15 Facts About Tony Zappone

Tony Zappone was the youngest contributor of evidence during the Warren Commission hearings into the assassination of President John F Kennedy.

Tony Zappone began his career in journalism at age 14 as a freelance photographer with The Tampa Tribune, now the Tampa Bay Times, paid at the rate of three dollars per news photo used.

Tony Zappone photographed President John F Kennedy during his entire five-hour presidential visit to Tampa just four days before Kennedy's November 22,1963 assassination in Dallas, Texas.

Several of the photos Zappone took that day showing the last time Secret Service agents were posted at the rear of the presidential limousine were entered as exhibits during The Warren Commission's investigation into the Kennedy Assassination and are still used today in Secret Service training.

Tony Zappone caught up with Robert Kennedy at a rear exit following the attorney general's famous speech before an enthusiastic convention audience that gave him a 22-minute ovation.

In October, 2013, Tony Zappone published a book of photos he took during Kennedy's Tampa trip as well as a detailed narrative of his experience with the President during his visit.

Tony Zappone recalled his observations of the Presidential limousine making its turn at that intersection during the dedication of the marker, sponsored by the Tampa Historical Society, held on November 22,2013.

Late in 1963, Tony Zappone was monitoring local police frequencies and overheard a Florida Highway Patrolman requesting a sergeant after he pulled over a chimpanzee driving a compact convertible for speeding on Interstate 4 just east of Tampa.

Tony Zappone rushed to grab a ride with another newsman, WTVT TV reporter Steve Wilson, and arrived in time to photograph the lawman issuing the chimp, named "Cappy," a citation for speeding, reckless driving and having no driver's license.

Tony Zappone was later commissioned by NBC Productions, Inc to shoot film footage of Cappy driving around the Tampa area for later use on that network's The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.

Tony Zappone was a founding staff member of The Oracle, the groundbreaking University of South Florida campus newspaper which printed its first issue September 6,1966.

Tony Zappone was assigned to the Defense Attache section, Embassy of the United States in London, and the US Naval Forces Europe command in Naples, Italy.

Tony Zappone was editor-in-chief of The Tartan Log, a newspaper chronicling the non-classified activities of personnel stationed at US military intelligence installations in Scotland.

Since that time Tony Zappone has been involved in radio and television commercial production, real estate acquisition and management, charitable fundraising, publishing and Internet business ventures.

On November 10,2017 Tony Zappone suffered a nearly-fatal stroke while going down stairs at his home and, after months of hospitalization, he was confined to his residence unable to walk.