The son and grandson of wallpaper wholesalers, Denny was born in Baltimore, Maryland and grew up in Washington, D.C. He attended the Washington public schools, graduating from Western High School in 1929. He attended Amherst College, receiving an A.B. in 1933, and then Harvard Law School, from which he graduated in 1936. After law school, Denny joined a Washington law firm, Covington, Burling, Rublee, Acheson & Shorb, but left after less than a year to join the United States Department of Justice in the Lands Division. He married Elizabeth Woolsey on December 31, 1937; the couple had three children: Alison, Christine, and Charles. Denny joined the FCC as assistant general counsel in February, 1942, and was promoted to general counsel the following October, replacing Telford Taylor.

Denny was nominated to the FCC by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on March 14, 1945, to replace T.A.M. Craven, whose seat had been open since his term expired the previous June. At 32 years of age, Denny was the youngest person to be appointed to the FCC since its establishment in 1934. He was confirmed in the United States Senate by unanimous consent on March 26, and took office March 30. Denny was succeeded as general counsel by assistant general counsel for broadcasting Rosel H. Hyde.

Denny was designated acting FCC chairman on February 26, 1946, after chairman Paul A. Porter was appointed administrator of the Office of Price Administration; Denny was designated permanent chairman on December 4, 1946. He left the FCC on October 31, 1947, and was succeeded as chairman on an interim basis by commissioner Paul A. Walker. Wayne Coy was appointed to the remainder of Denny's term, and was designated chairman when he took office. On leaving the commission, Denny took a position as general counsel of NBC; he later rose to executive vice-president of parent company RCA. He remained with RCA for 28 years before retiring at the end of 1975.

Denny died on October 30, 2000, at age 88.

Nomination and background

"Denny Nominated for Craven Post on FCC". Broadcasting and Broadcast Advertising. 28 (12). Washington, D.C.: Broadcasting Publications, Inc.: 15, 78–79 March 19, 1945.

Confirmation

"Denny Takes Oath; Hyde Is Successor". Broadcasting and Broadcast Advertising. 28 (15): 15. April 2, 1945.

FCC service

"Complete list of FCC Commissioners from 1934 to Present". June 4, 2011. Retrieved 2011-12-25.

Additional life and career details

Flannery, Gerald V. (1995). Commissioners of the FCC, 1927-1994. University Press of America. ISBN 0-8191-9669-X.

Retirement

"Headliners". Broadcasting. 89 (10): 33. September 8, 1975.