# Spencer Tracy and John F. Kennedy? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 22, 2018, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spencer-tracy-and-john-f-kennedy/807235 "2018-01-22T20:06:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2018, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spencer-tracy-and-john-f-kennedy/807235/1 "2018-01-22T20:06:04Z")
I came across this photo not long ago: [https://media.vanityfair.com/photos/54cbfcf65e7a91c528233e77/master/w\_768,c\_limit/image.jpg](https://media.vanityfair.com/photos/54cbfcf65e7a91c528233e77/master/w_768,c_limit/image.jpg) It shows the Kennedy campaign high command (including JFK, RFK, Ethel Kennedy and future White House press secretary Pierre Salinger) early on the morning after Election Day, watching the returns on TV. It sure looks to me like that’s Spencer Tracy on the stairs, but I’ve now checked three bios of Tracy and there’s no mention of him being in Hyannis Port at the time. Anyone know if that’s Tracy, or someone else? ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2018, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spencer-tracy-and-john-f-kennedy/807235/2 "2018-01-22T20:20:34Z")
I think it’s old Joe Kennedy, the family’s father and patriarch. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2018, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spencer-tracy-and-john-f-kennedy/807235/3 "2018-01-22T20:27:44Z")
The photos I can find show Joe Kennedy with a high forehead unlike the guy in the photo. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2018, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spencer-tracy-and-john-f-kennedy/807235/4 "2018-01-22T20:34:22Z")
It’s not Joe Kennedy. For one thing he wore glasses. Also, he’d be in the middle of everything, not on the stairs. It’s not Spencer Tracy. Just some random guy, probably, maybe a bodyguard of some kind. The way he’s standing with his hands behind his back seems to suggest that. I thought it might be a Secret Service agent, but presidential candidates were not given Secret Service protection until after the assassination of Bobby Kennedy in [1968](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Secret_Service). ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2018, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spencer-tracy-and-john-f-kennedy/807235/5 "2018-01-22T20:36:27Z")
Obviously, it’s Al Traina. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2018, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spencer-tracy-and-john-f-kennedy/807235/6 "2018-01-22T20:38:43Z")
> [@Sherrerd](#): > > Obviously, it’s Al Traina. He was everywhere! I wish I were Al Traina. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2018, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spencer-tracy-and-john-f-kennedy/807235/7 "2018-01-22T20:39:40Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > It’s not Joe Kennedy. For one thing he wore glasses. Also, he’d be in the middle of everything, not on the stairs. It’s not Spencer Tracy. Just some random guy, probably, maybe a bodyguard of some kind. The way he’s standing with his hands behind his back seems to suggest that. > > I thought it might be a Secret Service agent, but presidential candidates were not given Secret Service protection until after the assassination of Bobby Kennedy in [1968](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Secret_Service). ☹ Agreed it’s definitely not Joe Kennedy: [https://images.fineartamerica.com/images-medium-large/joseph-kennedy-sr-john-f-kennedy-everett.jpg](https://images.fineartamerica.com/images-medium-large/joseph-kennedy-sr-john-f-kennedy-everett.jpg) The Secret Service contingent would arrive within hours of the OP photo being taken, as I recall. ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2018, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spencer-tracy-and-john-f-kennedy/807235/8 "2018-01-22T20:49:22Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > He was everywhere! > > I wish I were Al Traina. Heh. But seriously: I can see why ‘Joe Kennedy’ came up, as the man does have a Kennedy look around the eyes. JFK’s father Joe had one sister (Margaret Louise) who had sons (two): Charles Joseph Burke, Jr.+ b. 5 May 1928 Thomas Francis Burke II b. 25 May 1933 As to whether either of them were part of the Kennedy family scene when that photo was taken, I have no idea. > **[Template:Infobox family/testcases](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Infobox_family/testcases#/media/File:Kennedy_family_tree.png)** > **[Person Page](http://www.thepeerage.com/p6533.htm)** > > Genealogy Royal Noble Peer Duke Count Lord Baron Baronet Sir Peer Database Family Tree Europe Nobility Knight Peerage Marquess Earl ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2018, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spencer-tracy-and-john-f-kennedy/807235/9 "2018-01-22T23:13:40Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > … > The Secret Service contingent would arrive within hours of the OP photo being taken, as I recall. Yeah, it’s probably a Secret Service agent. ---
**Author:** ![Meme\_Chose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/2acd7d/32.png) [@Meme\_Chose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meme_Chose)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2018, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spencer-tracy-and-john-f-kennedy/807235/10 "2018-01-22T23:58:26Z")
I found a larger image [here](http://larrytye.com/photo-gallery/), with a (probably not helpful) caption. 7th from top on left. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2018, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spencer-tracy-and-john-f-kennedy/807235/11 "2018-01-23T01:06:14Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > Yeah, it’s probably a Secret Service agent. It looks like he’s wearing a campaign button on his lapel (as are several others in the picture) – if so, that’d point to it not being a Secret Service agent. ---
**Author:** ![purplehearingaid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@purplehearingaid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehearingaid)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2018, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spencer-tracy-and-john-f-kennedy/807235/12 "2018-01-23T02:01:31Z")
It’s sure not Tracy or Joe Kennedy ! Tracy’s ears didn’t stick out like that . ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2018, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spencer-tracy-and-john-f-kennedy/807235/13 "2018-01-23T15:03:11Z")
> [@purplehearingaid](#): > > It’s sure not Tracy or Joe Kennedy ! Tracy’s ears didn’t stick out like that . The guy on the stair’s ears don’t look much different from Tracy’s to me: [http://www.steveblackwood.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/SpencerTracy225.jpg.html.jpg](http://www.steveblackwood.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/SpencerTracy225.jpg.html.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![puddleglum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puddleglum/32/137_2.png) [@puddleglum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puddleglum)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2018, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spencer-tracy-and-john-f-kennedy/807235/14 "2018-01-23T17:07:42Z")
It looks kind of like Archibald Cox who was part of JFK’s speech writing team and would go on to become solicitor general. [Here](https://www.scoopnest.com/user/BeschlossDC/780430688709386241)is a photo with Jackie. In the election night photo he has his eyes close. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2018, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spencer-tracy-and-john-f-kennedy/807235/15 "2018-01-23T17:38:58Z")
Maybe it’s Private Shriver. His promotion came later. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2018, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spencer-tracy-and-john-f-kennedy/807235/16 "2018-01-23T18:25:54Z")
> [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](#): > > Maybe it’s Private Shriver. His promotion came later. I guess this is humor? “Sargent” was his first name. Doesn’t look anything like the guy on the stairs. [Wikipedia with picture.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sargent_Shriver) ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2018, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spencer-tracy-and-john-f-kennedy/807235/17 "2018-01-23T18:38:07Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > I guess this is humor? ] No, it was a lame _attempt_ at humor. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2018, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spencer-tracy-and-john-f-kennedy/807235/18 "2018-01-23T21:54:38Z")
> [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](#): > > No, it was a lame _attempt_ at humor. I managed a wry smile. No upturned eyebrow though. ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2018, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spencer-tracy-and-john-f-kennedy/807235/19 "2018-01-23T22:27:03Z")
Might mean nothing, but he is ‘stand-offish,’ which might be he’s just an observer, and not part of the Kennedy camp, as they are all gathered close together–so the Secret Service agent is pretty plausible. Where’s Walloon when you need him? (Yeah, I know where he is.) Walloon dug into and finally solved the mystery ‘bow tie’ man with FDR in the Social Security photographs. Turned out to be an obscure Pennsylvania short-term Congressman Joshua Twing Brooks. Edit: (And I was ninjaed as I was also going to say ‘Al Traina’.) ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2018, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spencer-tracy-and-john-f-kennedy/807235/20 "2018-01-23T22:36:58Z")
Also. . . Jacques Lowe was the photographer, and this appeared in the book “The Kennedy Years.” But if the image online is the same one in the book. . . it’s cropped just below the shoulders, so that might not help any. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spencer-tracy-and-john-f-kennedy/807235.md?page=2)