1965 · Bally
Trio
Known for Mushroom bumpers, Rollover buttons, Lower right saucer and Music notes. Theatre stage with blue side curtains, rainbow-striped circus canopy at top right, yellow scalloped awning across the top, solid bright blue background wall, palm tree behind the easel sign and spotted drum or tambourine prop at lower left.
- Year
- 1965
- Maker
- Bally
- Type
- Electro-mechanical
- Display
- Score reels
- Players
- 1
Known for
- Bumper
Mushroom bumpers
- buttons
Rollover buttons
- saucer
Lower right saucer
- backglass toy
Music notes
On the playfield
On the backglass
Who and what
- woman Brunette, blue corseted gown with pink feather boa, enormous pink halo hat, black gloved hands raised wide, smiling
- woman Blonde, wide green-and-white picture hat, strapless hot-pink ruffled gown, long white opera glove, seated at left
- woman Red-haired updo with orange flower, green bodice and layered green ruffled skirt, long pale gloves, leaning forward at centre-right
- animal Small white cat or dog face peering between the seated women
Setting
- Theatre stage with blue side curtains
- Rainbow-striped circus canopy at top right
- Yellow scalloped awning across the top
- Solid bright blue background wall
- Palm tree behind the easel sign
- Spotted drum or tambourine prop at lower left
Text on it
- Bally
- TRIO
- PLAY SKILL GAMES FOR
- FUN AND RECATION
- BALL IN
- PLAY
- 0 2 2 7
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
How it plays
-
Goals 1
- Music note #10
Made by
- Design
- Ted Zale
Reference
Playfield vision analysis
Written by a machine from the photos, so details may be off.
Playfield
- pale blue
- cream
- red
- yellow
Fingerprint: Aviation theme (Bally): Huge bare steel ball-guide rail forming continuous loop top and down both side lanes over pale blue field, cartoon aviation motif with cap-wearing man and grinning blue-capped figures, centre BONUS wheel with ring of numbers 10 to 90, three colour-coded skull targets numbered 1-2-3, cream lower apron with red-blue scroll swirls, painted rose mid-left, bullseye target rings
Most memorable is the huge bare steel ball-guide rail forming one continuous loop right around the top and down both side lanes, over a pale blue field. Second is the cartoon aviation/war motif: a cap-wearing man leaning over the rail at top left, a grinning man in a blue cap at the right inlane and a blue-clad crouching figure at the left inlane. Third, the centre BONUS wheel with its ring of numbers 10 to 90 and 100/200 in the middle, flanked by three colour-coded skull targets numbered 1, 2, 3. Fourth, the bare cream lower apron with red and blue scroll swirls, a bulleted instruction card and a cursive signature logo.
Setting
- Pale blue-grey painted field
- Cream lower apron
- Night sky with scattered small white stars on the apron
Symbols
- Skulls
- Rose
- Bullseye target rings
- Playing-card suits
- Stars
- Arrows and boomerang inserts
- Numbers 10-90, 100, 200
Notable shapes
- One continuous looped wireform rail enclosing the entire upper playfield
- Large central circular bonus wheel with numbered segments
- Three stacked skull-shaped drop targets
- Bowling-pin style skull figures numbered 1 2 3
- Batwing-shaped 50 when lit panel
- Boomerang-shaped inserts
Art motifs
- Swirling red and blue scrolls
- Star bursts
- Concentric scoring rings
Themes
- Aviator
- Military
- Target range
- Bullseye
- Vintage electro-mechanical
Title on it
- Bally
Text on it
- LIGHTS TARGET
- LIGHTS TARGET 3
- LIGHTS TARGET 4
- 50 WHEN LIT
- POINT 10 WHEN LIT
- BONUS
- SPECIAL WHEN LIT
- 10 WHEN LIT
- HOT WHEN LIT
- FLIPPER
- FLIPPER BUTTONS ON SIDES OF CABINET
- TILT ENDS GAME
- 5 BALLS
- 1 PLAY 5c
- 2 PLAYS 10c
- 5 PLAYS 25c
- SPECIAL BUTTON SCORES
- 5 REPLAY WHEN LIT
- 1 Added Ball for each score of 1300
- 1 Added Ball for each score of 1600
- 1 Added Ball for each score of 1900
- 1 Added Ball for each score of 2200
- MANUFACTURING COMPANY
- CHICAGO, ILLINOIS U.S.A.
| Kind | Description |
|---|---|
| Man | Top left, painted cartoon man in a peaked cap and jacket leaning over the ball-guide rail, arm raised gripping a rod, grinning |
| Man | Upper right lane, two small painted men in blue caps and blue shirts stacked one behind the other on the right rail |
| Man | Right inlane, cartoon man in a blue cap and blue shirt leaning forward with a wide toothy grin, hands splayed |
| Woman | Left inlane, blue-clad cartoon figure crouching and reaching forward toward the lane, dark hair |
| Man | Left mid-field, cartoon man in a dark hat seated behind a lane guide beside the rose graphic |
| Skeleton | Three white cartoon skulls in red, cream and blue target caps stacked vertically, grinning, numbered 1, 2, 3 |
A single-level electro-mechanical playfield on a pale blue-grey background, dominated by a bare steel-and-tan ball-guide arc that loops around the whole top and down both sides. Upper left, a painted cartoon man in a peaked cap and jacket leans over the guard rail holding a rod; upper right, an angled orange-lettered instruction/warning card sits inside the rail. Centre-top is a fan of four pop bumpers on a yellow batwing panel reading 50 WHEN LIT, flanked by red-capped posts, with three round jewel lamps above labelled LIGHTS TARGET, and a single larger pop bumper to the right. A pink rose with a black stem is painted at mid-left. The centre of the field holds a large circular BONUS wheel printed with segments 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 and an inner 100/200. Down the left-centre run three vertically stacked skull-shaped targets in red, cream and blue numbered 1, 2, 3, each paired with a matching LIGHTS TARGET insert. Arrow and oval inserts read 50 WHEN LIT, SPECIAL WHEN LIT and 10 WHEN LIT on both sides. Painted cartoon figures include a kneeling blue-clad character at the left inlane and a grinning man in a blue cap leaning in at the right inlane. The lower apron is cream with red and blue scrollwork, stars, an instruction card and a script company logo.
Backglass vision analysis
Written by a machine from the photos, so details may be off.
Backglass
- blue
- pink
- yellow
- green
Fingerprint: Three elaborately dressed women in feathered gowns striking theatrical poses under rainbow-striped canopy, brunette in enormous pink halo hat with pink feather boa, "TRIO" title in glossy hot-pink letters with navy shadow, white numbered ovals 1-10 arcing down left side, yellow "BALL IN PLAY" sign, bright blue field, musical notes scattered.
Three elaborately dressed women in feathered and ruffled gowns striking theatrical circus poses under a rainbow-striped canopy, one brunette wearing an enormous pink halo hat and pink feather boa with her arms flung wide. A yellow circus awning across the top carries the word TRIO in glossy hot-pink block letters with a heavy dark blue drop shadow. A ladder of ten white numbered ovals counting 1 to 10 arcs down the left side like musical notation, and a yellow easel sign at right reads BALL IN PLAY.
Setting
- Theatre stage with blue side curtains
- Rainbow-striped circus canopy at top right
- Yellow scalloped awning across the top
- Solid bright blue background wall
- Palm tree behind the easel sign
- Spotted drum or tambourine prop at lower left
Symbols
- Rainbow-striped canopy
- Scalloped awning
- Line-drawn bell
- Black musical notes and eighth notes
- Numbered white ovals 1-10
- Palm tree
- Easel signboard
- Stage curtains with tassel tie-backs
- Ornate gold cartouche around the score reels
- Drum or tambourine at lower left
Lettering
- Large glossy hot-pink slab-serif capitals with dark blue drop shadow; red cursive script maker name at top left; black serif text on white panels
Themes
- Variety
- Circus
- Stage
- Music
- Three women
Title on it
- Trio
Text on it
- Bally
- TRIO
- PLAY SKILL GAMES FOR
- FUN AND RECATION
- BALL IN
- PLAY
- 0 2 2 7
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
| Kind | Description |
|---|---|
| Woman | Brunette, blue corseted gown with pink feather boa, enormous pink halo hat, black gloved hands raised wide, smiling |
| Woman | Blonde, wide green-and-white picture hat, strapless hot-pink ruffled gown, long white opera glove, seated at left |
| Woman | Red-haired updo with orange flower, green bodice and layered green ruffled skirt, long pale gloves, leaning forward at centre-right |
| Animal | Small white cat or dog face peering between the seated women |
Translucent backglass with a bright blue field, framed by white cabinet paint and a red chevron border. Across the top a wide yellow awning with scalloped edge carries the word TRIO in huge glossy hot-pink slab-serif block capitals with a dark blue drop shadow. At top left, in red cursive on the yellow awning, is the script word Bally, above a line drawing of a bell. A rainbow-striped circus canopy runs along the top right. Four number reels (0 2 2 7) sit in an ornate gold-framed cream panel at upper right, and below them a white scroll on a red backing reads PLAY SKILL GAMES FOR FUN AND RECATION. Three women dominate the centre: a brunette in a blue corseted gown with pink feather boa and a big pink halo hat, arms flung wide; a blonde in a wide green-and-white hat and a strapless pink ruffled gown seated left; and a red-haired woman in a green bodice and frilly green skirt leaning forward centre-right. Numbered white ovals 1 through 10 arc across the left side, with black music notes and eighth notes scattered over the blue. A yellow folding sign on an easel at right reads BALL IN PLAY with a 1 beneath. Blue stage curtains frame the sides and a palm tree rises behind the sign.
Backglass
- blue
- magenta
- cream
- yellow
Fingerprint: TRIO in huge magenta slab-serif capitals, Bally script logo, three singing showgirls in 1950s ball gowns crowded on pale blue buttoned sofa, one in magenta with picture hat, one in mint with magenta boa and huge rimmed hat, one in mint with red feathered headpiece, ten yellow oval plaques climbing diagonally.
Three singing showgirls in 1950s ball gowns crowded onto a pale blue buttoned sofa, with one in a magenta gown and picture hat, one standing behind in a mint gown and magenta boa with a huge magenta-rimmed hat and a black-gloved raised hand, and one in mint with a red feathered headpiece clutching a rose-trimmed hat. A rising diagonal ribbon of ten yellow oval numbered plaques 1 to 10 climbs the blue background, with scattered musical notes and sharp signs. The title TRIO appears as huge magenta slab-serif block capitals across the top, next to a cream cursive 'Bally' script logo. An olive-yellow ornate window stamped 0620 sits top right above a white sign reading PLAY SKILL GAMES FOR FUN AND RECREATION, with a yellow BALL IN PLAY placard on a folding stand.
Setting
- Interior sitting room with deep royal blue wall
- Pale blue buttoned sofa with carved golden-brown scroll arms
- Scalloped red, yellow and teal bunting with gold-fringed rope across the top
- Potted palm plant at right
- Teal-blue stage curtain at right and pale column at left
- Harp and drawn theatre scenery at upper left
- Wooden floor with a small dark rug at bottom right
Symbols
- Harp
- Musical notes and clefs
- Sharp signs
- Ten numbered yellow oval plaques
- Flower and rose
- Feather boa
- Bunting and swagged rope
- Scalloped ornamental frame
- Reel windows
Lettering
- Huge magenta slab-serif block capitals with inline highlight and black drop shadow for the title; cream cursive script logo at upper left; condensed black uppercase sans/slab lettering on the white sign box and the yellow ball in play placard; white block capitals stacked vertically for tilt.
Themes
- Music hall
- Cabaret singers
- Variety show
- 1950s fashion
- Score reels
Title on it
- Trio
Text on it
- Bally
- TRIO
- TILT
- 0620
- PLAY SKILL GAMES FOR FUN AND RECREATION
- BALL IN PLAY
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
| Kind | Description |
|---|---|
| Woman | Seated at left on the sofa, young adult, fair skin, long wavy blonde hair, open-mouthed singing expression, wearing a full magenta ball gown with cream ruffled trim and a very wide pale picture hat trimmed with light green; one arm raised with palm outward, gold bracelets on the wrist. |
| Woman | Standing behind the sofa at centre, young adult, fair skin, short dark hair under an enormous magenta-rimmed wide-brim hat with white crown, black-gloved hand raised high, singing with open mouth; pale mint gown with magenta feather boa around the shoulders and arms. |
| Woman | Seated at right, young adult, fair skin, red/auburn piled hair under a red feathered headpiece, gold collar necklace, singing with wide open mouth; pale mint-green dress with cream lace bodice and pink ruffled hem, magenta gloves, holding a small magenta hat decorated with a yellow rose and red flower in her lap. |
Vivid 1950s-style airbrushed backglass in deep royal blue with hot magenta, teal, cream and yellow accents. At top, a cream cursive 'Bally' script logo at upper left above a small dark shoe sketch, beside enormous slab-serif block letters spelling TRIO in magenta with black shadow; a scalloped swag of red, yellow and teal bunting with gold-fringed ropes runs across the upper right. Three young singing women crowd a pale blue buttoned sofa: at left, long blonde hair, full magenta gown with cream ruffles and wide pale picture hat; behind the sofa, dark hair under a huge magenta-rimmed hat, mint gown with magenta feather boa, black-gloved hand raised; at right, auburn piled hair with red feathered headpiece, mint dress with cream lace, magenta gloves, holding a small magenta hat with a yellow rose. Behind them yellow oval plaques numbered 1 to 10 climb in a rising diagonal amid scattered musical notes, sharp signs and a harp, with TILT set vertically at upper left. Right of centre an olive-yellow ornate score window stamped 0620 sits above a white sign box, a yellow BALL IN PLAY placard on a folding stand and a potted palm.