Stanley Kubrick's 1980 adaptation of "The Shining" features one of the most iconic final shots in film history: a chilling photograph from the Overlook Hotel’s 1921 Fourth of July ball, prominently featuring Jack Torrance (Jack Nicholson), who, in reality, had not yet been born. The image used in the film was a manipulated version of a real photograph, which had long remained unidentified—until now. After 45 years since the film's release, the original 1921 Fourth of July ball photograph has finally been discovered.

Alasdair Spark, a retired academic from the University of Winchester, shared details about the discovery process on Getty's Instagram. He revealed that facial recognition software identified the unknown man in the photo as Santos Casani, a London ballroom dancer. The photograph was one of three taken by the Topical Press Agency at a St. Valentine's Day Ball on February 14, 1921, at the Empress Rooms in the Royal Palace Hotel, Kensington. Spark's post also included a new scan from the original glass-plate negative and supporting handwritten documents.

The search for the image was a collaborative effort involving Spark, New York Times staffer Arick Toller, and dedicated Redditors. Spark described the process as challenging, with numerous dead ends and the fear that the photo might be lost forever. He mentioned that on-set photographer Murray Close, who captured the image of Nicholson that was superimposed over Casani, had initially suggested the photo came from the BBC Hulton Library. Knowing that Hulton had acquired Topical Press in 1958 and that Getty took over in 1991, Spark decided to sift through Getty's vast archives. This led to the discovery that the image was licensed to Hawk Films, Kubrick’s production company, on October 10, 1978, for use in "The Shining."

Spark clarified the photo's date, stating, “Joan Smith had said the photo dated from 1923. Stanley Kubrick had said 1921 and he was correct.” He noted that the photograph depicted ordinary Londoners at a Monday evening event, debunking various theories about the presence of celebrities or other notable figures. The only alteration was the addition of Jack Nicholson.

This discovery is a thrilling revelation for fans of "The Shining." Stephen King's novel, released in 1977, has been adapted into two notable versions: Kubrick's iconic film and Mick Garris' faithful 1997 miniseries.