Reginald Denny's Hobby Shop in 1961

Above is a photo I took in 1961. On the North side of Hollywood Boulevard, visible just as you exited the Hollywood Freeway offramp, this pretty, neat-as-a-pin shop that Mr.Denny still visited at that time.

An aviator in World War I, Reginald Denny began an acting career in England when the war ended.  Sometimes he played the sidekick in the Bulldog Drummond series. (Along with - sigh - Heather Angel). He ultimately wrote screenplays, too, and finally came to Hollywood with many other English actors during the depression.

After forming Denny Industries (A California Corporation) in 1934, he began selling his models at this location in 1935 and Jay's Models on Melrose (just south of Hollywood). He also sold them nationally through the mail.

In 1938 He bought the rights to an engine design from Walter Righter, manufacturing and selling it as the "Dennymite". He kept the shop open until around 1963 when it was sold to "Colonel Tom's" further south in West Los Angeles.

Sadly, today on this same corner you can only score some recreational drugs, get panhandled or engage a prostitute.