Gottlieb
Encyclopedia
Gottlieb was an arcade game
corporation
based in Chicago
, Illinois
. The company was established by David Gottlieb in 1927, initially producing pinball
machines while later expanding into various other games including pitch-and-bats, bowling games, and eventually video arcade games (notably Reactor
and Q*bert).
Like other manufacturers, Gottlieb first made mechanical
pinball tables, then electromechanical tables starting in 1935. The 1947 development of player-actuated, solenoid-driven 2-inch bats called "flippers" revolutionized the industry. Players now had the ability to shoot the ball back up the playfield and get more points. The flippers first appeared on a Gottlieb game called "Humpty Dumpty", designed by Harry Mabs. By this time, the games also became noted for their artwork by Roy Parker.
In the late 1950s the company made more widespread use of digital score reels, making multiple player games more practical as most scoring was expressed by cluttered series of lights in the back box. The score reels eventually appeared on single-player games, now known as "wedgeheads" because of their distinctive tapering back box shape. By the 1970s the artwork on Gottlieb games was almost always by Gordon Morison, and the company had begun designing their games with longer 3-inch flippers, now the industry standard.
The company made the move into solid state
tables starting in the late 1970s. The first few of these were remakes of electromechanical tables such as "Joker Poker" and "Charlie's Angels". By that time, multiple player machines were more the mode and wedgeheads were no longer being produced, the last being "Asteroid Annie and The Aliens".
Gottlieb was bought by Columbia Pictures
in 1977. In 1983, after the Coca Cola Company had acquired Columbia, Gottlieb's pinball assets were transferred to a new Coca Cola subsidiary, Mylstar Electronics, but this proved to be short-lived. By 1984 the video game industry in North America was in the middle of a shakeout and Coca Cola sought to divest itself of Mylstar, which also made video games. A management group, led by Gilbert G. Pollock, purchased Mylstar's pinball assets in October 1984 and continued the manufacture of pinball machines under a new company, Premier Technology. As a result of this a number of prototype Mylstar arcade games, which were not purchased by the investors, were never released. Premier did go on to produce one last arcade game, 1989's Exterminator. Premier Technology, which returned to selling pinball machines under the name Gottlieb after the purchase, continued in operation until the summer of 1996, when the declining demand for pinball machines forced the company to cease business. Premier did not file for bankruptcy, but sold off all its assets for the benefit of its creditors.
Today, Gottlieb's pinball machines (along with those distributed under the Mylstar and Premier names), as well as the "Gottlieb" and "D. Gottlieb & Co." trademarks (USPTO registration nos. 1403592, 2292766, and 3288024, and other numbers in countries around the world), are owned by Gottlieb Development LLC of Pelham Manor, New York.
Gottlieb's most popular pinball machine was Baffle Ball
(released mid-1931), and their final machine was Barb Wire
(early 1996).
Gottlieb was last to introduce a solid-state system, and last to cease manufacture of electromechanical games. The first version of Gottlieb's solid state
pinball
hardware was called System 1, and had many design flaws. Likely it was rushed to compete with the new solid-state games from other manufacturers, particularly Bally. An entirely new platform was produced in 1980, System 80, which was refined in System 80A and System 80B. The final revision was System 3, first made in 1988.
Arcade game
An arcade game is a coin-operated entertainment machine, usually installed in public businesses such as restaurants, bars, and amusement arcades. Most arcade games are video games, pinball machines, electro-mechanical games, redemption games, and merchandisers...
corporation
Corporation
A corporation is created under the laws of a state as a separate legal entity that has privileges and liabilities that are distinct from those of its members. There are many different forms of corporations, most of which are used to conduct business. Early corporations were established by charter...
based in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
. The company was established by David Gottlieb in 1927, initially producing pinball
Pinball
Pinball is a type of arcade game, usually coin-operated, where a player attempts to score points by manipulating one or more metal balls on a playfield inside a glass-covered case called a pinball machine. The primary objective of the game is to score as many points as possible...
machines while later expanding into various other games including pitch-and-bats, bowling games, and eventually video arcade games (notably Reactor
Reactor (arcade game)
Reactor is a raster video arcade game released in 1982 by Gottlieb. The object of the game is to cool down the reactor core without being hurled by magnetism and repulsion by enemy swarms of nuclear particles...
and Q*bert).
Like other manufacturers, Gottlieb first made mechanical
Machine
A machine manages power to accomplish a task, examples include, a mechanical system, a computing system, an electronic system, and a molecular machine. In common usage, the meaning is that of a device having parts that perform or assist in performing any type of work...
pinball tables, then electromechanical tables starting in 1935. The 1947 development of player-actuated, solenoid-driven 2-inch bats called "flippers" revolutionized the industry. Players now had the ability to shoot the ball back up the playfield and get more points. The flippers first appeared on a Gottlieb game called "Humpty Dumpty", designed by Harry Mabs. By this time, the games also became noted for their artwork by Roy Parker.
In the late 1950s the company made more widespread use of digital score reels, making multiple player games more practical as most scoring was expressed by cluttered series of lights in the back box. The score reels eventually appeared on single-player games, now known as "wedgeheads" because of their distinctive tapering back box shape. By the 1970s the artwork on Gottlieb games was almost always by Gordon Morison, and the company had begun designing their games with longer 3-inch flippers, now the industry standard.
The company made the move into solid state
Solid state (electronics)
Solid-state electronics are those circuits or devices built entirely from solid materials and in which the electrons, or other charge carriers, are confined entirely within the solid material...
tables starting in the late 1970s. The first few of these were remakes of electromechanical tables such as "Joker Poker" and "Charlie's Angels". By that time, multiple player machines were more the mode and wedgeheads were no longer being produced, the last being "Asteroid Annie and The Aliens".
Gottlieb was bought by Columbia Pictures
Columbia Pictures
Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. is an American film production and distribution company. Columbia Pictures now forms part of the Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group, owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment, a subsidiary of the Japanese conglomerate Sony. It is one of the leading film companies...
in 1977. In 1983, after the Coca Cola Company had acquired Columbia, Gottlieb's pinball assets were transferred to a new Coca Cola subsidiary, Mylstar Electronics, but this proved to be short-lived. By 1984 the video game industry in North America was in the middle of a shakeout and Coca Cola sought to divest itself of Mylstar, which also made video games. A management group, led by Gilbert G. Pollock, purchased Mylstar's pinball assets in October 1984 and continued the manufacture of pinball machines under a new company, Premier Technology. As a result of this a number of prototype Mylstar arcade games, which were not purchased by the investors, were never released. Premier did go on to produce one last arcade game, 1989's Exterminator. Premier Technology, which returned to selling pinball machines under the name Gottlieb after the purchase, continued in operation until the summer of 1996, when the declining demand for pinball machines forced the company to cease business. Premier did not file for bankruptcy, but sold off all its assets for the benefit of its creditors.
Today, Gottlieb's pinball machines (along with those distributed under the Mylstar and Premier names), as well as the "Gottlieb" and "D. Gottlieb & Co." trademarks (USPTO registration nos. 1403592, 2292766, and 3288024, and other numbers in countries around the world), are owned by Gottlieb Development LLC of Pelham Manor, New York.
Gottlieb's most popular pinball machine was Baffle Ball
Baffle Ball
Baffle Ball is a pinball machine created in 1931 by Gottlieb. It was the first pinball machine, and was designed by company founder David Gottlieb. It cost a penny to play and gave players seven balls to shoot into scoring holes...
(released mid-1931), and their final machine was Barb Wire
Barb Wire (pinball)
Barb Wire is a pinball machine produced by Gottlieb. It is based on the motion picture of the same name, in turn derived from the comic book. It was the last pinball machine produced by Gottlieb.-External links:*...
(early 1996).
Gottlieb video games
- Curve Ball (1984) – published under Mylstar name
- Exterminator (1989) – published under Premier Technology name
- Faster, Harder, More Challenging Q*bert (1983) – unreleased prototypePrototypeA prototype is an early sample or model built to test a concept or process or to act as a thing to be replicated or learned from.The word prototype derives from the Greek πρωτότυπον , "primitive form", neutral of πρωτότυπος , "original, primitive", from πρῶτος , "first" and τύπος ,...
; developed under Mylstar name - Knightmare (1983) – unreleased prototype only
- KrullKrull (video game)Krull is a video game based on the film of the same name. The first Krull adaptation was a 1983 arcade game manufactured by D. Gottlieb & Co.. A home adaptation similar to the arcade version was planned for the Atari 5200, but poor sales of that console prompted the decision to release the game...
(1983) - New York New York (1980) – licensed from Sigma Enterprises
- M.A.C.H. 3M.A.C.H. 3M.A.C.H. 3 was a laserdisc video game created by Gottlieb and released in the U.S. in 1983 under their Mylstar brand. The title refers both to the speed of sound, and is an acronym for "Military Air Command Hunter"...
(1983) – laser disc game; published under Mylstar name - Mad Planets (1983)
- ProtectorProtector (arcade game)Protector was a videogame developed by Tom Malinowski with artwork by Q-bert's Jeff Lee for the arcade game company Gottlieb. It was also known by numerous other names during its development and test including Argus and Videoman....
(1984) – a.k.a. Videoman, Argus and Guardian; unreleased prototype only - Q*bert (1982)
- Q*bert Qubes (1983) – published under Mylstar name
- ReactorReactor (arcade game)Reactor is a raster video arcade game released in 1982 by Gottlieb. The object of the game is to cool down the reactor core without being hurled by magnetism and repulsion by enemy swarms of nuclear particles...
(1982) - Screw Loose (1983) – prototype only; developed under Mylstar name
- The Three Stooges In Brides Is Brides (1984) – published under Mylstar name
- Tylz (1982) – unreleased prototype; developed under Mylstar name
- Us vs. Them (1984) – laser disc game; published under Mylstar name
- Video Vince and the Game Factory (1984) – unreleased prototype; developed under Mylstar name
- Wiz Warz (1984) – unreleased prototype; developed under Mylstar name
Pure mechanical pinball/bagatelle machines
Incomplete list:- Stop and Sock (1931)
- Baffle BallBaffle BallBaffle Ball is a pinball machine created in 1931 by Gottlieb. It was the first pinball machine, and was designed by company founder David Gottlieb. It cost a penny to play and gave players seven balls to shoot into scoring holes...
(1931) - Mibs (1931)
- Brokers Tip (1933)
- Sweet Heart (1954)
Electromechanical pinball/flipperless machines
Incomplete list:- Relay (1934)
- Playboy (1937)
- Humpty Dumpty #1 (1947)
- Bank-A-Ball #34 (1950)
- Triplets #40 (1950)
- Wishing Well #107 (1955)
- Dancing Dolls (1960)
- Flipper (1960)
- Olympics (1962)
- Flying Chariots (1963)
- Happy Clown (1964)
- Kings & Queens #? (1965)
- Sky Line (1965)
- Sing Along (1967)
- Domino (1968)
- Funland (1968)
- Airport (1969)
- Road Race (1969)
- Batter Up (1970)
- Snow Derby 2 player game (1970)
- Snow Queen 4 player game (1970)
- 20012001 (pinball)2001 is a pinball machine produced by Gottlieb. Ed Krynski, the designer, stated that the idea of the target bank found on 2001 was to try to make as many drop targets as possible to do the work on one solenoid. Cost savings was its inspiration. The game appealed to players because the rules were...
#298 (1971) - Flying Carpet #310 (1972)
- Jungle Life (1 player) (1973)
- Wild Life (2 player) (1973)
- Jungle (4 player) (1973)
- Pro Pool (1973)
- Big Shot (1973)
- Big Indian #356 (1974)
- Fast Draw #379 (1975)
- Abracadabra #380 (1975)
- Spirit of 76 #381 (1975)
- Pioneer #382 (1975)
- "300" #388 (1975)
- Buccaneer (1976)
- Surf Champ (1976)
- Card Whiz 2 player version of Royal Flush (1976)
- Royal Flush 4 player version of Card Whiz (1976)
- Sure Shot (1976)
- Target Alpha (1976)
- Volley (1976)
- Solar City (1976)
- Fire Queen 2 player game (1977)
- Jet Spin 4 player game (1977)
- Team One (1977)
- Vulcan 4 player version of Fire Queen (1977)
- Pyramid (1978)
System 1 pinball machines
Incomplete list:- Cleopatra #409 (1977) (was also released as two EM versions (Cleopatra, 4 player and Pyramid, 2 player))
- Sinbad #412 (1978) (was also released as an EM version)
- Joker Poker #417 (1978) (was also released as an EM version)
- Dragon #419 (1978) (was also released as an EM version)
- Solar Ride #421 (1979) (was also released as an EM version)
- Charlie's Angels #425 (1978) (was also released as an EM version)
- Close Encounters of the Third Kind #424 (1978) (was also released as an EM version)
- Count Down #422 (1978)
- Pinball Pool #427 (1979)
- Totem #429 (1979)
- Incredible Hulk #433 (1979)
- Genie #435 (1979)
- Buck Rogers #437 (1980)
- Torch #438 (1980)
- Roller Disco #440 (1980)
- Asteroid Annie and the Aliens #442 (1980)
System 80 pinball machines
- Panthera #652 (1980)
- The Amazing Spider-ManThe Amazing Spider-Man (pinball)The Amazing Spider-Man is a pinball game released in 1980 by Gottlieb.-Description:The Amazing Spider-Man is a pinball machine released by Marvel Comics based on their comic book character Spider-Man. The machine was designed by Ed Krinski with art by Gordon Morison and produced by D. Gottlieb &...
#653 (1980) - Circus #654 (1980)
- Counterforce #656 (1980)
- Star Race #657 (1980)
- James Bond 007 #658 (1980)
- Time Line #659 (1980)
- Force II #661 (1981)
- Pink Panther #664 (1981)
- Mars God of War #666 (1981)
- Volcano #667 (1981)
- Black HoleBlack Hole (pinball game)Black Hole is a pinball game released in 1981 by Gottlieb. It is notable for having two playfields: one on top with a conventional slope, and one mounted underneath, sloping away from the player. It has no connection with the 1979 film of the same name....
#668 (1981) - Haunted HouseHaunted House (pinball)-Description:Haunted House, with its industry first of 3 playfields, is considered to be an iconic pinball game. Although Bally’s Elektra has 3 playfields and predates Haunted House, Elektra’s lower playfield was self-contained and uses its own captive ball for scoring...
#669 (1982) - Eclipse #671 (1982)
System 80A pinball machines
- Devil's Dare #670 (1982)
- Rocky #672 (1982)
- Spirit #673 (1982)
- Punk! #674 (1982)
- Caveman #PV810 (1982) (features an additional video game screen and a joystick)
- Striker #675 (1982)
- KrullKrull (video game)Krull is a video game based on the film of the same name. The first Krull adaptation was a 1983 arcade game manufactured by D. Gottlieb & Co.. A home adaptation similar to the arcade version was planned for the Atari 5200, but poor sales of that console prompted the decision to release the game...
#676 (1983) - Q*bert's Quest #677 (1983) – based on the Q*bert video-game
- Super Orbit #680 (1983)
- Royal Flush Deluxe #681 (1983)
- Goin' Nuts #682 (1983)
- Amazon Hunt #684 (1983)
- Rack 'Em Up! #685 (1983)
- Ready...Aim...Fire! #686 (1983)
- Jacks to Open #687 (1984)
- Touchdown #688 (1984)
- Alien Star #689A (1984)
- The Games #691 (1984)
- El Dorado City of Gold #692 (1984)
- Ice Fever #695 (1985)
System 80B pinball machines
- Bone Busters Inc. #719 (1989)
- Bounty Hunter #694 (1985)
- Chicago Cubs Triple Play #696 (1985)
- Rock #697 (1985)
- Tag-Team Pinball #698 (1985)
- Ace High #700 (1985) – prototype
- Raven #702 (1986)
- Hollywood Heat #703 (1986)
- Rock Encore #704 (1986) – conversion kit for Rock
- Genesis #705 (1986)
- Spring Break #706 (1987)
- Gold Wings #707 (1986)
- Monte Carlo #708 (1987)
- Arena #709 (1987)
- Victory #710 (1987)
- Diamond Lady #711 (1988)
- TX-Sector #712 (1988)
- Big House #713 (1989)
- Robo-War #714 (1988)
- Excalibur #715 (1988)
- Bad Girls #717 (1988)
- Hot Shots #718 (1989)
System 3 pinball machines
- Lights...Camera...Action! #720 (1989)
- Silver Slugger #722 (1990)
- Vegas #723 (1990)
- Deadly Weapon #724 (1990)
- Title Fight #726 (1990)
- Car Hop #725 (1991)
- Hoops #727 (1991)
- Cactus Jack's #729 (1991)
- Class of 1812 #730 (1991)
- Amazon Hunt III #684D (1991) – conversion kit
- Surf 'N Safari #731 (1991)
- Operation Thunder #732 (1992) – last Gottlieb machine to use an alpha-numeric display
- Super Mario Bros. #733 (1992) – based on the Super Mario Bros.Super Mario Bros.is a 1985 platform video game developed by Nintendo, published for the Nintendo Entertainment System as a sequel to the 1983 game Mario Bros. In Super Mario Bros., the player controls Mario as he travels through the Mushroom Kingdom in order to rescue Princess Toadstool from the antagonist...
video-game by NintendoNintendois a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
; first Gottlieb machine to use a dot matrix displayDot matrix displayA dot matrix display is a display device used to display information on machines, clocks, railway departure indicators and many other devices requiring a simple display device of limited resolution...
(DMD) - Super Mario Bros. - Mushroom World #N105 (1992)
- Cue Ball Wizard #734 (1992)
- Street Fighter II #735 (1993) – based on the Street Fighter IIStreet Fighter IIis a competitive fighting game originally released for the arcades in . It is the arcade sequel to the original Street Fighter released in and was Capcom's fourteenth title that ran on the CP System arcade hardware...
video-game by CapcomCapcomis a Japanese developer and publisher of video games, known for creating multi-million-selling franchises such as Devil May Cry, Chaos Legion, Street Fighter, Mega Man and Resident Evil. Capcom developed and published Bionic Commando, Lost Planet and Dark Void too, but they are less known. Its...
; in 1995–1996, pinball tables were produced under the name Capcom, originally were made in the Gottlieb factory - Tee'd Off #736 (1993)
- Gladiators #737 (1993)
- Wipe Out #738 (1993)
- Rescue 911 #740 (1994)
- World Challenge Soccer #741 (1994)
- Stargate #742 (1995) – based on the StargateStargateStargate is a adventure military science fiction franchise, initially conceived by Roland Emmerich and Dean Devlin. The first film in the franchise was simply titled Stargate. It was originally released on October 28, 1994, by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and Carolco, and became a hit, grossing nearly...
movie - Shaq Attaq #743 (1995) – starring Shaquille O'NealShaquille O'NealShaquille Rashaun O'Neal , nicknamed "Shaq" , is a former American professional basketball player. Standing tall and weighing , he was one of the heaviest players ever to play in the NBA...
- Freddy: A Nightmare on Elm Street #744 (1994) – based on the A Nightmare on Elm StreetA Nightmare on Elm StreetA Nightmare on Elm Street is a 1984 American slasher film directed and written by Wes Craven, and the first film of the Nightmare on Elm Street franchise. The film features Heather Langenkamp, John Saxon, Ronee Blakley, Amanda Wyss, Jsu Garcia, Robert Englund, and Johnny Depp in his feature film...
movie series - Big Hurt #745 (1995)
- Waterworld #746 (1995) – based on the WaterworldWaterworldWaterworld is a 1995 post-apocalyptic science fiction film. The film was directed by Kevin Reynolds and co-written by Peter Rader and David Twohy. It is based on Rader's original 1986 screenplay and stars Kevin Costner, who also produced it. It was distributed by Universal Pictures...
movie - Mario Andretti #747 (1995) – starring Mario AndrettiMario AndrettiMario Gabriele Andretti is a retired Italian American world champion racing driver, one of the most successful Americans in the history of the sport. He is one of only two drivers to win races in Formula One, IndyCar, World Sportscar Championship and NASCAR...
- Strikes 'n' Spares (1995)
- Barb Wire #748 (1996) – based upon the Barb Wire filmBarb Wire (film)-Cast:* Pamela Anderson Lee as Barbara "Barb Wire" Kopetski* Temuera Morrison as Axel Hood* Victoria Rowell as Dr. Corrina "Cora D" Devonshire* Jack Noseworthy as Charlie Kopetski* Xander Berkeley as Alexander Willis* Udo Kier as Curly...
and comic - Brooks N' Dunn #749 – unreleased prototype, in development when Gottlieb shut down)
Gottlieb was last to introduce a solid-state system, and last to cease manufacture of electromechanical games. The first version of Gottlieb's solid state
Solid state (electronics)
Solid-state electronics are those circuits or devices built entirely from solid materials and in which the electrons, or other charge carriers, are confined entirely within the solid material...
pinball
Pinball
Pinball is a type of arcade game, usually coin-operated, where a player attempts to score points by manipulating one or more metal balls on a playfield inside a glass-covered case called a pinball machine. The primary objective of the game is to score as many points as possible...
hardware was called System 1, and had many design flaws. Likely it was rushed to compete with the new solid-state games from other manufacturers, particularly Bally. An entirely new platform was produced in 1980, System 80, which was refined in System 80A and System 80B. The final revision was System 3, first made in 1988.