JFK, Huntley-Brinkley Interview Photos In The Oval Office

ULTRA RARE! JFK, Huntley-Brinkley Interview In The Oval Office

Above are videotape outtakes, from what would be President Kennedy’s last interview on NBC.

The date is September 9, 1963, and these rare behind the scenes photos were taken by long time NBC/WRC-TV production manager, Bill Wells, and are made available to us by his friend, Tom Buckley, and the Wells estate.

As seen in these remarkable photos, NBC reporters Chet Huntley and David Brinkley sat down with the President in the White House for an exclusive interview for their program, “The Huntley-Brinkley Report”.

Kennedy stuck to outlining the policy priorities of his first term throughout the expansive interview, particularly focusing on the conflict in Southeast Asia. But he grew reflective when Huntley asked if, three years into his presidency, he found the office of the presidency unmanageable.

Kennedy gave a strikingly thoughtful, long response assessing America’s place in the world and economic issues and political roadblocks at home – essentially summing up all the challenges facing his presidency. But Kennedy ended on a hopeful and humble note, saying that the country was really managed – not by the White House, but by its citizens.

He concluded that America was making progress and said, “I think we can really look forward to the ’60s with a great deal of hope.” Tragically, of course, Kennedy would not outlive the decade for which he had so much hope, nor the the year of 1963.

In that these images are so rare, I’m sure you have friends that you would like to share them with, so please do. If you can help identify the people shown here, that would be appreciated too. -Bobby Ellerbee

Thanks to NBC veteran audio engineer Joel Spector for identifying the black man here as the great Fred Lights, who was the Huntley-Brinkley (NY), and then Nightly News Stage Manager for everyone including Tom Brokaw, until Fred’s death in 1995. He had already been the SM on TODAY with Dave Garroway. Fred Lights was the step brother of actress and major off-Broadway producer Ellen Stewart of LaMama, ETC Theatre.

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