Leslie Howard concentrating on his lines
Leslie Howard (1893 - 1943), British actor, film director and producer pictured in the film studio at Denham where he was producer, director and star of the film, First of the Few, the story of R.J. Mitchell, designer of the Spitfire. Co-star David Niven played the part of Mitchell's test pilot. It was widely believed that Howard was being specifically targeted by the Luftwaffe when the KLM flight he was on from Lisbon was shot down over the Bay of Biscay on 1 June 1943. He was an outspokenly patriotic figure and it was believed that his goodwill entertainment trips to Spain and other parts of Europe were a cover for intelligence gathering missions. Howard was best known for his roles in Gone with the Wind, The Scarlet Pimpernel and Of Human Bondage - shoot date November 25, 1941
