Happy Birthday Reginald Denny!

Reginald Denny photographed in the 1920's by Freulich.

Reginald Denny was born Reginald Leigh Dugmore on November 20th, 1891 in Richmond, Surrey, England. I recently discovered that he had this amazing career as a comedic leading man during the silent era at Universal Pictures! I had only seen him in supporting roles, until watching the wonderfully strange Madam Satan (1930), where he was the male lead opposite a lovely Kay Johnson. I was interested in learning more about him so, here we are!

He was so swoon-worthy. If I had been alive during the 1920's, I would have had pictures of him all over my wall!

Unfortunately, very few of  Denny's silent comedies are available to watch on DVD, but thanks to Grapevine Video, there are some that are and they're fabulous! His work in silent movies deem to be rediscovered to a younger audience.

Reginald Denny was an incredibly popular leading man, who eventually after the introduction of "talking pictures", began being cast in supporting roles (which I do not understand, as he still had quite a few years that he could have been a leading man, but that is for another post). Mr. Denny also had this other fascinating career in manufacturing model airplanes and being one of the founding fathers of the drone!

Click on the link below to learn more about his many accomplishments on and off the screen! Happy Birthday to this interesting man who deserves to be more remembered (a common theme on this blog!)!

http://www.ctie.monash.edu/hargrave/denny.html



Reginald Denny and Laura La Plante in the charming comedy, Skinner's Dress Suit (1926).

Reginald Denny and Kay Johnson in Madam Satan (1930).

Reginald Denny and Fay Wray in The Richest Girl in The World (1934).