On Friday evening Dimbola Museum and Galleries in Freshwater Bay launched its latest exhibition – Larry Ellis A Retrospective.
Running until 14th May, it features a set of photographs featuring many iconic figures from the world of entertainment.
Doctor Brian Hinton MBE, Chairman of the Julia Margaret Cameron Trust, announced that Larry was unable to attend due to ill health and so then invited the renowned photographer David White to open the show and thanked him profusely for curating the exhibition.
David said he first met Larry in 1970 when he was working as a freelance photographer. Larry was already established as a staff photographer with the Daily Express.
He said Larry was a true Fleet Street legend- and still is. When Larry retired to the Island -he has since moved to Surrey- the two became good friends. It was then that David learned Larry’s back history.
Subsequently, Larry gifted his archive to David for safe keeping, hence the current exhibition. Commenting on the set of photographs on show, David said the shot of Mick Jagger on his way to the divorce court is probably the only one of him wearing a suit, collar and tie. It came about because Larry unlike the other Snappers, went to the side door of the court.
One unusual view shows the four Beatles in an underground car park arriving for the premiere of ‘A Hard Day’s Night. Their chauffeur is ‘blanked out’.
Another view shows Mick Jagger sat at the feet of Paul McCartney playing the drums. Other views include the original line-up for ‘Have I Got News for You’. Morse onset with Lewis, Tina Turner in full flow on stage, Benny Hill, Cilla Black, ‘Minder’ being filmed on Palace Pier, Brighton and Britt Ekland with Peter Sellers.
Recently Larry, now in his 90s, featured in an advertisement for home eye tests with Specsavers. As well as Larry’s exhibition currently in the adjoining gallery at Dimbola is a collection of paintings by Island artist Anna Keen.
To commemorate the 30th anniversary of Dimbola, Koo Stark will return to the venue with a one-woman show later this year.
