Overview of the Collection
Austin History Center, Austin Public Library,
810 Guadalupe, PO BOX 2287, Austin, TX 78768
Milam, Whitney
Whitney Milam Video Collection
2006
.40 linear feet (1 box)
The collection contains the unedited video footage of the interviews conducted by Whitney Milam for his "Sniper '66" television documentary. Milam interviewed three people that witnessed the Charles Whitman tower shootings at the University of Texas, as well as the author of a book about the incident.
AR.2009.045
Recordings Collection
The records are in English.
Biographical Note
Whitney Milam is a native of Austin and attended the Texas State University Public History graduate program. His interest in history and his 12 years of experience at KTBC-Fox 7 led him to create the "Sniper '66" documentary. Milam's film received a Lone Star Emmy for "best historical documentary" in 2007 and a Telly Award for "outstanding historical television documentary" in 2006.
Milam has also produced documentaries on Lady Bird Johnson, the bombing of Pearl Harbor and its effect on Texas, the history of the KTBC television station and the history of the French Legation Museum in Austin.
Scope and Contents
The collection contains nine 30 minute BetaSP tapes of unedited interview footage used in the creation of "Sniper '66", the video documentary about the Charles Whitman tower shootings at the University of Texas. The interviewees were Ramiro "Ray" Martinez, the police officer who (along with officer Houston McCoy) brought down Whitman (3 tapes), then-KTBC reporter Neal Spelce (2 tapes), Gary M. Lavergne, author of A Sniper in the Tower: The Charles Whitman Murders (2 tapes), and Forrest Preece, a student on campus at the time of the shooting (2 tapes). In addition there are the transcripts of the interviews and an audio CD of Neal Spelce reporting on the Whitman incident on the KBLJ-AM radio station.
Related Material
A DVD 364.1523 SN Sniper '66: The Charles Whitman Murders at the Texas Tower [videorecording]
See the Materials Related to the Charles Whitman Mass Murder Case finding aid available in the AHC Reading Room for additional materials.
Index Terms
This record series is indexed under the following controlled access subject terms.
Persons:
Whitman, Charles Joseph, 1941-1966.
Milam, Whitney.
Spelce, Neal.
Lavergne, Gary M., 1955-
Preece, Forrest.
Martinez, Ramiro, 1937-
Organizations:
KTBC-TV (Television station : Austin, Tex.)
Places:
Austin (Tex.)
Subjects:
Mass murderers--Texas--Austin.
Mass murder--Texas--Austin.
Document Types:
Transcripts
Videotapes
Compact disc
Restrictions on Access
Access to the videotape recordings requires the production of Access copies; consult repository for details. Transcripts are available.
Restrictions on Use
Copyright held by KTBC Fox 7.
Preferred Citation
Whitney Milam Video Collection (AR.2009.045). Austin History Center, Austin Public Library, Texas.
Acquisition Information
Donor #: DO/2004/142
Donation Date: 2007
Processing Information
Finding aid and encoding by Molly Hults/2009 October.
Detailed Description of the Collection
"Sniper '66" Source Materials,
2006
1
Transcripts,
2006
1
Videotape interviews,
2006
1
Neal Spelce audio recording,
2006