. It is a short novel, and could be regarded as a novelette. It first appeared in September 1911 in ''Popular Magazine''. In the story, a man who wa ...
'' (1923) as Pat Glendon, Jr * ''The Wandering Two'' (1923, Short) as Kane Halliday / Kid Roberts * ''The Widower's Mite'' (1923, Short) as Kane Halliday / Kid Roberts * ''Don Coyote'' (1923, Short) as Kane Halliday / Kid Roberts * ''Something for Nothing'' (1923, Short) as Kane Halliday / Kid Roberts * ''Columbia, the Gem, and the Ocean'' (1923, Short) as Kane Halliday / Kid Roberts * ''Barnaby's Grudge'' (1923, Short) as Kane Halliday / Kid Roberts * ''
The Thrill Chaser ''The Thrill Chaser'' is a 1923 American silent Western film directed by Edward Sedgwick and featuring Hoot Gibson. Plot As described in a film magazine, Omar K. Jenkins' (Gibson) only inheritance from an eccentric father is a copy of the ''Ru ...
'' (1924) as Cameo appearance * ''
Sporting Youth ''Sporting Youth'' is a 1924 American silent comedy film directed by Harry A. Pollard and starring Reginald Denny. It was produced and distributed by the Universal Pictures. Plot As described in a film magazine review, Jimmy Wood, chauffeur, i ...
'' (1924) as Jimmy Wood * ''
The Reckless Age ''The Reckless Age'' is a 1924 American silent comedy-drama film directed by Harry A. Pollard and starring Reginald Denny. It was produced and distributed by Universal Pictures. It is based on the novel ''Love Insurance'' by Earl Derr Biggers a ...
'' (1924) as Dick Minot * '' The Fast Worker'' (1924) as Terry Brock * '' Oh Doctor!'' (1925) as Rufus Billings Jr. * ''
I'll Show You the Town ''I'll Show You the Town'' is a 1925 American comedy film directed by Harry A. Pollard and written by Raymond L. Schrock and Harvey F. Thew. It is based on the 1924 novel ''I'll Show You the Town'' by Elmer Davis. The film stars Reginald Denn ...
'' (1925) as Alec Dupree * '' Where Was I?'' (1925) as Thomas S. Berford * '' California Straight Ahead'' (1925) as Tom Hayden * '' What Happened to Jones'' (1926) as Tom Jones * '' Skinner's Dress Suit'' (1926) as Skinner * '' Rolling Home'' (1926) as Nat Alden * '' Take It from Me'' (1926) as Tom Eggett * ''
The Cheerful Fraud ''The Cheerful Fraud'' is a 1927 American silent comedy film directed by William A. Seiter and starring Reginald Denny, Gertrude Olmstead, and Otis Harlan. It was produced and distributed by Universal Pictures. It is based on a 1925 novel o ...
'' (1926) as Sir Michael Fairlie * ''
Fast and Furious ''Fast & Furious'' (also known as ''The Fast and the Furious'') is a media franchise centered on a series of action films that are largely concerned with street racing, heists, spies, and family. The franchise also includes short films, a ...
'' (1927) as Tom Brown * '' Out All Night'' (1927) as John Graham * ''
On Your Toes ''On Your Toes'' (1936) is a musical with a book by Richard Rodgers, George Abbott, and Lorenz Hart, music by Rodgers, and lyrics by Hart. It was adapted into a film in 1939. While teaching music at Knickerbocker University, Phil "Junior" Dol ...
'' (1927) as Elliott Beresford * ''
That's My Daddy ''That's My Daddy'' is a 1928 American silent comedy starring Reginald Denny (actor), Reginald Denny and Barbara Kent. The film's story is credited to Denny; though the direction is credited to Fred C. Newmeyer, Denny claimed to have directed mos ...
'' (1927) as James 'Jimmy' Norton * '' Good Morning, Judge'' (1928) as Freddie Grey * '' The Night Bird'' (1928) as Kid Davis (his last silent film)


Sound

* ''
Red Hot Speed ''Red Hot Speed'' is a 1929 American comedy film directed by Joseph Henabery and starring Reginald Denny, Alice Day and Charles Byer. It was made during the conversion from silent to sound film, and had talking sequences using the Movietone re ...
'' (1929) as Darrow * ''
Clear the Decks ''Clear the Decks'' is a 1929 American comedy film directed by Joseph Henabery and written by Earle Snell, Gladys Lehman, Albert DeMond and Charles Henry Smith. It is based on the 1926 novel ''When the Devil Was Sick'' by E.J. Rath. The film st ...
'' (1929) as Jack Armitage * '' His Lucky Day'' (1929) as Charles Blaydon * ''
One Hysterical Night ''One Hysterical Night'' is a 1929 American pre-Code comedy film directed by William James Craft and starring Reginald Denny, Nora Lane, Walter Brennan and Peter Gawthorne. Plot summary A wealthy man dresses up as Napoleon for a fancy dress ...
'' (1929) as William 'Napoleon' Judd * '' Embarrassing Moments'' (1930) as Thaddeus Cruikshank * '' What a Man!'' (1930) as Wade Rawlins * ''
Madam Satan ''Madam Satan'' or ''Madame Satan'' is a 1930 American pre-Code musical comedy film in black and white with Multicolor sequences. It was produced and directed by Cecil B. DeMille and starred Kay Johnson, Reginald Denny, Lillian Roth, and Rolan ...
'' (1930) as Bob Brooks * ''
Those Three French Girls ''Those Three French Girls '' is a 1930 American Pre-Code comedy film directed by Harry Beaumont and starring Fifi D'Orsay, Reginald Denny, and Cliff Edwards. The dialogue was written by P. G. Wodehouse.A Lady's Morals ''A Lady's Morals'' is a 1930 American pre-Code film offering a highly fictionalized account of opera singer Jenny Lind. The movie features Grace Moore as Lind, Reginald Denny as a lover, and Wallace Beery as P. T. Barnum. The film contains som ...
'' (1930) as Paul Brandt * ''
Oh, for a Man! ''Oh, For a Man!'' is a 1930 American black-and-white musical comedy film based on a short story, "Stolen Thunder" by Mary F. Watkins. The original story appeared in The Saturday Evening Post June 7, 1930. Lugosi's character of Frescatti was lat ...
'' (1930) as Barney McGann * '' Parlor, Bedroom and Bath'' (1931) as Jeffrey Haywood * '' Kiki'' (1931) as Victor Randall * '' Stepping Out'' (1931) as Tom Martin * ''
Private Lives ''Private Lives'' is a 1930 comedy of manners in three acts by Noël Coward. It concerns a divorced couple who, while honeymooning with their new spouses, discover that they are staying in adjacent rooms at the same hotel. Despite a perpetuall ...
'' (1931) as Victor * '' Strange Justice'' (1932) as Judson * ''The Iron Master'' (1933) as Steve Mason * '' The Barbarian'' (1933) as Gerald Hume - Diana's Fiancée * ''
The Big Bluff The Big Bluff may refer to: * The Big Bluff (1955 film), an American film directed by W. Lee Wilder * The Big Bluff (1933 German film), a comedy film directed by Georg Jacoby * The Big Bluff (1933 American film) ''The Big Bluff'' is a 1933 Amer ...
'' (1933) * '' Only Yesterday'' (1933) as Bob * ''
Fog Fog is a visible aerosol consisting of tiny water droplets or ice crystals suspended in the air at or near the Earth's surface. Reprint from Fog can be considered a type of low-lying cloud usually resembling stratus, and is heavily influ ...
'' (1933) as Dr. Winstay * ''
The Lost Patrol The Lost Patrol is an American rock band whose music falls into the categories of experimental, gothic, post-punk, dark wave, ethereal wave, folk, alternative country, shoegazing, Spaghetti Western and " surf-a-billy". The band uses electric gu ...
'' (1934) as Brown * ''
Dancing Man ''Dancing Man'' is the name given to a photograph of a man who was filmed dancing on the street in Sydney, Australia, after the end of World War II. On 15 August 1945, a cameraman, Jim Pearson, took note of a man's joyful expression and dance ...
'' (1934) as Paul Drexel * ''
The World Moves On ''The World Moves On'' is a 1934 American drama film directed by John Ford and starring Madeleine Carroll and Franchot Tone. It was the first Hollywood code approved film. Plot The story opens in the year 1825, when two families, cotton merch ...
'' (1934) as Erik von Gerhardt * ''
Of Human Bondage ''Of Human Bondage'' is a 1915 novel by W. Somerset Maugham. The novel is generally agreed to be Maugham's masterpiece and to be strongly autobiographical in nature, although he stated, "This is a novel, not an autobiography; though much in i ...
'' (1934) as Griffiths * '' We're Rich Again'' (1934) as Bookington 'Bookie' Wells * ''
One More River ''One More River'' is a 1934 American drama film mystery directed by James Whale. It was produced and distributed by Universal Pictures and starred Colin Clive, Diana Wynyard and stage actress Mrs Patrick Campbell in one of her very few films. T ...
'' (1934) as David Dornford * '' The Richest Girl in the World'' (1934) as Phillip Lockwood * '' The Little Minister'' (1934) as Captain Halliwell * ''
Lottery Lover ''Lottery Lover'' is a 1935 American comedy film directed by Wilhelm Thiele and written by Franz Schulz and Billy Wilder. The film stars Lew Ayres, Pat Paterson, Peggy Fears, Sterling Holloway, Walter Woolf King and Alan Dinehart. The film wa ...
'' (1935) as Capt. Payne * '' Without Children'' (1935) as Phil Graham * ''
Vagabond Lady ''Vagabond Lady'' is a 1935 American comedy film directed by Sam Taylor and written by Frank Butler. The film stars Robert Young and Evelyn Venable. The film was released on May 3, 1935, by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Plot Irresponsible, happy-go-luc ...
'' (1935) as John 'Johnny' Spear * ''
No More Ladies ''No More Ladies'' is a 1935 American romantic comedy film directed by Edward H. Griffith. The film stars Joan Crawford and Robert Montgomery, and co-stars Charlie Ruggles, Franchot Tone, and Edna May Oliver. The screenplay credited to Donald ...
'' (1935) as Oliver * ''
Here's to Romance ''Here's to Romance'' is a 1935 American musical comedy film directed by Alfred E. Green and starring Nino Martini, Genevieve Tobin and Anita Louise.Solomon p. 359 Synopsis The wife of a music teacher, who has been angered by her husband's phi ...
'' (1935) as Emery Gerard * ''
Anna Karenina ''Anna Karenina'' ( rus, «Анна Каренина», p=ˈanːə kɐˈrʲenʲɪnə) is a novel by the Russian author Leo Tolstoy, first published in book form in 1878. Widely considered to be one of the greatest works of literature ever writt ...
'' (1935) as Yashvin * ''
The Lady in Scarlet ''The Lady in Scarlet'' is a 1935 American comedy drama film directed by Charles Lamont. It was made by Chesterfield Motion Pictures Corporation. Plot In New York City, Dr. Phillip Boyer purchases an antique clock at the premises of antique d ...
'' (1935) as Oliver Keith * '' Remember Last Night?'' (1935) as Jake Whitridge * ''
Midnight Phantom ''Midnight Phantom'' is a 1935 American film directed by Bernard B. Ray. Plot summary Cast * Reginald Denny as Prof. David Graham * Claudia Dell as Diana Sullivan (misspelled Diane Sullivan in opening credits) * Lloyd Hughes as Police Lt ...
'' (1935) as Prof. David Graham * ''
The Preview Murder Mystery ''The Preview Murder Mystery'' is a 1936 American mystery-comedy, directed by Robert Florey and shot in the Paramount studio. The plot follows a studio public relations man who attempts to trap a killer using television technology, allowing on ...
'' (1936) as Johnny Morgan * ''
It Couldn't Have Happened - But It Did It or IT may refer to: * It (pronoun), in English * Information technology Arts and media Film and television * ''It'' (1927 film), a film starring Clara Bow * '' It! The Terror from Beyond Space'', a 1958 science fiction film * ''It!'' (1967 ...
'' (1936) as Greg Stone * ''
Romeo and Juliet ''Romeo and Juliet'' is a Shakespearean tragedy, tragedy written by William Shakespeare early in his career about the romance between two Italian youths from feuding families. It was among Shakespeare's most popular plays during his lifetim ...
'' (1936) as Benvolio - Nephew to Montgue and Friend to Romeo * ''
Two in a Crowd ''Two in a Crowd'' is a 1936 romantic comedy film directed by Alfred E. Green and starring Joan Bennett and Joel McCrea. It was released by Universal Pictures. The screenplay was written by Lewis R. Foster, Doris Malloy, and Earle Snell, based ...
'' (1936) as James Stewart Anthony * ''
More Than a Secretary ''More Than a Secretary'' is a 1936 American romantic comedy film directed by Alfred E. Green and written by Dale Van Every and Lynn Starling. The story was adapted by Ethel Hill and Aben Kandel, based on the magazine story "Safari in Manhattan ...
'' (1936) as Bill Houston * ''
We're in the Legion Now! ''We're in the Legion Now'' is a 1936 American adventure comedy film directed by Crane Wilbur and shot in Magnacolor. The film is also known as ''The Rest Cure'' (American reissue title), which was the title of the 1934 original J.D. Newsom stor ...
'' (1936) as Dan Linton * ''
Bulldog Drummond Escapes ''Bulldog Drummond Escapes'' is a 1937 American film directed by James P. Hogan starring Ray Milland as Capt. Hugh "Bulldog" Drummond. Paramount continued with the Bulldog Drummond series, producing seven more films over the next two years. Th ...
'' (1937) as Algy Longworth * ''
Join the Marines ''Join the Marines'' is a 1937 American action film directed by Ralph Staub and written by Joseph Krumgold and Olive Cooper. The film stars Paul Kelly, June Travis, Purnell Pratt, Reginald Denny, Warren Hymer and Irving Pichel. It was released ...
'' (1937) as Steve Lodge * ''
Women of Glamour ''Women of Glamour'' is a 1937 American comedy film directed by Gordon Wiles and starring Virginia Bruce, Melvyn Douglas and Reginald Denny.Goble p.1022 It is a remake of the 1930 film ''Ladies of Leisure'', which was itself based on the 1926 si ...
'' (1937) as Fritz 'Frederick' Eagan * '' Let's Get Married'' (1937) as George Willoughby * ''
The Great Gambini ''The Great Gambini'' is a 1937 American mystery film directed by Charles Vidor and written by Frederick J. Jackson, Frank Partos and Howard Irving Young. The film stars Akim Tamiroff, Marian Marsh, John Trent, Genevieve Tobin, Reginald Den ...
'' (1937) as William Randall * ''
Jungle Menace ''Jungle Menace'' (1937) is the first serial released by Columbia Pictures. Based on the success of Republic Pictures's 1936 serial '' Darkest Africa'', starring real-life animal trainer Clyde Beatty, Columbia made this exotic jungle serial ...
'' (1937, Serial) as Ralph Marshall hs.1-3* '' Bulldog Drummond Comes Back'' (1937) as Algy Longworth * ''
Beg, Borrow or Steal ''Beg, Borrow or Steal'' is a 1937 American comedy film directed by Wilhelm Thiele and written by Leonard Lee, Harry Ruskin and Marion Parsonnet. The film stars Frank Morgan, Florence Rice, John Beal, Janet Beecher, Herman Bing and Erik Rho ...
'' (1937) as Clifton Summitt * ''
Bulldog Drummond's Revenge ''Bulldog Drummond's Revenge'' is a 1937 American adventure mystery film directed by Louis King, produced by Stuart Walker, written by Edward T. Lowe Jr. and Herman C. McNeile (novel), and featuring John Barrymore. The picture stars John Howa ...
'' (1937) as Algy Longworth * ''
Bulldog Drummond's Peril ''Bulldog Drummond's Peril'' is a 1938 American adventure crime mystery film directed by James P. Hogan and starring John Barrymore and John Howard. The film is based on Herman C. McNeile's novel '' The Third Round''. Plot The intended wedding ...
'' (1938) as Algy Longworth * ''
Four Men and a Prayer ''Four Men and a Prayer'' is a 1938 American adventure film directed by John Ford and starring Loretta Young, Richard Greene and George Sanders. Plot After Loring Leigh (C. Aubrey Smith), a British Army Officer, is cashiered in India followin ...
'' (1938) as Capt. Douglas Loveland * ''
Blockade A blockade is the act of actively preventing a country or region from receiving or sending out food, supplies, weapons, or communications, and sometimes people, by military force. A blockade differs from an embargo or sanction, which are le ...
'' (1938) as Edward Grant * ''
Bulldog Drummond in Africa ''Bulldog Drummond in Africa'' is a 1938 American adventure crime film. This was the 13th of 25 in the Bulldog Drummond film series from 1922 to 1969. Plot summary Again on the eve of his wedding, Captain Hugh Drummond (John Howard) has more pr ...
'' (1938) as Algy Longworth * '' Arrest Bulldog Drummond'' (1938) as Algy Longworth * '' Bulldog Drummond's Secret Police'' (1939) as Algy Longworth * ''
Everybody's Baby ''Everybody's Baby'' is a 1939 American comedy film directed by Malcolm St. Clair and starring Jed Prouty, Shirley Deane and Spring Byington. It was part of Twentieth Century Fox's Jones Family series of films.Drew p.180 The film's art direction ...
'' (1939) as Dr. Pilcoff * '' Bulldog Drummond's Bride'' (1939) as Algy Longworth * ''
Rebecca Rebecca, ; Syriac: , ) from the Hebrew (lit., 'connection'), from Semitic root , 'to tie, couple or join', 'to secure', or 'to snare') () appears in the Hebrew Bible as the wife of Isaac and the mother of Jacob and Esau. According to biblical ...
'' (1940) as Frank Crawley * ''
Spring Parade ''Spring Parade'' is a 1940 American musical comedy film directed by Henry Koster and starring Deanna Durbin. It is a remake of the 1934 film. Plot Based on a story by Ernst Marischka, the film is about a Hungarian woman who attends a Viennese ...
'' (1940) as the Major * '' Seven Sinners'' (1940) as Captain Church * ''
One Night in Lisbon ''One Night in Lisbon'' is a 1941 American thriller film directed by Edward H. Griffith and starring Fred MacMurray, Madeleine Carroll and Patricia Morison. It was one of a cycle of pro-British films produced in Hollywood before the United Stat ...
'' (1941) as Erich Strasser * '' International Squadron'' (1941) as Wing Commander Severn * ''
Appointment for Love ''Appointment for Love'' is a 1941 romantic comedy film directed by William A. Seiter and starring Charles Boyer and Margaret Sullavan. It was made by Universal Pictures. It was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Sound, Recording ( Bern ...
'' (1941) as Michael Dailey * ''
Captains of the Clouds ''Captains of the Clouds'' ( ''Shadows of Their Wings'') is a 1942 American war film in Technicolor, directed by Michael Curtiz and starring James Cagney. It was produced by William Cagney (Cagney's brother), with Hal B. Wallis as executive pro ...
'' (1942) as Commanding Officer * ''
Sherlock Holmes and the Voice of Terror ''Sherlock Holmes and the Voice of Terror'' is a 1942 American mystery thriller film based on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes detective stories. The film combines elements of Doyle's short story " His Last Bow", to which it is credited ...
'' (1942) as Sir Evan Barham * ''
Eyes in the Night ''Eyes in the Night'' is a 1942 American crime mystery directed by Fred Zinnemann, based on Baynard Kendrick's 1941 novel ''The Odor of Violets'' and starring Edward Arnold, Ann Harding and Donna Reed. The film was followed by a sequel (also ...
'' (1942) as Stephen Lawry * '' Thunder Birds'' (1942) as Barrett * '' Over My Dead Body'' (1942) as Richard 'Dick' Brenner * ''
The Crime Doctor's Strangest Case ''The Crime Doctor's Strangest Case'' is a 1943 American mystery film directed by Eugene Forde and starring Warner Baxter, Lynn Merrick and Gloria Dickson.Erickson p.203 It is the second in a series of Crime Doctor films made by Columbia Picture ...
'' (1943) as Paul Ashley * ''
Song of the Open Road ''Song of the Open Road'' is a 1944 Musical film, musical comedy film directed by S. Sylvan Simon, from a screenplay by Irving Phillips and Edward Verdier. It was the debut film of teenage singer Jane Powell. Powell's real name was Suzanne Burce ...
'' (1944) as Director Curtis * ''
Love Letters A love letter is an expression of love in written form. However delivered, the letter may be anything from a short and simple message of love to a lengthy explanation and description of feelings. History One of the oldest references to a l ...
'' (1945) as Defense Counsel Phillips * ''
Tangier Tangier ( ; ; ar, طنجة, Ṭanja) is a city in northwestern Morocco. It is on the Moroccan coast at the western entrance to the Strait of Gibraltar, where the Mediterranean Sea meets the Atlantic Ocean off Cape Spartel. The town is the cap ...
'' (1946) as Fernandez * ''
The Locket The Locket may refer to: *The Locket (1946 film) ''The Locket'' is a 1946 American psychological thriller with noirish undertones directed by John Brahm, starring Laraine Day, Brian Aherne, Robert Mitchum, and Gene Raymond, and released by RKO ...
'' (1946) as Mr. Wendell * ''
My Favorite Brunette ''My Favorite Brunette'' is a 1947 American romantic comedy film and film noir parody, directed by Elliott Nugent and starring Bob Hope and Dorothy Lamour. Written by Edmund Beloin and Jack Rose, the film is about a baby photographer on death r ...
'' (1947) as James Collins * ''
The Macomber Affair ''The Macomber Affair'' is a 1947 film directed by Zoltan Korda and distributed by United Artists. Set in British East Africa, its plot concerns a fatal love triangle involving a frustrated wife, a weak husband, and the professional hunter who co ...
'' (1947) as Police Inspector * ''
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" (1939) is a short story by James Thurber. The most famous of Thurber's stories, it first appeared in ''The New Yorker'' on March 18, 1939, and was first collected in his book '' My World and Welcome to It'' ( Ha ...
'' (1947) as Colonel * ''
Christmas Eve Christmas Eve is the evening or entire day before Christmas Day, the festival commemorating the birth of Jesus. Christmas Day is observed around the world, and Christmas Eve is widely observed as a full or partial holiday in anticipation ...
'' (1947) as Phillip Hastings * '' Escape Me Never'' (1947) as Mr. MacLean * ''
Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House ''Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House'' is a 1948 American comedy film directed by H. C. Potter and starring Cary Grant, Myrna Loy, and Melvyn Douglas. Written and produced by the team of Melvin Frank and Norman Panama, it was an adaptation ...
'' (1948) as Simms * ''
The Iroquois Trail ''The Iroquois Trail'' is a 1950 American Western film directed by Phil Karlson starring George Montgomery and Brenda Marshall. It is set during the French-Indian War. It is an adaptation of James Fenimore Cooper's 1826 work ''The Last of ...
'' (1950) as Capt. Edward Brownell * ''
Fort Vengeance ''Fort Vengeance'' (aka ''Royal Mounted Police'') is a 1953 American Western film directed by Lesley Selander and starring James Craig, Rita Moreno and Keith Larsen.Abbott and Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde'' (1953) as Inspector * '' World for Ransom'' (1954) as Maj. Ian Bone * '' Sabaka'' (1954) as Sir Cedric * ''
Escape to Burma ''Escape to Burma'' is a 1955 American Technicolor adventure film directed by Allan Dwan starring Barbara Stanwyck, Robert Ryan and David Farrar (actor), David Farrar. The film was based on the short story "Bow Tamely to Me" by Kenneth Perkins, ...
'' (1955) as Commissioner * ''
The Donald O'Connor Show ''The Donald O'Connor Show'' (also known as ''Here Comes Donald'') is an American musical situation comedy television series starring singer/dancer Donald O'Connor. It appeared on NBC from October 9, 1954, to September 10, 1955, alternating on t ...
'' (NBC) (1955) as Himself * ''
Around the World in 80 Days ''Around the World in Eighty Days'' (french: link=no, Le tour du monde en quatre-vingts jours) is an adventure novel by the French writer Jules Verne, first published in French in 1872. In the story, Phileas Fogg of London and his newly employe ...
'' (1956) as Bombay Police Inspector * ''
Cat Ballou ''Cat Ballou'' is a 1965 American western comedy film starring Jane Fonda and Lee Marvin, who won an Academy Award for Best Actor for his dual role. The story involves a woman who hires a notorious gunman to protect her father's ranch, and late ...
'' (1965) as Sir Harry Percival * ''
Batman Batman is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger, and debuted in Detective Comics 27, the 27th issue of the comic book ''Detective Comics'' on ...
'' Series TV (1966, episodes 11 and 12) as King Boris * ''
Assault on a Queen ''Assault on a Queen'' is a 1966 American action-adventure film directed by Jack Donohue and starring Frank Sinatra and Virna Lisi. Based on a 1959 novel by Jack Finney, it was adapted for the screen by Rod Serling and released by Paramount Pic ...
'' (1966) as Master-at-Arms * ''
Batman Batman is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger, and debuted in Detective Comics 27, the 27th issue of the comic book ''Detective Comics'' on ...
'' (1966) as Commodore Schmidlapp (final acting role)


References


External links

*Prince of Drones: The Reginald Denny Story by Kimberly Pucci (Bearmanor Media, 2019

* *
Photographs and literature
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Denny, Reginald 1891 births 1967 deaths Military personnel from Surrey Burials in California Male actors from London Burials at Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills) British Army personnel of World War I English aviators English male film actors English male silent film actors English male stage actors English male television actors English expatriates in the United States Male actors from Surrey Royal Air Force officers 20th-century English male actors Royal Flying Corps officers Royal Air Force personnel of World War I Silent film comedians Aircraft designers British expatriate male actors in the United States 20th-century English businesspeople