By
W. Tracy Parnell
On February 26 2003, the Discovery Channel featured a documentary entitled “Death at Dealey Plaza” as an episode in their regular “Unsolved History” series. The program examined several of the more prominent amateur photographers present in Dealey Plaza for the assassination of JFK on November 22 1963. The broadcast featured noted assassination researcher Gary Mack, who acted as a host of sorts for the proceedings by interviewing witnesses and generally moving things along. The main theme of the program was that ordinary American citizens who happened to be present while history was made documented the final 45 seconds or so of the life of the 35th President in a nearly continuous manner.
Unfortunately, some conspiracy-oriented researchers seem to have a problem with the broadcast, perhaps because of preconceived ideas of what the show should or should not be about. A few have even resorted to personal attacks and ridicule directed at Mack who is currently curator of The Sixth Floor Museum in Dallas. This article hopes to set the record strait on the issues of what the program was about, what it was not about, and what was included or excluded and why. Some of the most common complaints of the critics will be addressed in question and answer format using quotes from Mack. Most of the information provided here is publicly available at the Discovery Channel chat room in the form of questions answered by Mack in response to viewer inquiries.
Before looking at specific questions of the critics, it would be useful to state what the goal of the program really was. As Mack explains, “The show was produced for a general audience, not conspiracy researchers. It was simply about the photographers and what they captured on film. The discussion about who killed JFK is another subject for another day.”
All quotes below are from Gary Mack.
Q: Why was the “Badge Man” issue not covered in the program since it is a well-known fact that Gary Mack was involved in bringing this issue to light?
“It was deleted at my
request, since there wasn't enough time to address the issue fully and properly
along with all the other photos.”
Q: Why were certain
other conspiracy theories not discussed?
“Because the show was
not about conspiracy theories, it was about the
photographers.”
Q: How was the
location for the “Grassy Knoll Stand-in” chosen?
“The spot chosen for
the stand-in was midway between the acoustics and Badge Man locations to
demonstrate what her camera could and could not capture and why. Only
those issues were addressed.”
Q: Why did the program
imply that there was no assassin visible in the Moorman photo? Was Gary
involved in the Moorman recreation?
“I was fully involved
in the restaging and no claim was made that there was not an assassin
in the Moorman photo. The photo expert concluded only that if someone was
there, the camera could not photograph him clearly enough to identify. I
agree, and that is the same conclusion that Geoff Crawley and several
other photo scientists have told me over the years based on the physics
involved.”
Q: During the computer
animation motorcade sequence 3 gunshots are dubbed in and the screen turns red
after each shot. This seems to support the lone gunman theory of 3 shots only.
“Three shots were fired
that day. The question is whether four or more were fired, and that was
not the focus of the show. The acoustics evidence is in dispute, you
know.”
Q: What about reports
of photos taken by Mary Moorman that were confiscated?
“When Mary Moorman went
home the night of the assassination, all four or
five photos were in her possession. She kept two and gave the others to
the
two police officers in the motorcade that she was friends with. They lost
the pictures over the years.”
Q: What about reports
of smoke in Dealey Plaza?
“The so-called smoke is
a very interesting subject and should be included
in a show about conspiracy theories.”
Q: Why was the medical
emergency in Dealey Plaza just minutes before the assassination (possibly
staged) not discussed?
“The medical emergency
was a Dallas Morning News carrier and was not connected to the assassination in
any way. Cut for time was a reference to the incident and a blowup of the
Bronson film showing the flashing light of the ambulance.”
Q: It seems suspicious
to some that no one working in the Post Office building has ever come forward
with a film or photo. What about that?
“Orville Nix and Robert
Hughes both worked in that building and their
films appeared in the program.”
Q: What about the
appearance of what some believe is a shooter in the Nix film?
“… the shooter image
you mention was found in the original Nix film, which was lost. The
versions in the show came from two first generation prints and are way too dark
to show anything in that area. Until the original film is found, nothing
further can be done.”
Q: During the
recreation of the Nix film it appears that the car used as a stand-in for the
Presidential limo was moving much faster than it should be. It was also the
wrong type of car.
“The car wasn't being
tested, the image the camera captured was tested. No effort was made to
have the car move at the exact speed, for the car had no effect on what Nix
photographed.”
Q: What about Gordon
Arnold?
“His story appears in
The Men Who Killed Kennedy in far more depth than could be included in the new
show.”
Q: There are known to
be photographers present in Dealey Plaza that day that have never come forward.
Why was this subject not discussed?
“There was a very
impressive closing sequence addressing that issue, which included showing two
other unidentified photographers in the Dorman film. It was cut for time
and the much shorter closing scene replaced it.”
Q: Why was the
possible human movement seen in the Hughes Film not addressed?
“The window was blown
up and mentioned, but my words describing the Frontline findings got cut for
time. That's unfortunate.”
Q: What are the books
seen on a bookshelf behind Gary Mack in the program?
“It was a bookcase at
the production company in California; you'll see it in the background of other
Unsolved History shows, too.”
Q: At one point in the
program just before a recreation and discussion of the Moorman photo, a bright
white flash is super-imposed over the sixth-floor window accompanied by a
dubbed in gunshot sound. I believe this is inappropriate.
“I agree, and will
notify the producers. The show will air periodically for several years,
so there's still time to make minor adjustments.”
Q: At the beginning of
the show the narrator states:
“Unsolved History
turns Dealey Plaza into a high-tech laboratory and searches for new clues,
hidden, in these frames of shocking evidence”. The program did not meet this
stated goal.
“That's a fair
criticism as to whether the opening line matched the contents.”
Q: The program did not
include all relevant photos and films. What about the Altgens #6 photo?
“With only 44 minutes
to work with, producers still had to cut pictures and photos out of the show.”
Q: The appearance of
the “Black Dog Man” in Willis #5 was not discussed.
“And that's a shame,
for it's an intriguing image, though no one has proven there's anything
sinister about him other than being unidentified.”
Q: What about the
Weaver photo?
“… it appeared near the
end, another victim of editing to fit the time slot.”
Q: What about the
recently released Skaggs photo(s)?
“Cut for time, but will
appear in the home video, which will be about 7-8 minutes longer, they tell
me. Some of his pictures DID appear, however; for example, the TSBD
photo that looks very much like Powell's picture was his.”
Q: What about Croft
photo(s)?
“Cut for time and
because only black & white prints were available, but he's listed in the
credits.”
Q: What about the
Betzner photo(s)?
“Cut for time, but he's
in the credits anyway.”
Q: What about the
Dillard photo(s)?
“Dillard's photos did
not show Kennedy, therefore they were ignored. The show was about the
photographers who filmed JFK and those images only.”
Q: What about the
Powell photo?
“Powell does not show
JFK either.”
Q: What about the Bond
photo(s)?
“(the) Bond photos were
not available. You have to get permission, you know, and the family has
always declined.”
Q: What about the
Paschall film?
“The film was not
available and was not relevant to the show's purpose, which was the time JFK
turned into Dealey Plaza to the last shot. Paschall's film shows JFK
before the Plaza and after the shooting.”
Q: What about the
Martin film?
“The original film is
not available, at least at this point in time, and the existing copies are
extremely dark and only show JFK on Houston. But so did the Hughes,
Muchmore, Dorman and Willis images.”
Q: What about the Bell
film?
“Same reason as
Paschall. Jackie's hat at the bottom of the frame on Houston is about all
you can see and the post-shooting scene of JFK was not of interest.
Therefore, it was cut.”
Despite the criticisms of some,
the program was a well-produced and entertaining look at the Dealey
photographers. It also included at least one first - the initial showing of
Mack’s copy of the FBI’s Moorman # 5 print. He states, “While it was not obvious on television, the FBI
print shows the blood spray in the air, thus confirming the Z315/316
timing I figured out some 20 years ago.”
A final quote from Mack sums up his own feelings about the program:
“In 2003, there is a concern in television that the subject may not relate well to younger audiences. The overnight ratings showed otherwise, and quite conclusively. Not only was it the highest-rated show in the Unsolved History series, it was the number one show in its time period, beating all other commercial cable channels. Not only was it first in total audience, it was first in the most important 25-49 demographic. And since the preliminary ratings were taken in the top ten markets, it is expected the show will be even stronger when the national ratings are compiled.
In short, the program was a home run for all concerned, and I’m pleased and proud to have been a part of the team that did it and that The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza was recognized for the preservation/restoration work we do.”