Prop book publisher sign used during the filming of Oliver Stone's film "JFK"

Object number1991.006.0038

Date1991

ClassificationsArtifacts

Creator Texas School Book Depository

ObjectSign

Credit LineCamelot Productions Corporation Collection/The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza

MediumWood, Masonite

Dimensions48 x 36 x 1 in.

Terms

Collections

DescriptionProp sign used during the filming of Oliver Stone's film JFK that lists book publishers who had reginional offices at the Texas School Book Depository in 1963. The sign consists of white letters surrounded by a yellow border painted on a green background. It is made of masonite with a wood trim around the back. The back is painted solid white, and there are two holes in each side for hanging. The book publishing companies listed are: Allyn and Bacon American Book Co. Gregg Publishing Lyons and Carnahan McGraw Hill Book Co. The Macmillan Co. Scott, Foresman & Co. South-Western Pub. Co. Two similar signs listing publishing firms with regional offices inside the Texas School Book Depository building were hung at street level on the southeast corner of the building at the time of the assassination.

Curatorial Commentary

Academy Award-winning filmmaker Oliver Stone determined early on that his magnum opus on the Kennedy assassination needed to be filmed on location in Dealey Plaza, and the former Texas School Book Depository building naturally played a key part in the film's storyline. Stone approached Dallas County and the Dallas County Historical Foundation in early 1991 about using the building for the JFK production, including the sixth floor. While Stone ultimately used the empty seventh floor in place of the sixth floor (where The Sixth Floor exhibit was installed), he received permission from Dallas County to make alterations to the building's exterior to accurately recreate its 1963 appearance. This included faux breeze blocks in the window bays, faux railroad tracks and gravel in the parking lot, a replica Texas School Book Depository sign above the main entrance and replica signs listing the publishing companies who had 1963 regional offices inside the building. Though based on the original publishers’ signs in place at street level in the southeast corner of the building in 1963, Stone's replicas were a different color and a slightly different size, likely in order to cover up the large Texas Historical Commission marker that was added to the building's southeast corner exterior in 1981. Stone initially wanted to install a lightweight replica of the iconic Hertz Rent-a-Car time and temperature billboard atop the building, but this request was denied by Dallas County. -- Stephen Fagin, Curator

Curatorial Commentary

This object was part of the Fragments special installation on the Museum's 7th floor, on view from November 3, 2021 through July 3, 2022.