He leaned about the same way in falling towards Jacqueline, forward, down towards the bottom of the car.


Abe Zapruder was a Ukrainian-born American clothing manufacturer who began in Manhattan, but moved to Dallas in 1941. He worked for various companies and in 1949 he co-founded sportswear company Jennifer Juniors. During this time he spent almost a year working with Jeanne LeGron who was the future wife of George de Mohrenschildt. In 1963 the company was located on the fourth floor of the Dal-Tex building, across the street from the Texas School Book Depository.

Zapruder admired Kennedy and wanted to film the motorcade as it passed by his office. Instead of filming out a window he found a small four foot abutment to the Dealey Plaza structure. Steadied by his assistant, Marilyn Sitzman, he recorded the single most detailed information about the assassination, including the fatal shot that snapped the President's head back and to the left.

He knew the wound was fatal when he saw Kennedy's head “explode like a firecracker”. Returning to his office he ran into a reporter for the Dallas Morning News he knew who asked if he could bring a Secret Service Agent to talk about the film. Zapruder agreed and then told the agent they could have a copy of the film, but only for the investigation. By the end of the day the film was developed and three copies made.

Being a smart business man, Zapruder retained the original and one copy. The film was sold to Henry Luce of Life magazine, and kept out of public circulation until Jim Garrison subpoenaed it for the Clay Shaw trial. After that several bootleg copies found their way into the public.

The part of Abe Zapruder was played by Ray LePere in the JFK film.