Celebrity snapper given the freedom of Heathrow

10th August 2010

Celebrity snapper Dennis Stone given "freedom" of Heathrow airport

From the likes of  George Best to the Dalai Lama, Lady Di to Lady Gaga... Dennis Stone has snapped them all!! Speaking about George Best he said that all he had to do was get him drunk to get his stories, but he never did, counting George amongst his true friends.

For 65 years the veteran photographer has been photographing celebrities who pass through Heathrow Airport and is often the first person that they encounter.  Now Dennis, 78 and still snapping, has been awarded the freedom of the airport to mark his long career in catching images of the rich and famous at Heathrow!

He took a series of pictures of  The Beatles departing  on their first tour from the airport, and he has captured thousands of celebrities on film over the years including Frank Sinatra and Richard Burton travelling with each of their numerous wives. He has photographed many state visits and members of the Royal Family, often waiting hours to get that elusive picture.

Dennis’s  career began in 1946 after he left school at 14. He yearned to be a pilot but left school with no qualifications and so became a post boy with BA (BOAC) in those days, at Heathrow.

The uniform that he wore made him look quite important so in his spare time he would wander around the airport taking pictures  After time spent in BOAC’s photographic  department and RAF national service, he was promoted to junior photographer in the press department taking picturesof everything from airport Christmas parties to famous passengers.

In 1966 Dennis turned freelance. He said:People would say ‘you’ll never be a real photographer’, but then I got a job working for a newspaper and secured my first front page photograph then I really was a newspaper man and that’s been a great privilege over the years. To be given the key to Heathrow is a great honour. I just hope it means I can go in to every lounge and have a glass of champagne!”