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Dancing Traffic Cop - Vic Cianca in Pittsburgh Pa. (ca. 1975)

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Senator John Heinz History Center

Shown here working at the intersection of 6th Avenue and Grant Street, Vic Cianca developed an unusual trafficdirecting style that earned him local and nationwide notoriety. Bored by the monotony of directing traffic, Cianca developed his distinctive style to keep himself and commuters alert during rush hour. Cianca's antics led to a spot on a 1964 episode of "Candid Camera," which turned out to be one of the series' most popular segments. Cianca's appearance led to requests for television and radio interviews, as well as invitations to direct traffic in other towns. He also had a cameo role in the 1983 movie "Flashdance."

The traffic at this busy intersection includes not only cars and buses, but also trolleys. Pittsburgh once had one of the most extensive trolley systems in the country, with over 600 miles of track connecting the city with its outlying suburbs. During the 1960s, the Port Authority of Allegheny County began replacing trolley service with buses, leaving streetcars only on routes that used the Mt. Washington Tunnel to service the South Hills. Some of the trolleys in this clip would be eventually replaced by Port Authority's light rail service.

This footage was shot by William G. Beal, a Pittsburgh filmmaker active from the 1940s through the 1990s.

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