Anyone remember these large multi-players?

[emslots]

One of the most vivid memories I have of the arcades in the 1960s is playing on a 1d multi-player machine which seemed to dominate the entire arcade - it consisted of a large, hexagonal(?) top display, featuring fruit machine symbols arranged in a circle. When the Play Now light came on, you placed your bet, and the symbols would be lit in rapid succession, to eventually slow down and stop on one symbol. You won a cash prize if the light stopped on the symbol you had bet on.

I believe the payouts were the standard cherry=2d, plum=2d, melon=4d, orange=6d, bar=8d, and bell=10d (or something similar).

I loved the way the machine seemed to "think for itself", and the wonderful sound it used to make as all the relays pulled in, noisily buzzing and clicking. All very impressive to a 10-year-old, alone with a pocketful of pennies while Mum tried to win a transistor radio on the bingo!

Does anyone know who manufactured these monsters, and what they were known as?

[pennymachines]

My guess is a version of Cromptons Lucky Stars which was derived from their Derby Races. See Inventing the Penny Pusher for Jim Crompton's description and a small picture. This would have had film star symbols, but maybe fruits appeared on a later version.

They were floor-standing monsters which needed room on all sides for the players. Dave Hooper had one at the Elephant House a few years ago (maybe still does). Very impressive with all its relays and motors clicking and whirring.

One from this era which sticks in my mind worked like a vacuum cleaner in reverse blowing plastic practice golf balls out of the middle a la bingo machine. There were stations all 'round the machine, and you inserted a penny to light a lamp for a few seconds. Then you prayed some balls would cascade into the hoop nearest to you while the light was lit. It paid 2d per ball. The first time I played I did quite well, but I came back a few days later to find the light only stayed on half as long.

[emslots]

My guess is a version of Cromptons Lucky Stars which was derived from their Derby Races. See Inventing the Penny Pusher for Jim Crompton's description and a small picture. This would have had film star symbols, but maybe fruits appeared on a later version.

I certainly remember Film Star (there was one at Gt. Yarmouth), but the machine I am thinking of had a round or hexagonal base, and an upright hexagonal top section, perched on two chromed poles, housing the lit fruit symbols.

And speaking of Derby Racer, it reminds me of a similar machine in the Oasis at Yarmouth, which featured such worthy jockeys of the day as H. Wragg and Lester Piggott! I think it must have been a scaled-down version, because I don't remember there being so many playing stations. The rotating platform was certainly the same, but the stations were not so elaborate in their artwork.

[emslots]

One from this era which sticks in my mind worked like a vacuum cleaner in reverse blowing plastic practice golf balls out of the middle a la bingo machine. There were stations all 'round the machine, and you inserted a penny to light a lamp for a few seconds. Then you prayed some balls would cascade into the hoop nearest to you while the light was lit. It paid 2d per ball. The first time I played I did quite well, but I came back a few days later to find the light only stayed on half as long.

I can vaguely recall this one too - it was very noisy, but exciting to watch as all those balls bounced around. Still can't remember the name though.

Now you have reminded me of yet another, but this time I know the name of it. This one was called "Tinky", and there was one on the lower floor of the Brittannia Pier, Gt. Yarmouth, around 1967.

It consisted of several playing stations, either side of an upright glass case, in which was a huge array of pins. You could see straight through to the other side of the glass, so players on both sides could see the action.

The little plastic ball was blown up a chute to the top of the playfield (with a strange accompanying "hairdyer" motor sound), from where it cascaded down the pins in a random fashion, until it reached the metal pockets at the bottom. If you had bet on the amount shown on the pocket, you won. There were several VOID pockets, for obvious reasons!

Strangely, the sides of the metal pockets would mysteriously move for no apparent reason and at random - quite eerie really! The machine certainly lived up to its name, as the ball made a tinkling sound while going through the pins.

I never forgot that machine, and would love to see a picture of one.

[pennymachines]

Reviving this old thread because I can now put a picture to three of the games discussed.

One of the most vivid memories I have of the arcades in the 1960s is playing on a 1d multi-player machine which seemed to dominate the entire arcade - it consisted of a large, hexagonal(?) top display, featuring fruit machine symbols arranged in a circle. When the Play Now light came on, you placed your bet, and the symbols would be lit in rapid succession, to eventually slow down and stop on one symbol. You won a cash prize if the light stopped on the symbol you had bet on.

Octagonal top from Coventry auction

One from this era which sticks in my mind worked like a vacuum cleaner in reverse blowing plastic practice golf balls out of the middle a la bingo machine. There were stations all 'round the machine, and you inserted a penny to light a lamp for a few seconds. Then you prayed some balls would cascade into the hoop nearest to you while the light was lit. It paid 2d per ball. The first time I played I did quite well, but I came back a few days later to find the light only stayed on half as long

This Basketball game is similar if not identical to the one I described.

Basketball

Now you have reminded me of yet another, but this time I know the name of it. This one was called "Tinky", and there was one on the lower floor of the Brittannia Pier, Gt. Yarmouth, around 1967.

This Brenco-built game was depicted in the World's Fair Coin Slot. Apart from Britannia Pier, Gt. Yarmouth in '67, it was also to be found at the Grand Pier, Weston Super Mare (Brenco property) and (according to visitors at the Brenco Museum), a Southport amusement arcade, Harbour Amusements in St Ives Cornwall in the '70s and the Regent Arcade in Sandown, Isle of Wight in the late '60s - early '70s.

[clubconsoles]

Remember playing the Film stars model as a young lad on holiday at Butlins.
It was Clacton or minehead, not sure now?
What I remember most is that on one bank of coin entries, the lock outs where not working and this allowed me to place a bet one the winning light had already stopped.
Needless to say, I was absolutely thrilled to have bulging pockets of 2p pieces running back to my chalet once i emptied it.#
Would love to see a picture of this machine if anyone has one?

[garythegolfer]

My favourite in the 60s was the (Crompton ?) 3d Derby. It was a monster, perhaps 7ft across and took the old 3d pieces. It had about 8 betting sections each with two independent 3d slots with a central horizontal 4ft circular table that rose about an inch, rotated and then settled down to show winners. There were perhaps 4 "winning" horses out of the 16. It was controlled by about a 5" wooden cylinder with raised rubber strips that made and unmade multiple pairs of contacts. This "drum" controlled "jolts" of drive to the display table via a system a bit like a bicycle chain. I think it used a powerful solenoid, a bicycle chain with a sprocket on the underside of the rotating table. The short bursts from the solenoid accelerated the table. When there were no "jolts", the table simply freewheeled.

Being quite at a lose end and curious, I looked up the Derby winners up to the mid 60s. It turns out only a few of the horse names were from the Derby and most were from The Grand National (eg Teal, Royal Tan, Early Mist etc).

I have looked widely on the interwebby thing but can't find any photos of it. Has anyone got a picture of the 3d Derby?

[garythegolfer]

Remember playing the Film stars model as a young lad on holiday at Butlins.
It was Clacton or minehead, not sure now?
What I remember most is that on one bank of coin entries, the lock outs where not working and this allowed me to place a bet one the winning light had already stopped.
Needless to say, I was absolutely thrilled to have bulging pockets of 2p pieces running back to my chalet once i emptied it.#
Would love to see a picture of this machine if anyone has one?

As a youngster, in the 60s, I had a (dream) summer job for a few years working in the upstairs arcade in Butlins at Clacton (and the bingo arcade....and the more refined "Casino" arcade with soft background music and carpet). They had one of these machines upstairs with stars such as Ava Gardner (onetime Mrs Frank Sinatra). She was a BIG film star in the 40s & 50s. Though in those days, the machine took old 1d....Happy Days!! Sadly, I've never found any pictures of this machine either...

[pennymachines]

Seen briefly a couple of times in this video:








Jim Crompton discussed the game at length - see Arena: Inventing the Penny Pusher -
Company History 1952 - 1960

The year was 1955 and the cinema had become the public's favourite form of entertainment, complementing the theme of Alf's new game - the legendary Film Star. This was the first multi-player, coin-operated machine. An eight-player centre-piece with 1d play, Ava Gardener paid out 2d, June Russell paid out 3d, Gregory Peck paid out 4d and Marilyn Munroe paid out a top prize of 6d.

[coppinpr]

I think there is a photo of that machine on the forum somewhere. It's strange, but I too always remember Ava Gardner as one of the stars. It always made me think, why? She didn't seem a big star to me at the time and not of the standard of the others on the machine... and yet, it's her I remember!!
I too was on hols at Butlins Clacton (63 and 64). My big machine interest at that time was pintables and there was a third arcade on the site just for pinballs. I loved it!! Within 5 years I had bought my first pintable.

[Potless]

There is a brief shot of a Brenco "Tinky" in action in this rather grainy film of Belle Vue Amusement Park, Manchester, which also features a Dalek ride, Seeburg "Discotheque" jukebox, and some unidentified one-armed bandits....

[aristomatic]

Don't think it's grainy.... it's just East Manchester... (as it was).