"THERE'LL NEVER BE ANOTHER CAMELOT"

JACKIE KENNEDY INTERVIEWED BY THEODORE WHITE, RECALLS SOUND OF SHOT

Hyannis Port, Massachusetts (JFK+50) On December 4, 1963, The Evening Star published the Associated Press's 'Epilogue For Kennedy' by Theodore H. White*.

Mr. White interviews the widow of the late President John F. Kennedy, Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy, here in Hyannis Port.

Mrs. Kennedy recalls "the sound of the shot...like the sound of a backfire..."

She says...

"I keep thinking of...this line from a musical comedy...'Don't let it be forgot, that once there was a spot, for one brief shining moment that was known as Camelot**.'

There'll be great President's again--but there'll never be another Camelot..."

*Theodore Harold White (1915-1986) was born in Boston, Massachusetts to Russian immigrants who changed their names to 'White' after a Boston department store.  

THW earned his BA in history at Harvard University, 1932 & became a writer at Time Magazine.  He authored The Making of the President 1960 & The Making of the President 1964.

JFK+50 COMMENT

Mrs. Kennedy's comments became the basis for the historical association of JFK's 'New Frontier' with 'Camelot.'  She wanted to be sure her husband would not be forgotten because his term in office was cut short.  Jackie more than achieved that goal.

If we were to go back to JFK's time, however, the mention of 'Camelot' would evoke visions of the legendary days of King Arthur and the popular Broadway play rather than the Kennedy administration.

SOURCE

"For One Brief Shining Moment There Was Camelot," by Theodore H. White, The Evening Star, Washington, D.C., December 4, 1963, Chronicling America, Library of Congress, www.loc.gov/

 

 

Scene From Broadway's 'Camelot'

Robert Goulet, Julie Andrews &

Richard Burton

(1960-1963)

Photo by Friedman Abeles

IN THIS ROOM LIVED JFK & HIS WIFE JACQUELINE

JFK+50:  Volume 7, No. 2194

REFLECTIONS ON "JACKIE": PART XIX

Knoxville, Tennessee (JFK+50) JFK+50 begins the year 2017 with a review of "Jackie" starring Natalie Portman.  "Jackie" is a Fox Searchlight Pictures film directed by Pablo Larrain.

The screenplay was written by Noah Oppenheim.  Released on December 2, 2016, the movie has an "R" rating and lasts 1 hour and 40 minutes.

The scene is outside Jackie's bedroom at the White House.  Bill Walton puts up a plaque which reads...

"In this room lived John F. Kennedy and his wife Jacqueline during the 2 years 10 months & 2 days he was President of the United States:  January 20, 1961 - November 22, 1963."*

The next scene is Jackie riding in a motorcade through the streets of Washington, D.C. at night...Camelot begins to play...

"....think back on all the tales that you will remember...of Camelot."


The final scene of the movie is in the ballroom at the White House.  Jackie, in a red dress, is dancing with the President.  She rests her head on his shoulder and as Camelot plays she smiles.

*Lindsey Mather writes in Architectural Digest that Jackie had her White House Bedroom designed & decorated to closely resemble her bedroom in their Georgetown home.  

JFK+50 Note

This concludes our review of the movie "Jackie."  We highly recommend the movie to our visitors.  For those, like us, who lived through those four dark days it will bring back the sadness and remind us of what we lost.  For those who did not live through it, hopefully it will enlighten you on one of the most tragic events in our history and make you feel as if you did.

SOURCES

"Jackie Kennedy's White House Bedroom Included a Unique Fixture," by Lindsey Mather, November 1, 2016, Architectural Digest, www.architecturaldigest.com/

"Jackie-Screenplay," by Script Pipeline, www.scriptpipeline.com/

White House Master Bedroom

JFK Library Photo (1962)

SOMETHING DURING THE KENNEDY YEARS WAS MAGIC

JFK+50:  Volume 7, No. 2192

REFLECTIONS ON "JACKIE": PART XVII

Knoxville, Tennessee (JFK+50) JFK+50 begins the year 2017 with a review of "Jackie" starring Natalie Portman.  "Jackie" is a Fox Searchlight Pictures film directed by Pablo Larrain.

The screenplay was written by Noah Oppenheim.  Released on December 2, 2016, the movie has an "R" rating and lasts 1 hour and 40 minutes.

We are nearing the movie's end back in the Living Room at the Kennedy Compound where the Journalist and Jackie are winding down their conversation.

Jackie says...

"There's one last thing--more important than all the rest.  Every night before bed, we had this old Victrola*.  We'd listen to a couple of records and his favorite was Camelot...**

that last side (of the long-play record)...is all that keeps running through my mind...

Don't let it be forgot, that for one brief shining moment there was a Camelot.

Jack loved history.  Its what made him what he was.  Imagine...this little boy with scarlet fever in bed, reading history.  King Arthur and the Knights of the Roundtable.  That's what Camelot is about.  Ordinary men banding together to fight for a better world.

Jack...had ideals...he could rally others to believe in."  

The Journalist asks...

"And will those ideals live on?"

Jackie answers...

"I'm sure they will--there will be other great Presidents---but there won't be another Camelot." 

Time Magazine's Hugh Sidey, who covered the Kennedy White House, wrote in 1964...

"Let the skeptics snort about Camelot, but there was something during the Kennedy years that was magic...no small part of (that)...lives on today (because of Jackie Kennedy's) standards of public propriety and majesty."


*Victrola is a brand of phonograph which was first manufactured by The Victor Talking Machine Company and later by RCA.  Anne Garside writes in "Camelot at Dawn" that the Victrola Jackie referred to in her interview with Teddy White appears to be the one she and Jack had at their Dent Place residence in Georgetown.  (see photo below)

**Camelot is the legendary center of King Arthur's realm first mentioned in Chretien de Troye's 'Lancelot,' a dream city...where KA dispenses justice, hosts feasts and is surrounded by brave knights. 

The soundtrack the Kenndys listened to was from the musical which premiered on Broadway in 1960.  The music was by Frederick Loewe & record album was the top-selling LP for 60 consecutive weeks.

SOURCES

"Camelot at Dawn:  Jacqueline and John Kennedy in Georgetown, May 1954," by Anne Garside, photographs by Orlando Suero, The Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, 2001

"Camelot, King Arthur's Court," www.legendofkingarthur.co.uk

"Jackie-Screenplay," by Script Pipeline, www.scriptpipeline.com/

"The Last Side of Camelot," Kennedy Assassination Chronicles, 1995, www.jfklancer.com/

"The 'Very Basics' of Antique Phonographs," The Victor-Victrola Page, www.victor-victrola.com/

RCA Victrola
Phonograph-Radio Combo
c. 1950s

RCA Victor Advertisement (1946)

CAMELOT

On December 3, 1961, "Camelot" opened at the Majestic Theater in New York City.  

The following is taken from a page on my website: freewebs.com/jrwhite21/

The Kennedy Presidency has come to be known as 'Camelot.'  The 1960 Broadway Musical was JFK's favorite.  Jackie said that 'Camelot' was the last record album that the President played at night before going to sleep.  She said that the last song on the album was his favorite:

    "Ask every person if he's heard the story & tell it strong & clear if he has not,That once there was a fleeting wisp of glory that was known as Camelot."

       The musical was based on the "Days of King Arthur & the Knights of the Round Table" which had been one of JFK's favorite stories as a child. 

        The term 'Camelot' came to be applied to JFK's Presidency after his death.  Mrs. Kennedy feared that because her husband's term as President was so short that he would not be remembered.  She told the story of JFK's interest in Camelot to a reporter, Theodore White.  She said:  "Oh, Mr. White, there will never be another Camelot again!" The rest is history!