Antiques Roadshow

GUEST: I was the White House photographer for,# uh, John Kennedy.

Started a job in inaugural day## of 1961 and, uh, stayed with him until Dallas.

I# was in Dallas during the horrible assassination.## I was in one of the cars in the motorcade, five# cars back.

Heard three very distinct re-reports.## Sounded like rifle shots, didn't know where# they came from.

A few minutes later, I was## standing outside the operating room door# there, and I had seen, uh, Vice President## Johnson leaving the hospital.

And I asked where# he was going, and someone said, "The president's## going to Washington."

So that meant that Kennedy# had expired in the hospital.

And I said, "So am## I."

And I picked up my camera and went out to the# plane.

And when I got there, the press secretary,## acting press secretary, uh, Malcolm Kilduff# said, "Thank God you're here, Cecil."

He said,## "The president's going to take his oath on the# plane, and you're going to have to service the## wires with the photograph."

So I took the only# photograph of, of the swearing in that you see.

APPRAISER: Incredible.

This is what# was happening here, the swearing in,## an image that we all know so well.

It's# an icon of the 20th century imagery.

GUEST: Most of the people in the# picture are all passed away now.

APPRAISER: Yes.

You were with the military?

GUEST: Yes, I was a captain in the army at the# time.

I was acting as a, as a government employee.

APPRAISER: Okay.

Now, have you ever been# acknowledged for taking such a famous image?

GUEST: Well, once in a while I use# my name, but for the most part,## after the initial caption that I wrote myself in# Dallas, I included my name as the photographer... APPRAISER: Good for you.

GUEST: ...to make sure that The New York Times.. was established legacy-wise at that point.

But# from then on, it became an A.P.

wire photo... APPRAISER: Yeah.

Yup.

GUEST: ...or a U.P.I.

wire photo.

GUEST (stammering): And it annoyed my family# considerably that I wasn't being given credit.

APPRAISER: Acknowledged.

GUEST: So you're acknowledging me now.

APPRAISER: Well, we're very happy# to-- this is an earlier photograph,## and this photo is inscribed# to you on Christmas Day, 1962.

GUEST: The, uh, routine during Christmas was# to spend the week or ten days in Palm Beach.## The president had a home down there, as his father# did, and the press would go, and-and it would be## the winter White House in-in Palm Beach.

And so# when I came back to my desk in the White House,## after having been down there for a week, I found# a Christmas-wrapped package.

And Mrs. Kennedy had## given me this photograph as a Christmas present.# And the president and she both signed it.

APPRAISER: It's incredible.

It's incredible.

GUEST: You can, you can read the inscription.

.. Stoughton, who took this photograph,# with appreciation and best wishes always,## Jacqueline Kennedy."

And then# it's signed "John Kennedy" below.

GUEST: Right.

APPRAISER: And,## you know, with Kennedy's signatures.. about is whether he signed it or not.# And in this case, there's no question.

APPRAISER: You've had a strong relationship# with them in the years you worked there.

GUEST: I can't see them passing it off# to a... Not that one, not that one,# APPRAISER: and here we should add,# also of-of real significance is the## fact that you are acknowledged by Lyndon B.# Johnson with his inscription to you.

It says,## "To Cecil Stoughton with high regards# and appreciation.

Lyndon Johnson."

GUEST: Yeah, I must tell you... APPRAISER: Now, can you tell us about ..

GUEST: On the 25 of, of November, was the funeral# for the president, a.. Thanksgiving.

And, uh, our family, we were all# gathered together around the table, getting ready## to eat, and the waiter came up to me and said,# "You've got a phone call from the White House.

"## And I went to the phone, and it was# Jack Valenti saying, "He wants you## in the office right now.

He wants to take his# picture."

So I gave up my Thanksgiving dinner,## drove madly back to the White House and made this# photograph of, of Johnson sitting at his desk.

In## order to have some kind of activity, I asked# him if he'd sign the pictures.

(chuckles) So## he's signing this picture, and that's,# that's the picture that he signed.

APPRAISER: So this, this picture is lying# right there.

It's difficult when we talk## about value with such iconic images.# I mean, these things are now part of## our vocabulary of imagery from the 20th century.

GUEST: Right.

Right.

APPRAISER: And also, these.. president and first lady.

So they are unique, and# obviously, irreplaceable.

Bearing that in mind,## and your association as having been the# photographer, I would value, and for## insurance value, the photograph of,# of L.B.J.

taking the oath at $50,000.

GUEST: That sounds great.

APPRAISER: The Kennedy image, which also is# iconic, although less historically important.. obviously, than what was happening# with L.B.J.

was a historic moment,## this is a much more relaxed# moment of Kennedy and his family.

GUEST: Right.

APPRAISER: We would insure this one at $25,000.

APPRAISER: The photo of L.B.J.

is# really more supporting of this image.

GUEST: Right.

APPRAISER: So I wouldn't really assign# th..

I would, I would put the value# at, for insurance, at $75,000.

GUEST: Okay.

APPRAISER: And, uh, you've# got some incredible things,## and it is an honor to meet you.

These# images I knew of my entire life,## and I appreciate your work, and I'm glad# you finally have some, uh, recognition.

GUEST: Well, thank you very much.