Documentary on Jack Ruby

[James Richards]

A heads up for Aussie forum members. On Friday, 20th of May at 9.30pm, the History Channel is running what is listed as a first run documentary on the life of Jack Ruby.

Have any of our international forum members seen this program?

James

[Greg Wagner]

A heads up for Aussie forum members. On Friday, 20th of May at 9.30pm, the History Channel is running what is listed as a first run documentary on the life of Jack Ruby.

Have any of our international forum members seen this program?

James

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Greetings James!

I don't think I've seen it, but here is the description of a program on the HC over here:

Saturday, May 21 @ 7pm ET/PT

On November 24, 1963, a stunned America struggled to accept the assassination of President John F. Kennedy two days earlier. As tens of millions stared at their televisions that Sunday morning, they witnessed TV's first live murder--the killing of assassination suspect Lee Harvey Oswald by Dallas strip-club owner Jack Ruby. What was seen for 47 hours as an isolated tragedy became one of the most notable suspected conspiracies in US history. And while the Warren Commission claimed that Oswald and Ruby both acted alone, the House Select Committee on Assassinations concluded in 1979 that JFK's murder most likely resulted from a conspiracy. Now, a new development has shaken both sides of the conspiracy controversy. Recently revealed evidence suggests the CIA may have been tracking Oswald and indicates a possible link among anti-Castro Cubans, Carlos Marcello, Ruby, Oswald, and the CIA.

[Mark Stapleton]

A heads up for Aussie forum members. On Friday, 20th of May at 9.30pm, the History Channel is running what is listed as a first run documentary on the life of Jack Ruby.

Have any of our international forum members seen this program?

James

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

James.

thanks for the heads up.

[James Richards]

Greetings James!

I don't think I've seen it, but here is the description of a program on the HC over here:

Saturday, May 21 @ 7pm ET/PT

On November 24, 1963, a stunned America struggled to accept the assassination of President John F. Kennedy two days earlier. As tens of millions stared at their televisions that Sunday morning, they witnessed TV's first live murder--the killing of assassination suspect Lee Harvey Oswald by Dallas strip-club owner Jack Ruby. What was seen for 47 hours as an isolated tragedy became one of the most notable suspected conspiracies in US history. And while the Warren Commission claimed that Oswald and Ruby both acted alone, the House Select Committee on Assassinations concluded in 1979 that JFK's murder most likely resulted from a conspiracy. Now, a new development has shaken both sides of the conspiracy controversy. Recently revealed evidence suggests the CIA may have been tracking Oswald and indicates a possible link among anti-Castro Cubans, Carlos Marcello, Ruby, Oswald, and the CIA. (Greg Wagner)

Thanks, Greg. The program guide here doesn't offer a blurb but I imagine it is the same show.

However, I am curious about this recently revealed evidence noted in the rundown above. The documentary screening here is simply titled 'Jack Ruby'.

Cheers,

James

[Mark Stapleton]

Let's hope it contains something new. Some of these docos are not what they're cracked up to be.

[James Richards]

There's an hour of my time I will never get back. Standard stuff. Posner was wheeled out, Ruby was portrayed as a simple character looking for his 15 minutes and conspiracy themes were not seriously looked at.

To quote Mark Stapleton, "Some of these docos are not what they're cracked up to be."

Add this one to the list, Mark.

James

[Mark Stapleton]

There's an hour of my time I will never get back. Standard stuff. Posner was wheeled out, Ruby was portrayed as a simple character looking for his 15 minutes and conspiracy themes were not seriously looked at.

To quote Mark Stapleton, "Some of these docos are not what they're cracked up to be."

Add this one to the list, Mark.

James

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

James,

Thanks for the review--I was a bit sorry that I forgot to tape it but now I don't mind. Was it a History Channel production? If so, it ranks alongside a terrible doco they produced recently which virtually blamed Kennedy for the Cuban Missile Crisis, a "reckless game of brinkmanship", according to the narration.

[Justin Martell]

There's an hour of my time I will never get back. Standard stuff. Posner was wheeled out, Ruby was portrayed as a simple character looking for his 15 minutes and conspiracy themes were not seriously looked at.

To quote Mark Stapleton, "Some of these docos are not what they're cracked up to be."

Add this one to the list, Mark.

James

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

James,

Thanks for the review--I was a bit sorry that I forgot to tape it but now I don't mind. Was it a History Channel production? If so, it ranks alongside a terrible doco they produced recently which virtually blamed Kennedy for the Cuban Missile Crisis, a "reckless game of brinkmanship", according to the narration.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I find it interesting the character assassination of JFK that still goes to this day. It seems like they almost want people to think it is OK what happened in Dallas. It seems all there is to talk about are his marital infidelities or his so called lack of decisiveness at the Bay of Pigs. Its a shame that it happens here on the Forum sometimes also, hidden with compliments to other members or hidden with polite words either before or after his character assassination occurs. It is enough to make one suspicious sometimes. Thank you Mark for touching on that aspect in the documentary.

[James Richards]

Thanks for the review--I was a bit sorry that I forgot to tape it but now I don't mind. Was it a History Channel production? If so, it ranks alongside a terrible doco they produced recently which virtually blamed Kennedy for the Cuban Missile Crisis, a "reckless game of brinkmanship", according to the narration. (Mark Stapleton)

Mark,

I didn't pay a great amount of attention to the credits but I do believe it was an A & E Production.

BTW, next month there is a first run documentary on the History Channel about Clay Shaw and his trial. It is part of the'False Witness' series so I'm not sure I like the sound of that already.

Also on the 1st of June, the Discovery Channel is running a new documentary about the assassination of Robert Kennedy.

FWIW.

James

[Greg Parker]

There's an hour of my time I will never get back. Standard stuff. Posner was wheeled out, Ruby was portrayed as a simple character looking for his 15 minutes and conspiracy themes were not seriously looked at.

To quote Mark Stapleton, "Some of these docos are not what they're cracked up to be."

Add this one to the list, Mark.

James

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yep, James. There were so many errors and omissions, it's difficult to know where to start. The only plus (for me, at any rate) was in seeing some photos and film footage I hadn't previously seen.

greg

[Terry Mauro]

There's an hour of my time I will never get back. Standard stuff. Posner was wheeled out, Ruby was portrayed as a simple character looking for his 15 minutes and conspiracy themes were not seriously looked at.

To quote Mark Stapleton, "Some of these docos are not what they're cracked up to be."

Add this one to the list, Mark.

James

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yep, James. There were so many errors and omissions, it's difficult to know where to start. The only plus (for me, at any rate) was in seeing some photos and film footage I hadn't previously seen.

greg

To quote Mark Stapleton, "Some of these docos are not what they're cracked up to be."

Add this one to the list, Mark.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Could be just another verification of the fact that Operation Mockingbird is still alive and well, and living up to its specific job description.

[James Richards]

Yep, James. There were so many errors and omissions, it's difficult to know where to start. The only plus (for me, at any rate) was in seeing some photos and film footage I hadn't previously seen. (Greg Parker)

Hi Greg,

It was nice to see Bill Alexander put his 2 cents worth in.

You are correct though, some of the footage seemed to have been cleaned up and given a nice sepia tone making it very clear. The early images of Ruby were very interesting.

James

[Shanet Clark]

Here's an item for sale on EBAY...bad taste, but funny....

[Lee Forman]

James,

A friend donated some 5 VHS films to me the other day - all JFK related. One I found very interesting was a follow-up Stone JFK documentary. Great stuff, and I kept an open eye. The parts that interested me most, aside from a very peculiar view through the crosshairs at the open, was Ruby, as he was being led down a hallway, making claims that he was the victim of a conspiracy and etc. Are you familiar with that footage? I found it very interesting.

I had never seen it before. Later on, his brother is interviewed and makes a statement to the effect that his brother Jack never intended to kill Oswald -- only cause him pain -- otherwise, why the shot to the gut?

Weird. If you'd like, I will transcribe the comments made by Ruby, as best I can.

One very sad part of the documentary contained what appeared to be one of Jim Garrison's last interviews.

- lee

[Tim Gratz]

Justin wrote:

I find it interesting the character assassination of JFK that still goes to this day.

Telling the truth is not character assassination.

Ron Ecker had the courage to state that Kennedy rightly should have been removed from office because of his affair with Judith Campbell. Now with the caveat that I give statements by mafiosos no more credit than statements by Communists, in the Bonanno book "Bound By Honor" he states that Hoover used the Campbell affair to "blackmail" JFK to keeping him on as FBI Director. So JFK's affair with Campbell did indeed affect his conduct in office.

That JFK probably should have been impeached over Campbell (and probably over Rometsch as well) in no way minimizes the horror and the illegality of his murder. Nor should it in any degree affect the vigor of our search for the truth.

That being rightly said, as I have mentioned before, I regret ever learning about Campbell, Rometsch and his other adulteries. I prefer the image of JFK as a family man with his wife and children. Despite my disagreement with his policies, I greatly admired his style and wit and I will never forget those terrible "four days in November".

I note the irony, however, that these matters would probably never have surfaced but for the rejection of the "lone nut" WC theory, which was fueled primarily by

people who were the strongest Kennedy admirers. RFK's concerrn over "the dark side of Camelot" may very well have been what prompted his participation in the cover-up.

But they must be discussed since there may be a relation to his murder. Obviously, any time a married person is murdered the question of his or her intimate involvement with others must be considered. Now I consider this theory even more ridiculous than many posted here, but it is theoretically possible that Joe DiMaggio financed the assassination because he was certain the Kennedys had Marilyn killed. (Again, I don't think there is an iota of evidence to suspect him.) My point is simply Kennedy's affairs open up a whole new "cast of characters" with motive to kill Kennedy.

With respect to the discussion of JFK's policies, and the issue of whether the Kennedys' "vendetta" against Castro precipitated the missile crisis, the suggestion that no one should question the "mythology" of Kennedy lest it be considered "character assassination" is, IMO, preposterous. Kennedy should be idolized and his policies not subject to criticism merely because he was murdered? Is criticism of Bush's policies "character assassination"?

The best word to describe my view of JFK is "nuanced". Back in the sixties, I strongly disagreed with many of his policies. And I still do. But he was a charismatic leader winning friends for the US. His speech in West Berlin was magnificent and I think that speech alone could have been sufficient to motivate the KGB to kill him! The Peace Corps and the moon landing (sorry, Jack) are two of his enduring accomplishments. And the tax cut that he proposed proved to be great economics. And I also think RFK's crusade against the MOB may have been the beginning of the end of the Mafia (and may have played a role in the assassination.) And I truly believe that had he not been killed, Castro would have been history before November of 1964, and what a difference that would have made!

My feeling is Kennedy was most likely killed by someone acting to benefit Castro (probably with his knowledge), but perhaps, and less likely, by anti-Castro exiles (who may have been manipulated without their knowledge of JFK's more guarded plans to oust Castro). Clearly there was Mob participation. If there was KGB involvement, it may have been motivated by the friends JFK was making for the free world. So his assassination may well have been fueled by the policies and programs for which he deserves great credit. On the other hand, at least the Kennedy participation in the cover-up was no doubt motivated in part by the fear of disclosure of the "dark side of Camelot"--a fear by RFK that was certainly prescient.

It is ridiculous (if not a calculated ploy to stifle dissent) to label the revelation of the "dark secrets" of Camelot as "character assassination". Indeed they must be a part of a search for the truth of the REAL assassination. But unless they lead to the discovery of the conspirators, it is regretful that an unsuccessful search led to those disclosures.

My feelings are best summed up by a phrase from Bob Seger's "Against the Wind":

"Wish I didn't know now what I didn't know then." (John hates it when I use song lyrics to make a point.)