Trivia

Denning portrayed George Cooper, the husband of Lucille Ball, on CBS Radio's "My Favorite Husband" (1948-1951). The series was such a success that CBS executives offered Ball a TV deal with Denning, but she refused, insisting on husband Desi Arnaz as her TV husband.

During World War II, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy and served on a submarine as Yeoman 1st Class.

After graduating from Woodbury College in Los Angeles, California, he joined his father in the garment business and worked his way up from office boy to vice president.

He had a daughter, Diana Dee Dwyer of Hawaii, with his first wife, Evelyn Ankers.

His character's name on CBS Radio's "My Favorite Husband" was changed from George Cugat to George Cooper later in 1948.

After the series Hawaii Five-O (1968) ended, Denning and his wife Evelyn Ankers stayed in Maui, where he became active in community affairs, serving as an executive director of the Boy Scouts of America and as the unofficial, honorary president of the Maui Chamber of Commerce.

Survived by his daughter, Diana Dee Dwyer, and two granddaughters.

Following his death, he was interred at Maui Veterans Cemetery in Makawao, Hawaii.

Interviewed in Tom Weaver's book "They Fought in the Creature Features" (McFarland & Co., 1995).

Their daughter 'Deedee' studied Sociology.

Outlived his Hawaii Five-O co-star Jack Lord by nine months.

Dee Denning talks extensively about her parents Richard Denning and Evelyn Ankers in Tom Weaver's book "Creature Feature Creators" (McFarland & Co., 2025).