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The Collapsing Bridge (approximately 1974 to present)

The tour guide tries to take the tram around the bridge rather than going over it, but suddenly the tram driver takes the tram towards the bridge. Will it hold out? Nope - just as the tram reaches the mid point of the bridge, it creaks and massive timbers fall away causing the bridge to "drop" the tram a foot or so under the weight of the tram. The tram drives on, everyone survives, and visitors drive past the bridge as it rebuilds itself for the next tram.

Alan Smithee is the name used when directors ask for their name to be removed from the credits of a movie, either due to professional embarrassment, or due to disagreements within the creative team.
Films that the director was perfectly happy with in theatres were often ruthlessly cut for TV, resulting in the director credit being changed to Alan Smithee to signal the director’s unhappiness with the end product.
A quick search on the Internet Movie Database (www.imdb.com) reveals no less than 54 movie or TV projects have the Smithee name attached to them as director. It also turns out he wrote, produced, composed, production designed and edited. It turns out the name is an anagram of "The alias men".

Hydraulic systems were used to move the bridge and various collapsing elements, under the control of a computer system (made by Anitech).

The bridge has been out of action since March 2006, but will be refurbished to collapse again from August 2008. Studio Tour guides were asked for suggestions to add interest to the tour while the New York sets are rebuilt following the June 1 2008 Backlot Fire.

A GlamorTram in 'distress' on the bridge (from Inside Universal Studios, 1976)
A GlamorTram in 'distress' on the bridge (from Inside Universal Studios, 1976)
The bridge in it's collapsed state (2005)
The bridge in it's collapsed state (2005)
The Collapsing Bridge in better days- photo by Gary Hadley © Universal Studios
The Collapsing Bridge in better days- photo by Gary Hadley © Universal Studios
The roadway mechanism is locked in it's 'dropped' state preventing any trams from crossing the bridge (September 2005)
The roadway mechanism is locked in it's 'dropped' state preventing any trams from crossing the bridge (September 2005)
Concept artwork for the Collapsing Bridge
Concept artwork for the Collapsing Bridge