The Book

“A story of stardom and early airplanes that spins like a propeller and reads like a captivating motion picture!” – Pen Densham, Bestselling Author, Oscar Nominated and Award-Winning Filmmaker, Motion Picture and Television Producer, Director, and Writer.

“Kim Pucci has richly captured the essence of Old Hollywood through the life of iconic film legend, Reginald Denny. Not only did Denny star in over 200 films, he was also a hit on Broadway and television. How he found the time and energy to also invent the drone is beyond comprehension, but his legacy lives on today because of it. A great read - I can't recommend it highly enough! Bravo, Kim!” – Robin Hutton, New York Times Bestselling Author and Filmmaker

“Prince of Drones is the remarkable story of Reginald Denny, a forgotten luminary in Hollywood and aviation history. Kim Pucci’s frank and compelling text, along with a trove of behind-the-scenes photographs, shines a light on Denny and brings him to life as an actor, family man, World War I fighter pilot, RC airplane hobbyist, and innovative visionary for military unmanned aircraft. It is the last category that will surprise most people. The tale of his trials and perseverance during the development of his early target drone aircraft, along with the formation of the Radioplane Company and his eventual ouster, is as dramatic as any Hollywood movie. Hollywood and aviation helped build Southern California into the dynamic region it is today. In Prince of Drones they are intimately entwined in the saga of Reginald Denny.” – Tony Chong, Bestselling Author and Sector Historian, Northrop Grumman Corporation, Aerospace Systems

“Reginald Denny represents the early history of our American film industry and its connection to aviation. In Prince of Drones, Kim Pucci gallantly brings her legendary grandfather’s legacy to life in this historically factual and magnificent biographical account of the “Hollywood Dronemaker.” – Marc Wanamaker, Bestselling Historical Author, Award-Winning Noted Hollywood and Film Historian

“Wow. The first chapter reads like a Game of Thrones episode. Reginald Denny overcame obstacles in his life that would have certainly stopped others. His resume of successful films is a life in itself; add to it his flying accomplishments and you have the inspiring life that truly made a difference. Not only was Denny in the middle of film and aviation during its Golden Era, he was visionary in seeing the potential of drones. Could this be made into a movie? Absolutely.” – Major General David J. Eichhorn, Former Commander of the Air Force Flight Test Center (AFFTC), Edwards Air Force Base

The granddaughter of legendary actor and unmanned aviation pioneer Reginald Denny, Kim Pucci was a natural in the world of Hollywood from the start. At her baptism, godmother Patricia Hitchcock had to keep “The Birds” away from the sacred blessed water bowl while holding the infant during the ceremony, and Kim’s first backstage visit was at one when she was held in the arms of Julie Andrews during the original Broadway run of My Fair Lady. Years later, trips to Vegas were a regular occurrence where she hung out with the Rat Pack while her uncle Ed Pucci protected Frank Sinatra as his famed bodyguard. From there, Kim’s life and professional career went on to include exciting passages surrounded by colorful icons in the worlds of aviation, film, music, and television. Also surrounded by animals in her youth, Kim grew up with horses as an avid “horse whisperer” and spent her free time devoted to practicing natural horsemanship. Having a passion for nature and living along coastal regions of Southern California, Texas, Hawaii, Vancouver, and Puerto Rico, Kim was equally drawn to sea mammals. While working as an airline executive in Hawaii, Kim studied with John Lilly and his Human Dolphin Foundation where she further began to understand cetacean and sea raptor behavior. There, Kim witnessed the trauma dolphins experienced after just being captured from the wild and decided to take a different route with her exposure to sea life. Returning to Los Angeles, Kim would begin her quest to protect sea mammals and help those who were doing something about preserving nature by organizing fundraisers for associations such as the Cousteau Society, EMA, and Earth Communications Office. She also then began her career in the entertainment industry to become Senior Executive Assistant to high-profile chairmen of Hollywood’s leading studios while at Columbia/Tri-Star, Sony Pictures Entertainment, and eventually as Executive Vice President of Peters Entertainment at Warner Bros. In these roles, Kim gained overall production experience from managing celebrity lifestyle and orchestrating A-list entertainment industry events to elite luxury worldwide travel planning. With her combined experience in the entertainment, event planning, and travel fields, Kim joined Paramount Pictures in 2007 as Executive Concierge where she was “house-mother to the stars” for ten years. Kim has now come out with her latent roles as an author in the biographical book about her grandfather titled Prince of Drones: The Reginald Denny Story, as Sommelier under the tutelage of Bernard Erpicum, and as a “Space Cowgirl” riding off into the sunset while singing with her eyes to the sky.