Living History with W.E. 'Rusty' Robbins

The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza presented an interview with former Dallas police officer W.E. “Rusty” Robbins. Robbins was assigned crowd control on Main Street during the presidential motorcade and, after Oswald's shooting, guard duty at Parkland Memorial Hospital. An acquaintance of Jack Ruby, he visited the Carousel Club on several occasions. The program was moderated by Curator Stephen Fagin.

[jimmyblaylock]

Rusty Robbins is my Uncle. He passed away today. 10/6/24. Rest in peace uncle. Thank you for all your years of service. He was also interviewed in the series JFK one day in America. It’s on Disney plus. We all love you.

[razmo]

Great interview! Stephen did a great job of allowing Mr Robbins to fully get his thoughts across, while propelling the conversation forward and making sure to follow the chronology and bring him back to important or interesting points

Mr. Robbin’s was very interesting and clear and I liked the way he added little touches that painted a picture of Dallas back then, like all the movie theaters being on one block. Or the frozen pizzas in the back room of The Carousel Club. And Ruby’s reaction to getting a strike when they went bowling. Really fleshes Ruby out more than most things I have heard and read about him. What seems like a trivial thing to most, lends credence to the “impulse” theory, as Mr Robbin’s illustrates. .

He was probably a pretty good detective.

[JfK--OBJECTivE]

The SFM vet their guests really well, congratulations.

[carolbarraclough]

He is a true and honest gentleman .
Thank you for these interviews.

[mkii]

Steven, this is probably my favorite interview!!!

[Jay-vrir]

Too bad they did not guard Oswald, when he was alive as well as they did, when Oswald was dead .

[missysample]

He's such a humble and honest southern gentleman.

[ericbaker]

What a cool old timer! You can expect similar stories coming from the DPD of that era. They pretty much stick together. And as far as the integrity of the matter concerning conspiracy they pretty much all go against it. Just to say it's balongna and don't make sense. And the handful that believed otherwise died mysterious deaths back then or got fired. So no I didn't expect nothing different to come from him being an ex Dallas policeman. Even though I was shocked to hear him say he was open to Lee's situation. But I knew he would be on point as the rest of the flock in more ways than one. A lot of them were on the beat pals and bar buddies. But it was interesting to see what he had to say. I'm always honored to catch these when I can..

[winstonsmith]

Just to slightly correct what Rusty said about Ruby's activity on 11/24/63. Ruby was in his apartment at 10:00 a.m. when Oswald was supposed to be transferred to the County Jail. He was asked by one of his strippers Karen "Little Lynn" Bennett to wire her $25.00 to pay her rent (not to go to Dallas). Ruby got dressed and drove to the Western Union Office taking one of his 7 dachshunds "Sheeba" along for the ride. He made an illegal u-turn on main street and parked his car leaving Sheeeba in the car. He stood on line at the Western Union Office, not hurried, and his wire transfer was time stamped 11:17 a.m. He walked the 1/2 block to the police station and when the officer guarding the ramp looked away briefly Ruby walked down the ramp just as Oswald was being led to the armored car to be transferred to the County jail. Facts to be taken away here: a) Ruby was home at 10:00 a.m. when Oswald was supposed to be transferred. The delay occurred because Postal Inspector Holmes, instead of going to church, came to interrogate Oswald. Oswald delayed himself by asking for a change of clothes (the black sweater). b) Ruby was not rushed on the line at Western Union. Had 1 person been in front of him on line he would have missed Oswald. c) Ruby lamented that had he not made the illegal U-turn on Main Street and simply drove around the block he would have missed the Oswald transfer. d) Finally, do you think if Ruby went downtown with the intention of killing Oswald he would have brought his dog? Amazing how this silly conspiracy nonsense still persists after all these year (i.e just read the comment below by "Rob Francis").

[willmartinez]

I like this guys answers and he actually dispelled my theory that Jack Ruby was part of a conspiracy.

[jude]

Many elderly blacks I interviewed said integration destroyed strong black communities. The paradox. I hope the museum recorded all those cops he recognized in the photos. Tammi True mentioned the pizzas at The Carousel in her interview with the Sixth Floor Museum.

[ShangHighRoller]

We'd never have another J.D. Tippit.

[davidarbuckle]

Great Photo of Oswald and the Officer. Interestingly of the 3 murders, Oswald's was the only one that had a legit Autopsy.

[tombirbeck]

I love how these poor old guys have to try to use the current politically correct terminology to tell their stories. It must drive them nuts!

[Mark-zyen]

Rip jfk hard to believe it's been 59 years ago since Kennedy was horribly murdered

[stevemaher]

Sorry Rusty, Ruby had to get Lee. Or it was lights out for Ruby.

[GregJay]

Yeah back in 63 Everyone knew their place and it was all down home BBQ everybody loved Jack, he wasn't runnin guns to New Orleans or the bagman for the mob, nah that was all lies! Lol

[BJ-mmhb]

I drive by the book depositary all the time so am fairly familiar with what Karen Westbrook Scanton was describing. Karen said 1. She was standing right next to the Stemmons freeway sign; 2. The shots she heard were from behind her (19:27). Go to googlemaps, find the sign and you will see what is directly behind it -- the grassy knoll! The building where she worked is way to the left of her. Today's sign is different from 1963 one but its located at the same spot.

[stephenchristian]

WELL I GUESS WE SHOULD ALL REMEMBER TO THINK B 4 SPEAK ( or write) I WAS ABOUT TO JUMP ALL OVER THIS 10 MINUTES IN AS TO WHY SPEAK TO THIS NO BODY WHO HAD NO NOTHING TO DO WITH ANYTHING IMPORTANT BUT DAMN THIS WAS GOOD.. JR WAS A 2 BIT LOSER A CLUB OWNER AT THE LOWEST LEVEL POSSIBLE & JUST ENOUGH TO MAKE HIMSELF FEEL IMPORTANT ( all he could possibly afford) YOU MEET THEM ALL THE TIME IN UKRAINE & THE PHILIPPINES, THE MOB WOULD NEVER HAVE USED HIM FOR ANYTHING THAT'S A FACT& ALSO (been mentioned by mobsters at the time) ALSO HE FITS (PERFECTLY) THE MO OF A SEMI HALF WIT, SHORT TEMPER ALWAYS JOLLY (fake to cover his anxsed) HE HAD JUST LEFT WU & KNEW THE LHO THING WAS GOING ON, HE WAITED SLIPPED IN & BOOM, HOW MANY TIMES HAS HISTORY HAD THIS TYPE OF PERSON DO THIS EXACT THING? ..MANY!

[janetphillips]

Any old interviews with Det. M.G. Hall? Now THAT would be interesting! He died in the 90s. This guy here, he is like a kitten covering up it's first pile. He says he didnt know Jack Ruby, but yet he knew Jack Those cops know exactly what happened that day, and who did what and when. They throw Ruby to the dogs, say they never went in the Carousel Club, that it was a dump, unsuccessful, but yet the people who worked there said the ALL cops came in there, right down to ol' Mr. Roe vs. Wade, himself!!
The Dallas Central Expressway was completed in 1956.