Pinball that has been featured on TV and in movies

Brian Clark

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Feb 28, 2012
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Happy Days was infamous for having a 70s pinball machine, Nip-it, in a 50s setting. I like how it even shows Fonzie opening the coin box of the machine and working on it. One of the later episodes of Columbo has Columbo playing a pinball machine he sees in a suspect's house.
 

neglectoid

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Sep 27, 2012
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i also remember seeing a star trek voyager episode where Ed Begley JR was playing a pinball machine. i also seem to recall MR Burns from the simpsons playing a pinball machine in an early season episode.
 
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SKILL_SHOT

Banned
Jul 11, 2012
3,659
1
THE KARATE KID. In the second scene of GOLF-N-SUFF when Daniel is trying to apologise to Ali theres a couple machines that dont get focused on, a side shot of a williams cabinet and a guy plaing an early SS table. I LOVE THIS MOVIE!:) One my all time greats! Along with THE GOONIES, SNATCH,FIGHT CLUB and T.M.N.T.
 

Squid

Senior Creature
Mar 22, 2012
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Ha! I've just seen a local TV commercial. It was one of those consignment shops that specialize in used clothes, furniture and baby items.

They had NGG in the background!

I think I need some maternity pants...
 

superballs

Active member
Apr 12, 2012
2,653
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Dazed and Confused has several machines in the youth rec. center scenes. Very easy to spot. Not sure why there's a "?" on the scene description. Must not be big fans of the movie.

This was the defining movie of my late adolescence. I had a thread on VPForums about what tables were in the background. Had answers really quick.

..onetwothreeFOURfive! SixseveneightNINEten! Eleven tweeeeeeEeelve!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinball_Number_Count

ALSO produced in 1976 (though first aired on Sesame Street in '77). The prosecution rests, Your Honor.

I wasn't into pinball when i watched Sesame Street as a kid but loved this segment more than any other.

Back on topic, Detroit Rock City has a scene where Tripp is at the store the kid he tries to beat the KISS ticket out of is of course playing on a KISS machine. There's also a Nugent machine and a Strikes and Spares next to it.
 

squidlr

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Feb 28, 2012
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American Graffiti - Richard Dreyfus and 'The Pharaohs' robbing the local arcade - Ball Park (1968) and Vampire (1972), plus two other unknown machines. It's a period movie set in the early 60's. Great movie by George Lucas, surprisingly. Ron Howard from Happy Days makes an appearance, as well as Harrison Ford.
 

Baintz

New member
May 25, 2012
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Opened this thread this morning, and for some reason this scene popped into my head. I don't know what machine this is being a new convert to pinball, but no doubt someone here can identify it.



 

Matt McIrvin

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Jun 5, 2012
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Opened this thread this morning, and for some reason this scene popped into my head. I don't know what machine this is being a new convert to pinball, but no doubt someone here can identify it.

It looks to be Gottlieb's "High Hand" from 1973, or one of the differently-named variants thereof:

http://www.ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=1173

I think they painted over the name on the backglass, which initially confused me.
 
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Matt McIrvin

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Jun 5, 2012
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The one I don't know is the machine that hooked Mr. Belvedere: the one closeup of the playfield seems to show Fireball, but the cabinet shot from the side clearly isn't Fireball, and there's nothing to go on but the side artwork.
 

Gord Lacey

Site Founder
Staff member
Feb 19, 2012
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Just watched an episode of Simon & Simon last night, and there was a table in a tow-truck garage. No idea what it was though.
 

Gord Lacey

Site Founder
Staff member
Feb 19, 2012
1,991
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Gord, why in god's name are you watching Simon and Simon?? Just curious.

Season 7 comes out on DVD today from Shout! Factory, and I have the set to review. Simon & Simon, and Magnum PI, were two of my favorite shows in the 80s. Loved them both, and they're still fun to watch now.
 

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