Pinball & Jack Benny

[Steve Smith]

Like any hobby there are subculture specialties within the hobby - like us Jack Benny people within Old Time Radio. My I have a passion for pinball, old ones, new ones and In-between ones. My subculture specialty in the pinball world is Bingo Pinball Machines. These were for gambling and are now outlawed however they are/were very challenging games to play despite the chance to win money.
There is an opening skit on an Eddie Cantor Show where Jack is across the street in a drug store waiting to go over to Eddie’s show. While he’s waiting he’s playing a pinball game … for money. Now this show was before the bingo games were made but there were other types made to “pay-off”. I also remember hearing Phil Harris refer to one in a comment on a JB show a time or two.
All that said --- I’d like to ask this bunch If you know of any other Jack Benny things (radio or film) where there is a pinball machine? It doesn’t matter if it’s being played or just in the background. Please chime in if you know something tying my two favorite hobbies together.
TIA
All the Best.

[Steve Smith]

Well I guess I'm out of luck trying to fine Jack Benny and a pinball machine together in the same photo.
I think I saw one of him with his appointed slot machine at a casino - but they aren't my hobby. However this isn't why I resurrected this old topic....

Earlier this year one of my pinball restorations received a little notoriety within the hobby by being featured in the only regularly published pinball magazine "Pin Game Journal" as well as a two part instructional video. It was filmed at a pinball convention and features the author of the only 2 books on these type games explaining how they are played.
During this lengthy restoration a lot of Jack Benny was listened to - a WHOLE lot of it. So much in fact I felt I needed to include a subtle Jack Benny reference somehow that no one but a true Benny fan would recognize. My brother Bruce picked it up straight away. I wish others had noticed it too but there are even less of us Benny fans than there are pinball fans.

So if I haven't scared you away and if you'd like to see if you pick up on it too - you can view the video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bX3LKXrEa14. (it's early into the first video - but I hope you'll watch both parts - just for nostalgic purposes).

There's also a slide show of the restoration in story form. It's pretty nice and there are JB things you can see in my shop if you look around. (Photo of Jack & Marilyn, a package of Luckys ... and the hardest to find ... metal tipped shoelaces (hanging in/from their package) also the reference seen in the video again. The story/slide show is here: http://s841.photobucket.com/user/Cabinu ... 8891560231
(Please honk if you notice them).

All for now -Thanks for looking.

[Mister Kitzel]

I saw the JB photo on the wall. Getting that machine looking so good, especially the glass, is amazing.

[Steve Smith]

You found the easy one Mr. K and thank you sir - the glass is a reproduction though.

I was sure someone would have picked up on the "9 percent" gag. That was what Jack once said he pays HIS agent (rather the standard 10%) ... Perhaps it was too subtle for even a Jack Benny fan (oh well).

The Lucky Strike pack is seen on the slide named "Stencil Cutting" setting on a little shelf about dead center of the photo - the Jack & Marilyn photo in that shot too.

The metal tipped shoe laces would be hardest to spot.
They are in the photo named "Playfield Teardown". Look to the upper left of the photo. They are hanging on a slender blue cardboard thing and are black in color (the shiny metal tips are difficult to see).

I am now restoring another game with Jack and the gang in there keeping me company.
Thanks for looking and playing!

[Steve Smith]

Here's a link to a 100% Phil Harris 1948 pinball.

"Dew-Wa-Ditty" - very rare.

Have any of you ever heard of or seen this before?

http://www.ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=674

[Mister Kitzel]

Yeah, man!

[Steve Smith]

Well Well -- Phil Harris's is behind TWO pins.
"Thing" is the other ... http://www.ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=2531
And this time he get credit

Bet he had both of these!!

.. Laura .. do you know of a way I could contact the daughters and find out a bit more on them?

[LLeff]

Hi Steve,

Sorry this slipped my notice earlier. I have reached out to Phil's daughters multiple times in the past with no success. But I've been doing this a long time...I'll keep trying periodically!