1962 · Williams
Mardi Gras
Known for A and B lanes, Reel standup targets, Reels and Kickers. Flat olive-gold/tan painted background, purple greek-key patterned panels behind each player banner, green and gold draped fabric swags, green scaly mermaid tail at bottom centre, cream/white wooden cabinet frame surrounding the glass and orange and navy arrow motif on the lower apron.
- Year
- 1962
- Maker
- Williams
- Type
- Electro-mechanical
- Display
- Score reels
- Players
- 4
Known for
- Lane
A and B lanes
- Target
Reel standup targets
- reels
Reels
- kickers
Kickers
On the playfield
Hole 1
- Kickers kickers
Targets 2
- Corner standup targets
- Reel standup targets
Lanes 6
- A and B lanes
- On Bumpers lanes
- Bumper rollover rollover
- Side wall switches switch
- Out lanes
- Middle rollover lanes
Display 1
- Reels reels
On the backglass
Who and what
- woman Tall blonde woman at top centre of the group, arms raised, black spiky hair ornament, black and red striped corset, yellow and black plaid skirt, pink and black striped sleeves, holding a red horn-like object
- woman Brunette to the right of the blonde, long wavy hair, blue strapless bodice, pearl necklace, smiling
- woman Red-haired woman at lower left, gold sequined strapless bodice, orange and black fishnet, holding a thin rod
- woman Red-haired woman at lower right, yellow and blue bustier with a red belt, sitting on and merging into a large green scaly mermaid tail
- creature Large grinning green monster face in the bottom-left corner, bulbous nose, wide mouth full of pointed white teeth
- other Three small jester/clown figures standing behind the ball in play arrow, ruffled collars, red and black diamond-patterned costume
Setting
- Flat olive-gold/tan painted background
- Purple greek-key patterned panels behind each player banner
- Green and gold draped fabric swags
- Green scaly mermaid tail at bottom centre
- Cream/white wooden cabinet frame surrounding the glass
- Orange and navy arrow motif on the lower apron
Text on it
- 1 TO 4 CAN PLAY
- IT'S MORE FUN TO COMPETE
- Williams
- 4 Player
- Mardi
- Gras
- TILT
- 1ST PLAYER
- 2ND PLAYER
- 3RD PLAYER
- 4TH PLAYER
- PLAYERS 1 2 3 4
- BALL IN PLAY
- OH-CUT IT OUT!
- GAME OVER
Made by
- Design
- Steve Kordek
Reference
Playfield vision analysis
Written by a machine from the photos, so details may be off.
Playfield
- pale blue
- red
- cream
- chrome silver
Fingerprint: Mardi-Gras, large green frog head in yellow ruff and tiny hat dominating center on otherwise clown-themed field, two grotesque bird heads facing across top arch, four white clown faces in row, red post with yellow hazard stripes and round orange 1 POINT lamp
A large green cartoon frog head in a yellow ruff collar and tiny hat dominates the centre of an otherwise clown-themed playfield, an odd non-clown focal point. The apron rules card names the game 'MARDI-GRAS' in red script under an ornate W logo. Two grotesque bird heads facing each other across the chrome top arch. A red post with bold yellow diagonal hazard stripes and a round orange '1 POINT' lamp dead centre. Four white starburst bumper caps with red or yellow rings in the top third.
Setting
- Pale blue sunburst of radiating rays filling the central lower playfield
- Light tan and cream arch area behind the top bumper row
- Chrome-plated metal arch and side rails framing the whole playfield
- Cream and white apron with red arrow banner across the bottom
Symbols
- Starburst pattern on bumper caps
- Red and yellow hazard stripes on the centre post
- Ray fan or sunburst background
- Playing-card diamond shapes in the lower field
- Cartoon spiral snail-shell eye motifs near the upper side lanes
- Diagonal arrow banner on the apron
Notable shapes
- Black circular window behind the frog head
- Orange starburst circles around the bumpers
- Arched chrome top rail
- Arrow-shaped apron banner
- Cut-out outlanes with green rubber-covered posts
Art motifs
- Fanned sunburst rays
- Chevron and arrow motifs
- Diagonal warning stripes
- White starbursts with coloured rings
Themes
- Circus
- Clown
- Carnival
- Mardi gras
- Frog
- Electro-mechanical
Title on it
- Mardi-gras
Text on it
- MARDI-GRAS
- Williams
- ELECTRONIC MANUFACTURING CORP.
- CHICAGO, ILLINOIS
- FLIPPER BUTTONS ON SIDE OF CABINET
- FOR AMUSEMENT ONLY
- NO PRIZES
- NO WAGERING
- 5 BALLS
- 5c PER PLAY
- 5 PLAYS 25c
- For Amusement Only
- One or Four Players
- Insert coin and wait for machine to reset before inserting coin for second play. Press plunger to see all credits before inserting coin.
- A red player chooses one ball at a time as ball is indicated on back glass.
- A red tile flashes when ball is in a lane position.
- A red tile stays lit when all 4 lanes are lit.
- All bumpers score 10 points when lit.
- 1 REPLAY FOR EACH SCORE OF 1500 POINTS
- 2 REPLAYS FOR EACH SCORE OF 1500 POINTS
- 3 REPLAYS FOR EACH SCORE OF 1500 POINTS
- 4 REPLAYS FOR EACH SCORE OF 1700 POINTS
- ON BUMPER
- ON BUMPER ADVANCE VALUE
- TARGET SCORES 10 TIMES VALUE WHEN LIT
- RIGHT REEF ADVANCE
- LEFT REEF ADVANCE
- SCORES 10 TIMES VALUE WHEN LIT
- 5 POINTS
- 1 POINT
- 10 POINTS
- 20
- 30
| Kind | Description |
|---|---|
| Animal | Large green cartoon frog head, wide grinning mouth with white teeth, bulging eyes, small yellow hat on top and yellow pleated ruff collar at the neck, set inside a black circular window |
| Other | Two grotesque brown and green bird or duck-like heads with bulging eyes and open beaks, one at each upper corner, facing inward across the top arch |
| Other | Four tall cream clown faces with round red noses, painted red lips and small hats, standing in a row behind the top bumpers |
| Other | Cartoon clown figure on the upper left side, green and orange costume, beside a roundel marked 20 |
| Other | Cartoon clown figure on the upper right side, green and orange costume, beside a roundel marked 30 |
| Other | Partially hidden jester or harlequin figure behind the lower left lane, black and white face, ruff collar, holding a stick or bat |
| Other | Small harlequin clown at bottom centre, white face with red markings, ruff collar, painted moustache |
Full-length electro-mechanical playfield, slightly tilted, with chipped paint and worn areas. A chrome-edged top arch carries two grotesque bird-like heads facing inward, above four pop bumpers with white starburst caps ringed in red or yellow, and four tall cream clown faces with red noses. Cartoon clowns flank roundels marked 20 and 30 with 5 POINTS text between. The centre is a pale blue fan of rays behind a large green frog head wearing a small yellow hat and yellow ruff collar, flanked by red 1 POINT lamps. Below, a red post with yellow diagonal hazard stripes holds an orange 1 POINT lamp over a lane running to a harlequin clown at bottom centre. Green posts, two green flipper bats, ball-guide rails and blue-rimmed SCORES 10 TIMES VALUE WHEN LIT panels fill the lower field. The apron carries a rules card, a red FLIPPER BUTTONS ON SIDE OF CABINET arrow, and a five-ball price box. Dominant colours: pale blue, red, cream, chrome silver.
Backglass vision analysis
Written by a machine from the photos, so details may be off.
Backglass
- olive-gold
- red
- yellow
- blue
Fingerprint: mardi gras: Mardi Gras red script stacked two lines, four player score units with blue fan-shaped roulette arcs and numbered red wedges 1-4, draped ribbon banners, five women in carnival costumes including mermaid tail, grinning green monster face, jester figures
The centrepiece is a big curving red script logo reading Mardi Gras, stacked on two lines and painted with yellow and white highlights, sitting above a padlock-and-star emblem. Four separate player score units fill the glass, each with its own blue fan-shaped roulette arc, a red wedge numbered 1 to 4, and its own draped ribbon banner, so four people can play at once. Three clowns or jesters in ruffled collars and conical red hats are tucked into the corners beside the BALL IN PLAY arrow and the GAME OVER scroll. A huge green grinning monster face with a bulbous nose and wide toothy mouth fills the bottom-left corner.
Setting
- Flat olive-gold/tan painted background
- Purple greek-key patterned panels behind each player banner
- Green and gold draped fabric swags
- Green scaly mermaid tail at bottom centre
- Cream/white wooden cabinet frame surrounding the glass
- Orange and navy arrow motif on the lower apron
Symbols
- Padlock with gold star
- Red ribbon bows
- Gold starbursts
- Roulette/fan wheel arcs
- Playing-card style numeral wedges
- Ball in play arrow sign
- Game over parchment scroll
- Speech bubble
- Stars on the fan arcs
Lettering
- Large red cursive script with yellow and white inline highlights and a dark shadow for the title; condensed yellow block capitals with black shadow for the player banners and game over; small black sans-serif capitals for the top banner
Themes
- Carnival
- Mardi gras
- New orleans
- Mermaid
- Burlesque
- Jester
- Pinball four player
Title on it
- Mardi gras
Text on it
- 1 TO 4 CAN PLAY
- IT'S MORE FUN TO COMPETE
- Williams
- 4 Player
- Mardi
- Gras
- TILT
- 1ST PLAYER
- 2ND PLAYER
- 3RD PLAYER
- 4TH PLAYER
- PLAYERS 1 2 3 4
- BALL IN PLAY
- OH-CUT IT OUT!
- GAME OVER
| Kind | Description |
|---|---|
| Woman | Tall blonde woman at top centre of the group, arms raised, black spiky hair ornament, black and red striped corset, yellow and black plaid skirt, pink and black striped sleeves, holding a red horn-like object |
| Woman | Brunette to the right of the blonde, long wavy hair, blue strapless bodice, pearl necklace, smiling |
| Woman | Red-haired woman at lower left, gold sequined strapless bodice, orange and black fishnet, holding a thin rod |
| Woman | Red-haired woman at lower right, yellow and blue bustier with a red belt, sitting on and merging into a large green scaly mermaid tail |
| Creature | Large grinning green monster face in the bottom-left corner, bulbous nose, wide mouth full of pointed white teeth |
| Other | Three small jester/clown figures standing behind the ball in play arrow, ruffled collars, red and black diamond-patterned costume |
| Other | Two clowns in white ruffled collars and red conical hats at bottom right; one is being tugged by the other, speech bubble reading oh-cut it out! |
| Creature | Small yellow horned monster head with curled orange horns and a tail poking out from behind the game over scroll |
Illuminated backglass with a tan/olive-gold background, laid out symmetrically around four mechanical score units arranged in a 2x2 grid. Each unit has a blue arched roulette-wheel or fan-shaped top with gold spokes, a red wedge with a big yellow numeral (1, 2, 3, 4), and a grey window holding four cream digit reels reading 0 5 7 1, 1 8 2 3, 0 0 0 and 0 0 0. Below each window sits a green and gold draped swag ribbon with a red bow and gold starburst, over a purple Greek-key patterned panel, with a yellow lozenge reading 1ST PLAYER, 2ND PLAYER, 3RD PLAYER, 4TH PLAYER in red. Down the centre runs the title in large curving red script with yellow and white highlights, Mardi over Gras, with a small padlock and gold star beneath it, and a yellow panel below reading PLAYERS 1 2 3 4. Five women in carnival/mermaid costumes fill the lower centre: a blonde in a black-and-red striped corset, a brunette in a blue bodice, a red-haired woman in a gold sequined bodice, a red-haired woman in a red feathered costume, and a red-haired woman in a yellow-and-blue bustier sitting on a green scaly mermaid tail. Along the bottom run a grinning green monster face, three tiny jester figures beside a BALL IN PLAY arrow, and two jester clowns beside a GAME OVER scroll with a speech bubble.