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King Kong (June 14 1986 - June 1 2008)

First roaring into life in front of a terrified public on June 14th 1986, the King Kong attraction at Universal Studios Hollywood started a new era of theme park design.

The 7-ton 30 feet tall Kong figure was the largest and most complex animatronic figure in existence for many years. The sophistication of the attraction broke new ground, and paved the way for the most complex of today's themed entertainments.

A massive backlot fire on 1 June 2008 destroyed the King Kong attraction just short of it's 22nd birthday. A new attraction will rise from the ashes, believed to be scheduled for 2010, and this is NOT the end of the giant ape. In his memory, our friends at Extinct Attractions have produced a DVD with tons of footage of Bob Gurr, Kong's creator, and an interview with the author of this site.

More information

King Kong DVD from Extinct Attractions
Sander Vanocur was the newsreader from 1986 - 1990
Sander Vanocur was the newsreader from 1986 - 1990