Please contact the contributing institution for more information regarding the copyright status of this object.
Description
Animatronic Chuck E. Cheese "The King" character and operating console/controller, originally installed at Foothill College Electronics Museum. A label attached to the console reads, "Foothill College 10-27-82 1/2 Chuck A.A." According to a Los Altos Town Crier news clipping dated December 15, 1982, the 8-foot exhibit was donated by Pizza Time Theater, valued at the time at $24,000, and first presented at the museum's Christmas Open House. The animatronic is cut in half in order to expose the inner workings, and accompanied by a "stand-up comedy routine" soundtrack created specifically for the museum display. The King character was a lion character that performed as Elvis. It was one of the first full-body Pizza Time Theater animatronics. The control rack is also set up for the King. A standard Chuck E. Cheese cyberamic character only has 8 movements. The King and several other side show characters (known as cabaret or lounge acts) had extra movements and used 2 character boards. The controller was made by AB Networks, Inc. of San Mateo, California. An integrated reel to reel tape drive operates sound as well as data. Through two circuit boards in the controller console, and air compressor, the character moves in sync with sound. The animatronic in action at its original Foothill Museum location can be seen at the end of this YouTube video: https://youtu.be/FiJG4ESBGcM.
If you're wondering about permissions and what you can do with this item, a good starting point is the "rights information" on this page. See our terms of use for more tips.
Share your story
Has Calisphere helped you advance your research, complete a project, or find something meaningful? We'd love to hear about it; please send us a message.
