The Dallas Times Herald, Nov. 22, 1963
I found three different versions of this Dallas Times Herald front page announcing Kennedy’s assassination. The example above has a one-line headline. Then there are those below with two-line headlines, each with different decks: “JFK Ambushed in Dallas” and “Suspect Arrested”. The second is a later edition printed after Lee Harvey Oswald’s name was released. (All are dated “Friday Evening”.)
The type that sets the competing deck lines is Tempo, a Futura competitor produced by the Ludlow company that was a staple of American newspapers from 1930 to the mid-’60s. It included various alternate lettershapes that Futura did not, such as an ‘e’ with a larger eye or the non-splayed ‘M’ that appears under this newspaper’s name.
Due to its size, the big stuff is likely wood type. I can’t identify it, but it’s similar to a typeface that the A.T.A. Type Comparison Book (Merriman, 1965) calls New Gothic Condensed.
Later issues of the paper are also shown below, with headlines in Tempo and Metro No. 2. Only the biggest news was worthy of breaking out the wood type.
The Dallas Times Herald, Nov. 24, 1963
The Dallas Times Herald, Nov. 25, 1963
7 Comments on “The Dallas Times Herald, Nov. 22, 1963”
I have a Dallas Times Herald November 22, 1963 Final Edition with the headline: “Texas Progress, U.S. Projects Linked, JFK Tells Fort Worth”. Sub head reads: “Ovations Greet Touring Kennedy”. Ummm, so DTH, were you always putting out different editions of this afternoon paper?
Yes, Lee, very fishy. Here’s that other Nov. 22 edition.
The more I look at that headline type, it reminds me of Daily News Gothic, maybe this could be a tracing.
Looks good to me. Thanks, Garrison! The H appears to be upside-down.
Yep, Florian! The whole thing a bit sloppy. Like the kerning on “CONNALL Y SHOT.” Strange!
Back in 1939, their predecessor used Condensed Title Gothic No. 11 and Cheltenham. Like it!
The issue “Lee” refers to is the original issue of the Dallas Times Herald that was published right before Kennedy’s death. I would be interested in purchasing it for my collection, if Lee would sell it. My grandparents lived in Dallas at the time and saved the other issues for me.