Videos Preserving the JFK Legacy

4D • FRIDAY, OCTOBER 7. 1988 • USA TODAY

On this page The weeks between now and Nov. 22 will be an on- going media event commemorating the 25th anniversary of John F. Kennedy's assassination. Included are video releases, prime-time network TV specials and, syndicated and cable programming. Here's &roundup. 1 Videos preserving the JFK legacy

John F. Kennedy has become known as the first president of the TV era That means he is also the first executive whose photogenic tenure is now a home video staple. Here is a sampling of the tapes dedicated to preserving his mem- ory on the 25th anniversary of his death. John F. Kennedy: The Commemorative Video Album (CBS/Fox, $19.98, currently in stores). Almost two hours long thorough, yet disjointed. It seems that little ef- fort was expended producing this program. CBS has pulled from its vault original footage from the coverage following the assassination and leading to the burial. At that time, the network relived his presidency and life in four days of news segments. The re-edited, quarter- century-old news adds little perspective. Typical oversight: Harry Reasoner's interview with Rose Kennedy took place before Kennedy was elected, during his administration or after his death? Four Days in November (MGM/UA, $29.95, currently in release). David Wolper produced this 1964 film, which concentrates on the assassination. Great footage, but watching it today it seems incredibly dated. Narrator Richard Ba- seheart is hopelessly theatrical; the music is overly somber. Remembering Kennedy (Vestron Video, $19.95, currently in release). ABC's 1983 special broadcast in conjunc- tion with the 20th anniversary of JF1Cs death. This video does probe deeper into the lingering issues from the early '60s: civil rights, Vietnam, the Bay of Pigs, the Cuban missile crisis. A decent history lesson. Thank You, Mr. President: The Press Confer- ences of JFK (Goodtimes, $9.95, currently in release). If remembering JFK means watching a young, charming president being witty and inspirational, this is the video for you. It's 45 minutes of JFK at his best — courting the press. It, too, is a vintage TV special from the 1970s. hosted by E.G. Marshall, but it holds up very well Life in Camelot: The Kennedy Years (HBO Video, 519.99, release date, Nov. 9). Only 15 minutes of the 55-min- ute tape were available for preview. As short as that was, it looks to be the-best of the Kennedy Videos. Rather than a rehash of familiar footage and facts, this cassette features state-of-the-art video techniques. HBO ob- tained audio tapes from the JFK Library Collection in Bos- ton and unseen family film footage from the 1950s and '60s. Using recorded remarks, the producers allow JFK to nar- rate this portrait himself. Like the other videos, this stresses the positive aspects of JFK avoiding conspiracy theories. "This is strictly an auto- biography," says HBO senior vice president Henry McGee. "In his own words." The program will premiere on HBO Sunday Nov. 6 at 10 p.m. EST/PST, then appear in video stores three days later.

By Jefferson Graham

GERALDO RIVERA: RIVERA: GERALDO

TV specials capture a moment in history history in moment a capture specials TV

or 'On Trial: Lee Harvey Oswald,' Oswald,' Harvey Lee Trial: 'On or

Reports in Dallas Dallas in Reports

hosts a two-hour, live re-enactment of of re-enactment live two-hour, a hosts

check local station schedules). loves- schedules). station local check

the assassination with new evidence evidence new with assassination the

tiAative columnist Jack Anderson Anderson Jack columnist tiAative

mentary — based on Theodore Theodore on based — mentary abotit 1960's election campaign. campaign. election 1960's abotit

White's Pulitzer Prize-winning book book Prize-winning Pulitzer White's Disney Channel). Channel). Disney

follows at 10 p.m. p.m. 10 at follows

dered JFK? (Nov. (Nov. JFK? dered

done in cooperation with the family. family. the with cooperation in done

political life; Its the only TV program program TV only the Its life; political extensive look at JFK's personal and and personal JFK's at look extensive

police files and FBI phone taps. taps. phone FBI and files police

tissaination includes footage ranging ranging footage includes tissaination

By Karen Ridgeway Ridgeway Karen By 1960 (Oct. 23, 23, (Oct. 1960

USA TODAY TODAY USA

25th anniversary of John Kennedy's Kennedy's John of anniversary 25th

from family home movies to secret secret to movies home family from

► ►

Producer DaVid Wolper's TV docu- TV Wolper's DaVid Producer

► ►

Wolper's Kctutedy vs. Khrushchev Khrushchev vs. Kctutedy Wolper's

The TV rundown: rundown: TV The

The Disney Channel offers the most most the offers Channel Disney The

Television's commemoration of the the of commemoration Television's

American Expose: Who Mur- Who Expose: American

The Making' of the President President the of Making' The

9 p.m. p.m. 9

EDT/PDT, The The EDT/PDT,

2, syndicated, syndicated, 2,

(Nov. (Nov.

home movies and news footage, trac- footage, news and movies home

produced documentary based on Ken- on based documentary produced EST/PST, Disney). Disney). EST/PST,

nedy's book of the same title. title. same the of book nedy's ing the family back to Ireland. Ireland. to back family the ing definitive film bin uses rare photos, photos, rare uses bin film definitive

implicating organized crime. crime. organized implicating

and Times Times and

MANY LOOKS BACK: BACK: LOOKS MANY

Kennedy, left Lee Harvey Oswald Oswald Harvey Lee left Kennedy, 10 p.m. EST/PST, Disney). Disney). EST/PST, p.m. 10

► ►

Who Shot President Kennedy? Kennedy? President Shot Who

JFK: A Celebration of lfis Life Life lfis of Celebration A JFK:

A Nation of Immigrants Immigrants of Nation A

15, 8 p.m. EST/PST, PBS, times times PBS, EST/PST, p.m. 8 15,

(Nov. 6, 13, 20, 9 9 20, 13, 6, (Nov.

This three-part, three-part, This

A Wolper- A

John F. F. John

(Nov. 6, 6, (Nov.

p.m. p.m.

Newman introduces a historic retele- historic a introduces Newman

News. News.

actly 25 years after TV viewers were were viewers TV after years 25 actly cast of six hours of coverage by NBC NBC by coverage of hours six of cast

Programming Programming

alone or as part of a conspiracy. conspiracy. a of part as or alone

a.m. PST, Arts & Entertainment). Entertainment). & Arts PST, a.m. first told of JFK's aswination. Edwin Edwin aswination. JFK's of told first

Viewers call a 900-number to vote on on vote to 900-number a call Viewers

sion of the 2-year-old Showtime spe- Showtime 2-year-old the of sion

whether they believe Oswald acted acted Oswald believe they whether

pened pened

tive reporting and commentary. commentary. and reporting tive

bined with Geraldo Rivera's investiga- Rivera's Geraldo with bined court as if he had lived — is com- is — lived had he if as court

cial — trying Lee Harvey Oswald In In Oswald Harvey Lee trying — cial

(Nov. 22-23, syndicated, check check syndicated, 22-23, (Nov.

station schedules). schedules). station

news broadcasts over four days. days. four over broadcasts news

EST/PST). Dan Rather anchors a two- a anchors Rather Dan EST/PST).

hour special highlighting 53 hours of of hours 53 highlighting special hour

of photo enhancement and three-di- and enhancement photo of

men.slonal computer modeling modeling computer men.slonal

may vary). vary). may

dence, using sophisticated techniques techniques sophisticated using dence,

► ►

JFK Assassination: As It Hap- It As Assassination: JFK

On Trial: Lee Harvey Oswald Oswald Harvey Lee Trial: On

CBS Reports Reports CBS

(Nov. 22, 22, (Nov.

Nova probes the evi- the probes Nova

will be interrupted ex- interrupted be will

1:56 p.m. EST/10:56 EST/10:56 p.m. 1:56

(Nov. 17, 9 p.m. p.m. 9 17, (Nov.

A re-edited ver- re-edited A local local

birth and death of their chil- their of death and birth

dren. dren. ald, her husband, Joseph, their their Joseph, husband, her ald,

courtship, relationship and the the and relationship courtship,

on Doris Kearns Goodwin's Goodwin's Kearns Doris on tive producer of the mini. mini. the of producer tive

clan's matriarch, Rose Fitzger- Rose matriarch, clan's try," says Sue Pollock, execu- Pollock, Sue says try,"

to royalty we have in the coun- the in have we royalty to

not just another Kennedy mini, mini, Kennedy another just not

renity: fitming for for fitming renity:

1987 hook, hook, 1987

ready.) ready.)

dys of Massachusetts, Massachusetts, of dys have been at least five al- five least at been have

uled for February 1989. Based Based 1989. February for uled hour ABC miniseries sched- miniseries ABC hour

the Kennedys. Kennedys. the

Kennedy compound in Hyan- in compound Kennedy

nis, another dazzling colonial colonial dazzling another nis, promise the producers. (There (There producers. the promise

one could mistake, this home home this mistake, could one ers. people and Commotion, Commotion, and people ers.

home faces the ocean, If it it If ocean, the faces home

20odd miles from the famed famed the from miles 20odd

weren't for all the trucks, trail- trucks, the all for weren't

for the famous family's estate. estate. family's famous the for

USA TODAY TODAY USA

By Brian Donlon Donlon Brian By

Miniseries goes back to Kennedy's roots roots Kennedy's to back goes Miniseries

"They are the closest thing thing closest the are "They

The focus here will be on the the on be will here focus The

Breaking all the Seaside se- Seaside the all Breaking

POCASSET, Maw. — Here, Here, — Maw. POCASSET,

The Fitzgeralds and and Fitzgeralds The

the project is is project the

The Keritte Keritte The

a six- a

seph Sr.'s reputed manipula- reputed Sr.'s seph

tion of the stock market and af- and market stock the of tion

WEBER: The JFK look-alike look-alike JFK The WEBER:

was 2 when Kennedy died. died. Kennedy when 2 was

fair with actress Gloria Swan- Swan- Gloria actress with fair

Though the mini covers Jo- covers mini the Though

Ti,to*.AT Ti,to*.AT

(0.0•1) (0.0•1)

By By

Henry Hilliard Hilliard Henry

Rose, says she "always felt sor- felt "always she says Rose,

ry for the matriarch because of of because matriarch the for ry

not lost on the cast cast the on lost not

violently." violently."

it either. Pollock says this is is this says Pollock either. it

"inspirational," and the trage- the and "inspirational,"

scandal, but it doesn't dwell on on dwell doesn't it but scandal,

the children she lost and lost so so lost and lost she children the

call this story "a whitewash." whitewash." "a story this call

son, Pollock predicts some will will some predicts Pollock son,

dies the family endured are are endured family the dies

The script doesn't ignore ignore doesn't script The

Annette O'Toole, who plays plays who O'Toole, Annette

into the most personal odyssey of grief." grief." of odyssey personal most the into

O'Toole was in Roman Catholic gr•omrnar school in Hous- in school gr•omrnar Catholic Roman in was O'Toole

always link JFK and the Kennedy family with people. "We "We people. with family Kennedy the and JFK link always

executive producer Sue Pollock, then a young mother. mother. young a then Pollock, Sue producer executive

he in post-production, but the ramifications of the day will will day the of ramifications the but post-production, in he

be on the minds of cast and crew, crew, and cast of minds the on be

President John F. Kennedy — the six-hour miniseries will will miniseries six-hour the — Kennedy F. John President

"most people, that date in 1963 has a red circle around it" it" around circle red a has 1963 in date that people, "most

Still a memorable date date memorable a Still

On Nov, 22 — the 25th anniversary of the wassInation of of wassInation the of anniversary 25th the — 22 Nov, On

ton, "and when it Was announced we were sent to Mass." Mass." to sent were we announced Was it when "and ton,

feel that family belongs to us because of TV. TV took us us took TV TV. of because us to belongs family that feel

It is that interaction with TV that Pollock believes will will believes Pollock that TV with interaction that is It

"I, like every American, sat glued to the TV set," says says set," TV the to glued sat American, every like "I,

Annette O'Toole, who plays Rose Kennedy, says like like says Kennedy, Rose plays who O'Toole, Annette

The Kennedys of Massachusetts Massachusetts of Kennedys The

course of his research, the 27- the research, his of course

study JFK's youth. in the the in youth. JFK's study

year-old actor — who was 7. 7. was who — actor year-old

all natural. natural. all

a resemblence. And it's almost almost it's And resemblence. a

brary in Boston three times to to times three Boston in brary

lost children, the USA's 35th 35th USA's the children, lost

Kennedy, is played by Steve Steve by played is Kennedy,

Weber, Weber,

president, John Fitzgerald Fitzgerald John president,

The most famous of Rose's Rose's of famous most The

While not identical, there is is there identical, not While

He's visited the Kennedy li- Kennedy the visited He's

will air in February. February. in air will

all the endings they want." want." they endings the all

and helps us understand the the understand us helps and

myth. People can manufacture manufacture can People myth.

man." Pollock says. says. Pollock man."

amines the roots of his family family his of roots the amines

his death is why he's become a a become he's why is death his

death, Pollock says, "Maybe "Maybe says, Pollock death, continued 25 years after JFK's JFK's after years 25 continued

sistently captured the imagina- the captured sistently Jack Kennedy because it ex- it because Kennedy Jack

cades. "It's like stepping into into stepping like "It's cades.

and did were incredible." incredible." were did and

history," O'Toole says. says. O'Toole history," the better part of three de- three of part better the

tions of authors and producerS. producerS. and authors of tions

inauguration, excluding seamy seamy excluding inauguration,

tique tique

lines regarding his presidency. presidency. his regarding lines

tales that have grabbed head- grabbed have that tales

concept held by his generation. generation. his by held concept things he stood for, that he said said he that for, stood he things

the trash that has come out, the the out, come has that trash the

that," Weber says, "Despite all all "Despite says, Weber that,"

"was not just a '60s pop figure," figure," pop '60s a just not "was

Kennedys Kennedys

he discovered that Kennedy Kennedy that discovered he

the perhaps all too common common too all perhaps the

when JFK was killed — says says — killed was JFK when

"This celebrates the life of of life the celebrates "This

As to why the fascination has has fascination the why to As

The Kennedy family mys- family Kennedy The

But the life of IFK has con- has IFK of life the But

"I didn't want to to want didn't "I

The The

has has

Fitzgerald.s and the the and Fitzgerald.s

faScinated people for for people faScinated

cohcludes at JFK's JFK's at cohcludes

do do

any of of any