Footbridge Saved From Mall Where 'Dawn Of The Dead' Was Shot

MONROEVILLE (KDKA) -- The zombies have come back to life at Monroeville Mall! A ghoulish gang showed up Wednesday morning to remove the last relic of the 1978 classic, "Dawn of the Dead."

The footbridge that appears in a battle scene, and a shot from above, has been dismantled for shipping to Heinz History Center following a petition drive to save it.

"I suggested that they not make the petition about my museum, but to include the Heinz History Center in the mix," said Kevin Kreiss, curator of the Living Dead Museum in Evans City.

"We're delighted to learn that they were willing to donate the bridge to the Heinz History Center for our permanent collection," added History Center project manager Lauren Uhl.

But don't expect to see the zombie bridge any time soon. The History Center is planning to bring the bridge out for a special exhibit on "Pittsburgh and Hollywood" in 2018.

But zombies have short attention spans, and the group decided to take the bridge and load it onto a truck immediately. We met some who played roles in "Dawn of the Dead."

"Zombie" Leonard Lies received a machete chop in the head from makeup artist Tom Savini, in the role of as motorcycle gang member.

"He says 'Goodbye Creep,' and goes whoosh," Lies recalls.

Filmmaker Tony Buba was a sombrero wearing biker.

"They called me sombrero man," Buba says. "I got my arm torn off in a blood pressure machine. Get it ripped off and the zombies eat me."

The unfaithful husband is played by Tommy LaFitte.

"The scene was, my wife doesn't know I've turned into a zombie," the actor explains.

Meanwhile, current day zombies continue to load the final relics from the film onto a truck. Someday, the bridge of the dead will see another dawn.

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