<P> In 1932, the Fifth Avenue Association gave the tower its 1931 "gold medal" for architectural excellence, signifying that the Empire State had been the best - designed building on Fifth Avenue to open in 1931 . A year later, on March 2, 1933, the movie King Kong was released . The movie, which depicted a large stop motion ape named Kong climbing the Empire State Building, made the still - new building into a cinematic icon . </P> <P> To save the building from bankruptcy, the management company of the building opened an observatory on the 86th floor and allowed public access to a large terrace on the eighty - first floor . A wedding chapel was also added to the building's 80th floor . This made the tower one of the city's major tourist attractions, and during the first years of operation, revenues from tourism equaled the total amount of rent paid by all tenants . The tower received its 5 millionth tourist in 1944 . </P> <P> On July 28, 1945, a B - 25 Mitchell bomber crashed into the north side of the Empire State Building, between the 79th and 80th floors . One engine shot through the side opposite the impact and flew as far as the next block, while the other engine and part of the landing gear plummeted down an elevator shaft . Fourteen people were killed in the incident . However, the building was not severely damaged or structurally compromised, and it reopened two days later . </P> <P> The Empire State Building only became profitable in the 1950s, when it was finally able to break even for the first time . Despite the lack of nearby transportation centers, the Empire State Building started to attract renters due to its reputation . A 222 - foot (68 m) radio antenna was erected on top of the tower starting in 1950, allowing the area's television stations to broadcast from the building . </P>

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