Justin Littlebit crosses Golden Gate Bridge with Dandy Cody

KRON-TV news footage from October 9, 1964 featuring scenes of Houston, TX cowboy Justin LittleBit (Richard Lee Zollner) walking across Golden Gate Bridge with his horse six-year old bay gelding Dandy Cody, at the end of a 6,000-mile trek from Houston to San Francisco, which took 18-months. Dandy Cody apparently wore out 31 sets of steel horseshoes on this epic journey. Includes views of bridge director Stephan C. Leonoudakis (1924-2025) making a speech and of Dandy Cody being presented with a horseshoe of carnations. Leonoudakis explains that the bridge toll for LittleBit and his horse has been set at a total of 30 cents, which they are covering and goes onto suggest that this: "Will undoubtedly be the only official, legal passage of a horse and horseman over the Golden Gate Bridge in the history of the bridge ... and we're happy to participate in this event with you!" The California Highway Patrol had initially denied LittleBit permission to ride Dandy Cody across the bridge when they arrived at the span, on September 29. Under intense media spotlight, LittleBit camped at the Commodore Seaplane base just north of Sausalito and waited for bridge directors to "bend" the rules and amend their traffic code, to allow some form of crossing. Walking across the east pedestrian walk of the bridge with Dandy Cody was the compromise they reached, with the bridge directors voting 8-to-3 in favor of this solution. Opening graphic designed by Carrie Hawks.

Note that journalist Hunter S. Thompson can be seen in the background, standing in the crowd behind Stephan Leonoudakis and Justin LittleBit on Golden Gate Bridge, from 0:19-1:16 into the clip. He has a cigarette holder clamped between his teeth and is writing.

This 16mm b&w negative film was scanned in 4K (4096 x 2970) using a Lasergraphics ScanStation film scanner, in September 2023.