Never-before-seen footage of President John F Kennedy’s motorcade speeding towards a Dallas hospital after being shot has been sold at auction.
RR Auction, Boston, offered the lot that sold Saturday to an anonymous bidder for $137,500. Back in October, bidding began at $12,100.
The movie was taken by Dale Carpenter Sr. on 8mm home film that sat in a milk crate until 2010, when his grandson, James Gates, discovered the roll and projected it onto his bedroom wall.
Gates said he was “shocked” by the significance of what his grandfather recorded all those years ago.
Carpenter was originally set up on Lemmon Avenue in downtown Dallas. The amateur writer was lined up along the street – ready to film as JFK’s motorcade.
He just missed filming the presidential limousine and settled for filming the other cars in the procession.
The film then picks up after Kennedy had been shot. Carpenter ran and posted up on the side of Interstate 35 where he clearly catches the president’s car blocking Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas.
Secret Service agent Clint Hill—who can be seen jumping into the back of the limo as the shots rang out in Dealey Plaza—can be seen standing in the back of the car guarding Jacqueline Kennedy as they sped down empty I-35 at 80 MPH.
Jackie’s iconic pink costume can also be seen in the film which only lasts about ten seconds.
“It’s the first original film you could actually buy from November 2, 1963 since the Zapruder film,” he added.
RR Auction has released stills from the portion of the video showing the president’s limousine racing down 1-35, but will not release the footage in its entirety.