• iconNews
  • videos
  • entertainment
  • Home
  • News
    • UK News
    • US News
    • Australia
    • Ireland
    • World News
    • Weird News
    • Viral News
    • Sport
    • Technology
    • Science
    • True Crime
    • Travel
  • Entertainment
    • Celebrity
    • TV & Film
    • Netflix
    • Music
    • Gaming
    • TikTok
  • LAD Originals
    • FFS PRODUCTIONS
    • Say Maaate to a Mate
    • Daily Ladness
    • UOKM8?
    • FreeToBe
    • Citizen Reef
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • UNILAD
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
Snapchat
TikTok
YouTube

LAD Entertainment

YouTube

LAD Stories

Submit Your Content
What happened to man who filmed infamous JFK assassination footage that 'haunted' him for rest of his life

Home> News> US News

Updated 19:57 20 Jan 2025 GMTPublished 19:58 20 Jan 2025 GMT

What happened to man who filmed infamous JFK assassination footage that 'haunted' him for rest of his life

President John F. Kennedy was assassinated on 22 November, 1963

Brenna Cooper

Brenna Cooper

On 22 November, 1963, the world was rocked by the news that US President John F. Kennedy had been assassinated while visiting Dallas alongside his wife.

The incident is one of the most shocking in US political history, with images captured on the day of the tragedy going on to be viewed by millions of people around the world.

Perhaps someone who was more familiar than anyone else with recordings taken on the fateful day was Abraham Zapruder, the man who would capture some of the most detailed footage of the assassination.

John F Kennedy was assassinated on 22 November, 1963 (Bettmann/Getty Images)
John F Kennedy was assassinated on 22 November, 1963 (Bettmann/Getty Images)

What is the Zapruder film?

A fan of the democratic president at the time, Ukrainian immigrant Zapruder had planned to record Kennedy's motorcade through Dallas, finding himself an elevated spot near Dealey Plaza. From his position, Zapruder was able to capture the motorcade as it travelled down Elm Street in colour.

Advert

However the footage he would film would be much more harrowing than anyone could expect.

READ MORE

SECRET US FILE DONALD TRUMP COULD NOW REVEAL FOLLOWING JOE ROGAN PODCAST PROMISE

While Zapruder was recording, President Kennedy was fatally shot by lone assassin Lee Harvey Oswald.

The gruesome footage captures the moment JFK was shot in detail, as well as the heartbreaking aftermath in which his wife Jacqueline Kennedy could be seen gathering fragments of the president's skull as a Secret Service agent climbed onto the car.

Advert

Given the detail in which Zapruder's film depicts Kennedy's death, it's not surprising to learn the 26 seconds of footage became crucial to the subsequent investigation.

It was a key piece of evidence during the 1963 Warren Commission, which concluded Oswald acted alone and even earned Zapruder the title 'forefather of all citizen journalists' in the press.

JFK seen with his wife Jacqueline Kennedy on the day of the assassination (Bettmann/Getty Images)
JFK seen with his wife Jacqueline Kennedy on the day of the assassination (Bettmann/Getty Images)
An image taken just moment before the President's sudden death (Bettmann/Getty Images)
An image taken just moment before the President's sudden death (Bettmann/Getty Images)

What happened to Abraham Zapruder

As the man who captured a crucial piece of evidence, Zapruder was called to give testimony during the Warren Commission and later 1969 trial of Clay Shaw.

Advert

It's believed that Zapruder had been deeply affected by Kennedy's killing, with a 2013 story in The Guardian saying the images had 'haunted' him in the following years.

"I have seen it so many times," he said in his testimony at the Warren Commission, adding: "In fact, I used to have nightmares.

"The thing would come every night – I wake up and see this."

The camera used by Zapruder to capture Kennedy's assassination (Tom Williams/Roll Call/Getty Images)
The camera used by Zapruder to capture Kennedy's assassination (Tom Williams/Roll Call/Getty Images)

As well as handing over the footage to government officials, he would also sell it to LIFE magazine editor Dick Stolley, who recalled how Zapruder was worried the film would be 'exploited' if it fell into the wrong hands.

Advert

"[Zapruder was] very worried that [the film] would be exploited or used in a way that he would find tasteless and awful if it fell into the wrong hands," Stolley told PEOPLE of the exchange.

"You could see it — this was a man in absolute torment."

Zapruder died in 1970 from stomach cancer at the age of 65, having reportedly never used a camcorder again.

Featured Image Credit: Underwood & Underwood/Underwood Archives/Getty Images Keystone/Getty Images

Topics: US News, History, Politics

Brenna Cooper
Brenna Cooper

Brenna Cooper is a journalist at LADbible. She graduated from the University of Sheffield with a degree in History, followed by an NCTJ accredited masters in Journalism. She began her career as a freelance writer for Digital Spy, where she wrote about all things TV, film and showbiz. Her favourite topics to cover are music, travel and any bizarre pop culture.

X

@_brencoco

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

8 hours ago
  • Chris Radburn/PA Wire
    8 hours ago

    Police release man arrested in connection with knife attack on UK train as they provide major updates

    Officials said the man who remains in custody is 'the only suspect'

    News

    breaking

  • Facebook
    8 hours ago

    Mother of pregnant Brit accused of drug smuggling gives update on daughter's life behind bars

    Bella Culley was toasting bread over a candle flame before being moved to a prison 'mother and baby unit'

    News
  • Getty Images
    8 hours ago

    Urgent warning as world’s most dangerous jellyfish-like creature dubbed 'floating terrors' spotted on UK beach

    Officials have warned locals about coming into contact with these deadly creatures

    News
  • Chesnot/Getty Images
    8 hours ago

    Elon Musk responds to scientist's claims mystery comet in our solar system is ‘alien spaceship’

    The SpaceX boss chimed in on the debate which has divided the scientific community

    News
  • People urged to watch Oscar-winning war movie with heart-stopping moments that happened in real life
  • Charlie Kirk's final words seconds before assassination revealed with fugitive still at large
  • 'Never seen' helicopter footage from 9/11 shows devastating impact of attack from the sky
  • Victim of 'slender man' stabbing explained what happened on the day as attacker released from psychiatric hospital