Reginald Denny (November 20, 1891 – June 16, 1967) was a multitalented English actor who, after a successful career as a romantic leading man in silent films, became a beloved character actor, an aviator, and a pioneering inventor of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
Denny was a popular star of the silent era, often playing dashing heroes in comedies and action films. With the advent of sound, he transitioned into a durable character actor, known for his polished British charm. His most memorable roles include the loyal friend Frank Crawley in Alfred Hitchcock’s Rebecca (1940), Algy Longworth in the popular Bulldog Drummond film series, and a supporting part in the comedy classic Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House (1948).
A passionate aviator and former WWI pilot, Denny became a key figure in the development of modern drone technology. In the 1930s, he founded the Reginald Denny Hobby Shop and later the Radioplane Company, which won the first major military contract to mass-produce radio-controlled target drones for the U.S. Army during World War II. It was on his factory assembly line that a young worker named Norma Jeane Mortenson was discovered, who would later become Marilyn Monroe.
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reginald_Denny_(actor)
