Walter E. Bennett (1921-1995) was the first salaried photographer for Time, where he worked from 1952 to 1982. The collection consists of photographic materials such as prints, negatives and slides. It also includes miscellaneous manuscripts and ephemera related to Bennett's life and career.

Walter Edward Bennett was born on August 16, 1921 in the London suburb of Hornsey, England. He attended John C. Fremont High School in Los Angeles, where he was first exposed to photography through a vocational training class. On November 11, 1942 Bennett joined the Army as a camera man and photo lab tech. He was honorably discharged on January 3, 1946 from the 18th Reinforcement Battalion. Upon returning to Los Angeles, Bennett became a life guard at Hermosa Beach. In 1952, Bennett was hired by Time and became the first-ever salaried photographer at the magazine. For the next 30 years, Bennett worked primarily in Washington D.C. where he photographed presidents, politicians, foreign dignitaries, events, and notable personalities. During this time, Bennett was sent on numerous assignments to photograph presidents during visits of state. Bennett's proximity and longevity in the press arena of Washington D.C. led to his befriending a number of politicians, such as Lyndon B. Johnson, Hubert Humphrey and members of the Kennedy family. Bennett retired in 1982 and died on April 29, 1995.

4.0 Linear Feet (8 boxes and 1 oversize box)

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