Last photo of Lennon was processed in Rutherford
This story was originally published December 16, 2010.
On Dec. 8, 1980, New Jersey resident Paul Goresh, amateur photographer, stalker and later friend of John Lennon, snapped a photo of Lennon signing an autograph outside the Dakota in NYC. There’s nothing spectacular about the photo. Lennon’s head is turned down, he dons his sunglasses and a leather coat and it’s somewhat blown out by the flash. But the photo would later become one of the most famous taken of Lennon. It was reportedly the last photo taken of the famous Beatles member, just hours before he was shot, and in the background is Mark Chapman, his killer. Just hours before he killed Lennon, Chapman stopped Lennon, and asked for an autograph. Lennon obliged and Goresh, not knowing what was to come, caught the moment on film.
In June 8, 1981, Goresh, walked into The Slide Center at 335 Carmita Ave. in Rutherford with a black briefcase handcuffed to his wrist. Chapman had just confessed to the murder of Lennon and Goresh wanted a copy from the negative he had taken on the day of Lennon’s death to sell to a magazine, recalls Rutherford resident Christina Kotlar Turchyn. Turchyn, now a documentary maker, was the order processor at The Slide Center.
"He was very concerned about the security of this negative. He made his request and I wrote up the order. But the briefcase thing was very strange. No one had ever come in with a briefcase attached to their wrist, no matter how great the photo was or what it was of," says Turchyn. "But the photo had already been seen and we knew the importance of it."
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In a new documentary "The Day John Lennon Died" by Michael Waldman, Goresh says he had called the police just hours after Lennon’s death telling them about the photo that would identify the killer. The police didn’t take him seriously and Goresh sold the photo to the "Daily News," he says in the documentary.
Why Goresh chose the Rutherford processing center, Turchyn could not say. He had not been there before and never was again. The Slide Center, however, was one renowned by the best photographers of the time for its color Kodak processing, says Turchyn.
"He wanted to be with the negative during the whole process so no other photos would be made. So, I escorted him through our sub terrain place into the labyrinths and bowels of the center to Charlie Melcon, our color print technician, who was really good," recalls Turchyn.
The first image Melcon produced was not good enough for Goresh, who asked that another be made, pointing out where he wanted the red of the T-shirt to pop and the fur trim of the jacket better detected. The next processing went so well, "You could see the slight flush to his normally British pallor. It was taken in December after all," says Tyrchyn.
Melcon asked if he could keep the first "inadequate one." And Turchyn, a young 25-year-old, boldly asked if she could have a copy from the original negative, too. Goresh said yes and then signed it "Chris, Best wishes, Paul Goresh 6/8/81."
Turchyn believes her photo is one of only a few processed from the original negative.
"Although this image was duplicated many times and is all over the iInternet, the quality of those images aren’t good," she says.
The Slide Center closed down in the 1990s with the advent of digital. Milcon moved on, and Turchyn lost touch. Turchyn has moved seven times over the past 30 years, before settling in Rutherford three years ago. The photo was safely stored with other files, carried from house to house and not thought of much, she says. "I never would hang it. It was just too creepy," she says. "And the fact that he signed best wishes, I don’t know, it’s strange."
But because the image was filed away out of the light and, of course, the Kodak paper and processing and Milcon’s artistic touch in the processing, Turchyn says the photograph is mint.
There are some questions as to whether Goresh used film or a Polaroid. In a 2003 interview, Lennon’s producer Jack Douglas talks about seeing the photo and refers to it as a Polaroid, but Turchyn says he was mistaken. The moment was captured on film and she has one of the originals from the negative to prove it.
Last week, just before the when it hit the 30-year anniversary of the death of Lennon and the photograph itself, Turchyn got out her signed original and framed it. She still can’t bring herself to hang it and has been approached by Heritage Auction Gallery to consign the photo for auction.
"I am not trying to give Chapman any more press. I am a huge Beatles fan and that was a really sad day. But I think it should be in the hands of a collector, not me who can’t even hang it," says Turchyn.
She doesn’t know what it will bring at auction, but contends she will donate part of the proceeds to charity. "Some type of human rights group. I think John would approve."
Goresh, besides for his recent appearance in the documentary, has gone mainly underground. In the documentary, he comes across as wishing he wasn’t there that day and not wanting to give Lennon’s killer any more notoriety.
When asked what Goresh would feel about Turchyn selling the photo, she says she can’t say. She agrees the photo is morbid, but hopes the proceeds can do some good.
E-mail: winters@northjersey.com