Stanley Tretick calls the White House

In October 1963, Stanley Tretick took remarkable pictures of President John F. Kennedy and his children for a Look magazine article, “The President and His Son.”  Several of these photos, including some not previously published, appear in Capturing Camelot: Stanley Tretick’s Iconic Images of The Kennedys.

JFK had agreed to the photo shoot some 18 months previously but scheduling proved to be a problem. Tretick was respectfully persistent in reminding the president and requesting time for the shoot. In a memo cited in Capturing Camelot, Tretick recalled that Jackie Kennedy told him in 1964 “how impressed the President had been by his persistence and his absolute refusal to give up on the project despite all the delays.”

The John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum has posted audio files of Stanley Tretick speaking about the project on the phone with JFK’s secretary, Evelyn Lincoln.  The JFK Library does not give a date for the White House recording but internal evidence indicates the call took place in the latter part of August 1962.   In this call, Tretick tries to set up a date for the photo shoot.  Failing that, he asks Mrs. Lincoln, “Do you think it would be OK if I sent him a note after this weekend and say, when you think you would like to do it?”  Tretick sent a reminder to JFK on September 5, 1962.

The conversation between Tretick and Mrs. Lincoln was recorded at the end of one dictation belt and the beginning of another.  Listen in by clicking on the following links*:

Stanley Tretick calls the White House, Part 1

Stanley Tretick calls the White House, Part 2

“The President and His Son” was the cover story for Look December 3, 1963, which appeared on newsstands 4 days before the president was assassinated on November 22.

Tretick refers in the phone call to an article about Mrs. Lincoln that ran in Look October 9, 1962.

 

 

The President with his secretary, Evelyn Lincoln,
who had worked for him since 1953.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Permission for use of photos must be obtained from the Estate of  Stanley Tretick.
For more information:  www.StanleyTretick.com

*Audio files courtesy of John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, Boston.

If you have trouble with the audio on this page, the following are the relevant pages at the JFK Library website.

Part 1:  http://www.jfklibrary.org/Asset-Viewer/Archives/JFKPOF-TPH-47-7.aspx
(Dictation belt 47.7; Digital Identifier: JFKPOF-TPH-47-7)

Part 2:  http://www.jfklibrary.org/Asset-Viewer/Archives/JFKPOF-TPH-48-1.aspx
(Dictation belt 48.1; Digital Identifier: JFKPOF-TPH-48-1)