Haller Family film
Object number2014.008.0001
Date11/22/1963
ClassificationsFilms
Photographer
John Haller
ObjectFilm, MP4
Credit LineJohn Haller Collection/The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza
MediumBorn digital (.mp4 file)
DescriptionDigital third-generation copy of John Haller's original 8mm color home movie of the Kennedy motorcade on Turtle Creek Boulevard in Dallas. Haller, who was a sixth grader at John J. Pershing Elementary School in 1963, somehow eluded the police cordon to stand in the middle of the road to film the oncoming motorcade. As the limousine approaches, the police officers riding the four lead motorcycles can be seen waving people out of the street. Just as the limousine comes near, someone in the crowd throws a handful of confetti in the air; Secret Service agent Clint Hill gestures to move the confetti out of his face. The Secret Service car is very close to the president's limousine as they pass by.
The donor originally recorded this film on 8mm film and later transferred that to VHS. The VHS copy was transferred to DVD and in the meantime the original film and the first-generation VHS copy were lost. The DVD copy was copied and transferred digitally to the Museum's collection.
Curatorial CommentaryA Dallas sixth grader in 1963, John Haller is one of the youngest photographers represented in the Museum's Collection. Unfortunately, his unique home movie of the motorcade is noticeably poor quality, existing today only as a third-generation digital video file. Many years ago, Mr. Haller discarded the original 8mm film after it was transferred to VHS tape. That tape, in turn, was discarded after being converted to DVD. The DVD, now missing, was later made into a digital video file, which is what he donated to the Museum at the time of his oral history in 2014. The Museum always encourages individuals to save their original films and photographic negatives, even after they have been digitally transferred. The original elements always offer the best possible quality. - Stephen Fagin, Curator
1964 - 1967
