Never-Before-Seen 8mm Color Film of JFK Motorcade on November 22, 1963 Sells for $137,500 at Auction
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
BOSTON, MA – September 28, 2024 – A previously unknown 8mm color film capturing President John F. Kennedy’s motorcade on the tragic day of November 22, 1963, has been sold for $137,500 at Auction. Boston-based RR Auction unveiled this extraordinary piece of American history, showcasing rare footage taken both before and after the assassination.
The silent color footage, shot by local truck driver Dale Carpenter, Sr., captures the presidential motorcade moving through downtown Dallas, followed by a dramatic sequence of the limousine speeding along North Stemmons Freeway en route to Parkland Memorial Hospital. The film’s most powerful image shows Secret Service Agent Clint Hill on the back of the vehicle, shielding First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy as the car raced toward the hospital at 80 miles per hour.
“Unlike any other footage known to exist, this film captures a segment immediately following the Zapruder film, providing a fresh perspective on one of the most analyzed moments in history,” said Bobby Livingston, Executive Vice President at RR Auction. “Once you see it, you’ll never forget Clint Hill’s heroic efforts to protect Mrs. Kennedy, racing at 80 miles an hour in a desperate attempt to save the President’s life as they sped to Parkland.”
While the Zapruder film remains the most famous visual record of the assassination, this new footage offers unique insight into the immediate aftermath. Before its discovery, only three still photographs were known to capture Kennedy’s limousine on North Stemmons Freeway—no moving footage was thought to exist.
“This film, capturing the frantic moments following the assassination as Secret Service agents work to safeguard Mrs. Kennedy and the mortally wounded president, provides a gripping sense of urgency and heartbreak—revealing a scene of the aftermath never seen before,” Livingston added.
This film, along with the sale of its copyright, is subject to a licensing agreement permitting its use in the upcoming documentary Agent Number Nine, a feature about Clint Hill expected to premiere in 2025. The winning bidder has chosen to remain anonymous.
Among other highlights:
• Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart signed letter to his father from October 1777, sold for $375,000.
• John Wilkes Booth Wanted poster, sold for $131,250.
• Neville Chamberlain handwritten letter, written on the day of his resignation, sold for $125,000.
• Albert Einstein signed letter with the phrase “I still do not believe that God plays dice,” sold for $112,500.
• Gutenberg Bible Leaf Printing Micah’s Messianic Prophecy – a rare page from the first printed book in the West, sold for $112,500.
• Ford’s Theatre playbill from the night of President Abraham Lincoln’s assassination, which sold for $106,250.
The Remarkable Rarities auction began online on September 4, concluding with a live event in Boston on September 28. For more information, visit www.rrauction.com.
