The Golden Gate Bridge Rises (May 27)

After 20 years of construction, San Francisco’s iconic Golden Gate Bridge was opened to the public for the first time this week in 1937.

1937 – Golden Gate Bridge Opens

In 1917, engineer Joseph Strauss began designing the Golden Gate Bridge. During this time, the only way to cross between San Francisco and Marin County was by boat. The bridge (which has never really been golden in color) opened to foot traffic on this day in 1937 becoming the tallest suspension bridge in the world (746 feet) as well as the longest (4,200 feet).

The Golden Gate Bridge is considered by many as one of the most beautiful bridges in the world and has been a cultural landmark ever since it was opened. It has played a role in many movies including one that was made before it was completed.

1935’s Stranded is really only notable for featuring the bridge and not much else. The movie was directed by Frank Borzage and starred George Brent as a construction manager for the Golden Gate Bridge. Kay Francis played the love interest for this Warner Bros. movie.

More famous movies that include cameos of the bridge include The Maltese Falcon, Vertigo, two Love Bug movies, two Sharknado movies, at least five Star Trek films, A View to a Kill, and numerous superhero movies including Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. The bridge has also been shown during the opening credits and closing credits in numerous TV shows including Charmed, Monk, Suddenly Susan, That’s So Raven, Too Close for Comfort and Full House.

1930 – Chrysler Building Opens

The Chrysler Building — *(Wikimedia Commons)*

At 1,046 feet tall, New York City’s Chrysler Building became the tallest man-made structure in the world.

2018 – K-Pop Tops the Charts

The South Korean boy band known as BTS became the first K-pop group to make it to the top of the U.S. Billboard 200 with the album, Love Yourself: Tear.

2014 – ‘The Night Shift’ Debuts

The cast of NBC's "The Night Shift" — *(NBC)*

NBC’s The Night Shift was about a group of army doctors who have returned to civilian life begin work at a San Antonio hospital all working…the night shift.

1933 – ‘Three Little Pigs’ Celebrate Brick Houses

Three little pigs dance and sing inside a brick house. — (TVDB)

Walt Disney’s Silly Symphony of Three Little Pigs was released on this day in 1933. The simple story stars Fiddler Pig (the straw house builder), Fifer Pig (the wood house builder), Practical Pig (who preferred bricks) and the Big Bad Wolf.

The short was created with a cost of $22,000 and it made $250,000 in theaters. It was so popular that Disney made three sequels: The Big Bad Wolf, Three Little Wolves and The Practical Pig.

The song, “Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf,” written by Frank Churchill was also a huge hit. It was often used as an anthem against the Great Depression and as a statement against Adolf Hitler.

Three Little Pigs won the 1934 Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film.

2022 – The Virtual ABBA Concerts

ABBA "ABBAtars" — ABBAtars of the original band members of ABBA. *(Wikipedia)*

The Swedish pop group ABBA have been popular all around the world since 1972. Sadly, the group’s last album, The Visitors came out in 1981, and the group went their separate ways in 1982.

In 2018, fans of the group were surprised to learn that ABBA had reunited to record two new songs (“I Still Have Faith in You” and “Don’t Shut Me Down”) which were going to be used for a TV special and released in 2019. However, the special was cancelled in favor of working on a whole new project which took years to complete.

Partnering with Industrial Light and Magic, the four singers came together to record a virtual concert that starred digital avatars of Benny Andersson, Agnetha Fältskog, Anni-Frid Lyngstad and Björn Ulvaeus. In 2021, ABBA released the album Voyage, their first in 40 years. During this time, an ABBA Arena, a custom-built concert residency, was being built in London to host the virtual concerts, ABBA Voyage. The first performance was held on this day in 2022.

For each performance, the four “ABBAtars” share the stage with a very real 10-piece band. As of now, the concerts will continue to perform until at least January 2027.