1968 · Bally
Joker
Known for Joker Time lane and Exit sequence. Fairground or motor-racing carnival crowd scene, green grass field, purple riveted steel arch or girder and red swirl sky.
- Year
- 1968
- Maker
- Bally
- Type
- Electro-mechanical
- Display
- Score reels
- Players
- 4
Known for
- Lane
Joker Time lane
- Goal
Exit sequence
On the playfield
On the backglass
Who and what
- man Giant head in three-quarter view, orange-red swept-back hair, dark sunglasses, huge blue bulbous nose, yellow slit eyes, wide toothy grin, exaggerated pop-art proportions
- other Red-haired grinning clown with white face paint, red ruff collar and striped costume, waving one hand and holding a thin pole, beside a light-blue balloon
- woman Large close-up head at lower centre, black bobbed hair, pale face, red lips, red top, mouth open cheering
- woman Large close-up head lower right, black hair with red streaks, blue-green top, seen from the side
- man Large close-up head bottom centre-left, blond hair, pale face, red and white striped collar, yellow shirt
- man Large close-up head at right, black hair, orange-yellow top, holding a small drink
Setting
- Fairground or motor-racing carnival crowd scene
- Green grass field
- Purple riveted steel arch or girder
- Red swirl sky
Text on it
- 1 UP
- 2 UP
- 3 UP
- 4 UP
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 1 TO 4 CAN PLAY
- 1 2 3 4
- BALL IN PLAY
- GAME OVER
- 1601
How it plays
-
Goals 6
- Exit sequence
- Out to Lunch
- Exit 1
- Exit 2
- Exit 3
- Exit 4
Made by
- Design
- Ted Zale
- Art
- Jerry Kelley
Reference
Linked terms
- Yellow mushroom bumper also called Yellow pop bumper
- Joker Time lane also called Joker Time
- Exit sequence also called Exit
Playfield vision analysis
Written by a machine from the photos, so details may be off.
Playfield
- lime green
- black
- orange-red
- cream
Fingerprint: Three painted female acrobats sprawled backwards across large concentric target discs middle, one black-haired woman in pink leotard arched over dark blue bullseye, grinning clown head in ruffled collar peering from behind starburst upper right, three white pop-bumper caps ringed with blue-yellow sawtooth sunburst skirts at top, two diamond-lattice drop-target banks reading as stained-glass pattern, lime-green ground flat mid-1970s airbrushed cartoon orange-red-teal-cream palette
Three painted female acrobats sprawled backwards across large concentric target discs in the middle of the playfield, one of them a black-haired woman in a pink leotard arched over a dark blue bullseye. A grinning clown head in a ruffled collar peering out from behind a starburst in the upper right quadrant. A stack of three white pop-bumper caps ringed with blue and yellow sawtooth sunburst skirts, giving the top of the field a row of spinning-wheel targets. Two diamond-lattice drop-target banks whose coloured squares read as a stained-glass pattern.
Setting
- Flat lime-green painted ground with no scenery
- Black-outlined geometric orange and red wedges
- Chrome wire ball guides and a polished metal ball-return arch
- Wood-grain panel at the waist above the flippers
Symbols
- Playing-card-suit-style star and burst shapes
- Concentric bullseye target discs
- Balloon
- Sawtooth sunburst skirts on pop bumpers
- Diamond lattice of coloured squares on drop targets
- Arrows
- Round illuminated lane inserts
- Star shapes in blue and teal
- Numbers 10, 20, 30, 40
Notable shapes
- Three large concentric bullseye discs stacked down the centre-left
- Three pop bumpers with jagged sunburst skirts
- Two diamond-lattice drop-target banks
- A horseshoe-shaped chrome ball-return arch across the top
- A narrow vertical lane with round inserts down the right edge
- A wood-grain waist panel with a scalloped lower edge
Art motifs
- Sprawling acrobatic bodies
- Hard black outlines
- Flat saturated airbrush fills
- Geometric zig-zag wedges
- Sawtooth rosettes
Themes
- Circus
- Acrobats
- Clown
- Balloon
- Score attack
- Skill game
Text on it
- EXIT - FLIPS OUT
- EXIT 1
- EXIT 2
- EXIT 3
- EXIT 4
- SHOOT AGAIN
- ALL EXITS HOLD
- JOKER TIME
- WHEN LIT SAME PLAYER SHOOTS AGAIN
- 100
- 10
- 20
- 30
- 40
- ADVANCE 1 BALLOON WHEN LIT
- 100 WHEN LIT ADVANCE BALLOON
- BALL TRAP
- FLIPPER BUTTON
- FLIPPER
- TILT ENDS BALL
- 1, 2, 3 OR 4 CAN PLAY
- Score of 4000 Points - FAIR
- Score of 8000 Points - GOOD
- Score of 6400 Points - EXCELLENT
- Score of 7000 Points - SUPER
- TILT DISQUALIFIES BALL AND PLAYER
- 5 BALLS
- 1 PLAY 5c
- 2 PLAYS 10c
- 5 PLAYS 25c
- REPORT SCORES
- PATENT NOTICE IN CABINET BACK
- MANUFACTURING CORP.
- CHICAGO, ILLINOIS 60618
- 2-15-74
| Kind | Description |
|---|---|
| Woman | Black-haired female acrobat in a pink leotard arched backwards over the top dark blue target disc, arms extended, one leg kicked up |
| Woman | Acrobatic figure in a blue costume diving head-first across the orange-red disc below, hair streaming |
| Woman | Pale blue-costumed female figure lying flat and stretched out on the blue-grey disc, arms flung wide, legs extended |
| Woman | Second pale blue-costumed figure lying beside her on the same disc, one arm raised, head turned upward |
| Other | Grinning clown-like head with wide open mouth and a ruffled collar, upper right, beside a blue star-and-circle burst |
| Other | Small painted human figures scattered as silhouettes within the star bursts and wedge shapes |
A tall electro-mechanical playfield painted in a flat mid-1970s airbrushed cartoon style, on a lime-green ground with heavy black outlines and orange-red, teal and cream accents. Down the centre-left stack three concentric target discs (dark blue with cream bullseye, orange-red, blue-grey with orange oval), each with a round white plastic hole and black 'EXIT 1', 'EXIT 2', 'EXIT 3' lettering; a fourth 'EXIT 4' hole sits mid-right. Painted tumbling acrobats sprawl across them: a black-haired woman in a pink leotard arched backwards, one figure diving head-first, and two pale blue-costumed figures lying stretched out with arms flung wide. Upper right a grinning clown head with a ruffled collar sits beside a blue starburst and the words 'ALL EXITS HOLD'. Three white pop-bumper caps with blue and yellow sawtooth sunburst skirts sit at the top under a chrome ball-return arch. Down the right edge runs a lane of round inserts numbered 10 and 20, flanked by 'JOKER TIME' and 'SHOOT AGAIN'. Two diamond-lattice drop-target banks sit at the waist above a wood-grain panel with two white flipper bats and a 'TILT ENDS BALL' box. The black apron carries a white instruction card, a red script logo and a 5-balls-per-play panel.
Backglass vision analysis
Written by a machine from the photos, so details may be off.
Backglass
- magenta
- orange
- blue
- black
Fingerprint: Colossal grinning head orange-red swept-back hair dark sunglasses big bulbous blue nose filling right half glass, vertical ribbon very large magenta capital letters runs centre artwork, four black blimp-shaped scoring panels trailed yellow balloon colored number climb diagonally left side, bottom left grinning red-haired clown waves hand beside bright blue balloon, fairground crowd scene purple riveted steel arch overhead
The single most memorable element is the colossal grinning head with orange-red swept-back hair, dark sunglasses and a big bulbous blue nose, filling the right half of the glass. A vertical ribbon of very large magenta capital letters runs down the centre of the artwork. Four black blimp-shaped scoring panels, each trailed by a yellow balloon with a coloured number, climb diagonally up the left side. At the bottom left a grinning red-haired clown waves a hand beside a bright blue balloon. The setting is a fairground or race-meet crowd scene with a purple riveted steel arch overhead.
Setting
- Fairground or motor-racing carnival crowd scene
- Green grass field
- Purple riveted steel arch or girder
- Red swirl sky
Symbols
- Yellow balloons with numerals
- Mechanical score reels
- Light-blue balloon
- Purple riveted girder
- Red swirl
- Black blimp gondolas
Lettering
- Cream cursive script logo at top left, block sans-serif capitals for the 1up/2up/3up/4up labels in yellow, white and red, and very large magenta vertical capital letters running down the centre
Themes
- Carnival
- Fairground
- Crowd
- Pop art
- Surrealism
Text on it
- 1 UP
- 2 UP
- 3 UP
- 4 UP
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 1 TO 4 CAN PLAY
- 1 2 3 4
- BALL IN PLAY
- GAME OVER
- 1601
| Kind | Description |
|---|---|
| Man | Giant head in three-quarter view, orange-red swept-back hair, dark sunglasses, huge blue bulbous nose, yellow slit eyes, wide toothy grin, exaggerated pop-art proportions |
| Other | Red-haired grinning clown with white face paint, red ruff collar and striped costume, waving one hand and holding a thin pole, beside a light-blue balloon |
| Woman | Large close-up head at lower centre, black bobbed hair, pale face, red lips, red top, mouth open cheering |
| Woman | Large close-up head lower right, black hair with red streaks, blue-green top, seen from the side |
| Man | Large close-up head bottom centre-left, blond hair, pale face, red and white striped collar, yellow shirt |
| Man | Large close-up head at right, black hair, orange-yellow top, holding a small drink |
| Woman | Full-length pin-up style woman in a pale outfit standing on a platform mid-right, arm raised |
| Woman | Blonde woman in a blue and white dress standing beside the platform |
| Man | Several men in black tuxedo or dark suits standing on the platform |
| Other | Dozens of small crowd figures in colourful clothing filling the green grass field |
| Other | Small figures riding inside the gondolas of the four blimp scoring panels |
A wide, landscape-format painted backglass in a cream/gold metal frame with a scratched, aged surface and visible glare reflections. The composition is a lurid pop-art carnival scene: a huge grinning male head in three-quarter view dominates the right half, with orange-red swept-back hair, dark sunglasses, a bulbous blue nose, yellow slit eyes and a wide toothy grin. Behind him a magenta-red swirl of colour and a purple riveted girder arc across the upper background. Four separate scoring panels run down the left side as black blimp or gondola shapes, each trailed by a yellow balloon holding a coloured numeral (1, 2, 3, 4) above a strip of mechanical score reels. The lower-left area is a green grass field crowded with dozens of tiny onlookers, one red-haired clown waving beside a blue balloon and a pole. The lower right is packed with large close-up heads and shoulders of cheering spectators in red, yellow and blue. Visible lettering includes a cream cursive script logo at top left, block "1 UP", "2 UP", "3 UP", "4 UP", "1 TO 4 CAN PLAY", "1 2 3 4", "BALL IN PLAY" and "GAME OVER", plus a small counter window reading 1601.
Backglass
- red
- black
- green
- white
Fingerprint: Huge pale blue-white-skinned female arms-thrown upward olive-green uniform right-dominant, red central panel vertical banner dark block-lettering center-split, flag-pole left-lower, crowd tiny painted people reds blues greens oranges lower-center including jester red-white-stripes black-bob-woman, aircraft silhouette upper-left upper-right, heroic female-figure military-patriotic theme multi-figure composition
A colossal painted woman on the right with arms thrown upward, pale blue-white skin and an olive-green uniform, dwarfing everything beside her. A tall red vertical banner of blurred block lettering splits the glass down the centre. A red flag on a pole on the left above a crowded mass of tiny jester-like and top-hatted figures. Four stacked player panels (1UP, 2UP, 3UP, 4UP) with white reel windows on black lozenges, and a company name in flowing white cursive at the top centre. A red-and-white striped jester figure and a woman with a black bob and very pale face in the lower crowd.
Setting
- Flat painted colour fields divided into maroon-red, green and blue wedges
- Large red central panel with vertical dark block lettering
- Green wedge behind the 2up panel on the right
- White border surrounding a black inner frame
Symbols
- Red flag on a pole
- White reel number windows
- Yellow-outlined black lozenges
- Aircraft
- Top hat
- Red-and-white striped costume
Lettering
- Flowing white cursive script for the company name at top centre; bold yellow-outlined black sans-serif for 1up/2up/3up/4up; plain black condensed sans-serif for 1 to 4 can play and the player numbers; small red capitals on a red banner for ball in play; large dark block capitals running vertically down the central red panel
Themes
- Aircraft
- Crowd scene
- Flag
- Heroic woman figure
- Military
Text on it
- Bally
- 1UP
- 2UP
- 3UP
- 4UP
- 1 TO 4 CAN PLAY
- 1 2 3 4
- BALL IN PLAY
| Kind | Description |
|---|---|
| Woman | Huge painted female figure on the right, pale blue-white skin, arms flung upward, olive-green and yellow uniform, black hair, facing left |
| Woman | Lower centre, black bob haircut, very pale face, shown in profile facing right |
| Woman | Lower centre-left, blonde head in profile, pale skin |
| Other | Red-and-white striped jester or clown figure with a ruff, lower centre |
| Man | Man in a black top hat, lower right of the crowd |
| Creature | Large red swirling organic mass behind the big female figure on the right |
| Vehicle | Small silver-grey aircraft with a tiny seated red-clad pilot, upper left |
| Vehicle | Small grey fighter aircraft with a seated figure, upper right |
| Other | Crowd of many tiny painted people in bright clothing, lower centre |
A portrait-format backglass, framed by a black inner border and a wide white/cream outer border, laid out around a big red central panel. Running vertically down the middle of that red panel is a tall red banner carrying large dark block lettering that is too blurred to resolve. Across the top centre, in flowing white cursive script with a shadow, is a company name. The left third is dark maroon-red and carries four stacked player score panels: 1UP at the top in a yellow-outlined black lozenge with white reel windows, 3UP below it, then 4UP, each backed by a coloured lozenge. The top right has a 2UP panel with reel windows on a black lozenge over green. A red flag on a pole rises from the lower left, and a dense crowd of tiny painted people in reds, blues, greens and oranges fills the lower centre, including a jester-like figure in red-and-white stripes, a woman with a black bob and a pale face, a man in a black top hat, and a blonde head in profile. The right side is dominated by a huge painted female figure with arms flung up, in an olive-green and yellow uniform, beside a big red swirling mass. Upper left and upper right each carry a small silver-grey aircraft with a tiny seated pilot. Bottom left reads 1 TO 4 CAN PLAY above 1 2 3 4; a small red BALL IN PLAY panel sits bottom centre-right.