Abraham Zapruder (May 15th 1905 - August 30th 1970), was a manufacturer of ladies' wear of Dallas, Texas which became celebrates, whereas he filmed the presidential procession of John F. Kennedy, to have recorded the assassination of the president.

Zapruder filmed the assassination with a camera Bell & Howell, model 414 PD 8mm Zoomatic series “Director” which it had bought in 1962. Its film probably the most famous film the amateur of all times, is known under the name of film Zapruder .

After the assassination, Zapruder turned over to its office where a journalist and agent of the Secret services, Forrest Sorrels, went after one hour. Zapruder agreed to entrust its film to Sorrels provided that this one is used exclusively within the framework of the investigation, because it also wished to sell film. The men then went to the television broadcast station WFAA where Zapruder appeared less than two hours after the assassination. WFAA did not have however the possibility of developing film, and this one was thus sent at Eastman Kodak which agreed to develop it immediately.

Three copies “of first generation” were made, two being given to the Secret services, and the third ghost with Zapruder. The November 25th, Zapruder sold film with Life Magazine for $150 000, divided into six annual payments of $25 000, while prohibiting, in the agreement, that the image number 313 (z313) of the film, that which shows the explosion of the head of the president, is published. The first payment of $25 000 was given by Zapruder to the widow of J.D. Tippit, the police officer of Dallas killed présumément by Oswald.

External bonds

• a stable version of film of the assassination
• Re-examined and user manual of the camera of Abraham Zapruder B&H 414PD (in English)
• didactic Introduction to the process of recording of Ghost Images (B&H 414PD)