PINBALL ON TV

"If this were pinball Old Rosco would already have a bunch of free games.  He ain't missed yet."  

Waylon Jennings, the balladeer, The Dukes Of Hazzard, "The Ghost Of General Lee", episode 6, season 2, 35 min. 37 seconds into episode.

"Hey, son, what are you doing here?  We get a pinball machine or something?" Jim's father (Eugene Levy) to his son (Seth Green).  

Greg The Bunny, "Welcome To Sweet Knuckle Junction", episode 1, season 1, about halfway through episode.

"You'd think they'd have a pinball machine or something around here!  Hey, a person can be sad and still play pinball at the same time."

Billy Tate (Jimmy Baio) to his mother Jessica Tate (Katerine Helmond) Soap, episode 5, season 2, hospital scene, 2 minutes into episode.

There have been lots of appearances of pins in the movies, but that's nothing. Pins appear on tv all the time. Check back every now and then for updates.  Got a listing you want to add or can tell me what episode I didn't have listed for this or that game? email pingeek.   

If you want to know more about a certain tv show listed below, check out The Internet Movie Database, which covers not only movies, but tv shows as well.  I have begun to add links to the Internet Movie Database for each show listed below that has a pin sighting.  

Here's the sighting that didn't quite happen. When I was a kid, I was in Las Vegas back in '76, and the only place I could get into was Circus Circus, since I was a minor. Their arcade was incredible. There was a great mix of pins and early racing, etc. videogames. I remember playing "4 Million BC" and "King Tut." Recently, I was watching part II of a Starsky and Hutch episode from season 2, "The Las Vegas Strangler." They are trying to track down a killer inside Circus Circus. You can actually see Starsky and Hutch standing right outside of where it says "GAMES, with only the sign visible." I waited for them to go in so I could see the arcade just as it was in '76, but it never happened.

Here's some must NOT see tv.  Whatever you do, DON'T rent the 1976 ABC After School Special, "The Pinballs."  There is not a single pinball machine in this program.  Basically, Kristy McNichol and two other kids are left with an elderly couple so the parents can take a break from them.  There are two quotes with references to pinball, and they are as follows:

"Me, Harvey and Thomas J., we're like pinballs.  Somebody came along with a dime, pushed a button and out we came, ready or not.  You don't see pinballs helping each other.  You don't know how, do you?"  

"We don't always have to be pinballs because pinballs can't help what happens to them because they can't.  They're just things."

This site last updated on 8/11/08.  Currently there are 170 listings.

 

PROGRAM

PIN

EPISODE

SCENE

 

All In The Family

Merry-Go-Round, Gottlieb, 1960

Judging Books By Covers

Kelsey's Bar (*pin is missing backdoor, cabinet pretty beat)

All In The Family

Firecracker, Bally, 1970

?

Kelsey's Bar

All In The Family

Jungle, Gottlieb, 1972

?

Kelsey's Bar

All In The Family

Dealer's Choice, Williams, 1974

Beverly Rides Again

Kelsey's Bar

All In The Family

Disco, Stern, 1977

Archie Gets The Business

Kelsey's Bar

All My Children

Attack From Mars, Williams, 1995

episode aired approximately 2/6/05

All My Children

Revenge From Mars, Williams, 1999

various episodes (seen four times in a month)

PI's office

The Anna Nicole Show

Funhouse, Williams, 1990

The Date (final ep. season 1)

pin is seen sideways in Anna Nicole's home when her date is ringing the doorbell.

Archie's Place

Hit The Deck, Gottlieb, 1978

assorted episodes

Archie Bunker's Place

The Bernie Mac Show

Mousin' Around!, Bally, 1989 and ?

Kelly's Heroes(episode #20)

arcade scene(19 minutes into the episode)

The Best D**n Sport Show

Silver Slugger, Gottlieb, 1990

________

in the background, no particular episode.

Beverly Hills 90210

Earthshaker, Willilams, 1989

Earthquake Weather

scene in the KEG house, Steve's playing the game in total ecstasy with the shaker rumbling and doesn't realize there is a real earthquake before lights go out.

Boy Meets World

Black Knight, Williams, 1980

_________

bar scene, various episodes

Brilliant (aka The Fast Show)

The Simpsons, Data East, 1990; The Addams Family, Bally, 1992 and Whitewater, Williams, 1993 season 1, episode 5 second half of the show there is a sketch where a guy goes thru an arcade with 5 pins and lots of other games.
Buffy, The Vampire Slayer

Wild Life, Gottlieb, 1972

season 2, "What's My Line," (part 1) DVD, disc 3, 35 min. into episode, towards the end, bar scene with angels.
Buffy, The Vampire Slayer

Meteor, Stern, 1979 and Jacks To Open, Gottlieb, 1984

season 2, "Bad Egg"

DVD, disc 3, 3 min. 20 seconds into episode, arcade in a mall. Meteor looks like it has a fake backglass in place.
Buffy, The Vampire Slayer

Surf Champ, Gottlieb, 1976

season 4, episode ? (forgot to write down which episode it was) If anybody catches it, please email Pingeek. DVD, disc ?, bar scene, 21 minutes, 29 seconds into episode.
Buffy, The Vampire Slayer

Funhouse, Williams, 1990

No Good Gophers, Williams, 1997

Tales Of The Arabian Nights, Williams, 1996

Jacks To Open, Gottlieb, 1984.

season 6, "Gone"

DVD, disc 3, 36 minutes into episode, arcade scene. Jacks Open backglass gets shattered when one of the invisible geeks fighting Buffy gets flung at the pinball machine.

Californication

?

? 7/08 air date?

some sort of woodrail?

CBS Early Show

Family Guy, Stern, 2007

Spiderman, Stern, 2007

airdate, Monday, 11/12/07

bowling alley, segment about teens and staying happy. Near the end of the segment one teen was playing Family Guy.

Challenge Of The Superfriends

An ice planet with a section as a pinball machine, created by Toyman to trap Black Vulcan, Hawkman, and Wonder Woman.

________

DVD, episode, "The World's Deadliest Game" Quotes:

"Great lightning! What's that?" Black Vulcan

"It looks like a giant pinball!" Hawk Man

"But first we'll have a little flipper action." Toy Man

"Wonder Woman in the hole. I get a thousand points and a free ball." Toy Man

Chapelle's Show

South Park, Sega, 1999

"Mad Real World" skit, episode 6, 14 min. into show. apt. scene

Charlie's Angels

Hot Line, Williams, 1966

Cinema, Chicago Coin, 1976

"Hellride" season 1, episode 1. bar scene, about 33 minutes into episode. See screen shot HERE.

China Beach

Royal Flush, Gottlieb, 1976

?Home? (not 100% sure this is the title of the correct episode)

Bar scene

Coach

Travel Time, Williams, 1973

?

?

Columbo

Flying Carpet, Gottlieb, 1972

4 Square, Gottlieb, 1971

and ?

"The Conspirators"

two different scenes where Columbo and the villian are discussing the case while they are both playing pinball in the suspect's home. They are using dimes instead of quarters to play the pins.

CSI Miami

?

?

bowling alley scene

Dark Angel

Attack From Mars, Williams, 1995  

?Darling, Williams, 1973?

"Brainiac"(episode 10, season 2)

Arcade scene right in the beginning of the episode, Brain is playing a video game when police come storming in shooting at everything. In the background there are two pins, Attack from Mars and a WMS EM 2-player, possibly Darling. The EM game gets a shot in the backglass and the blank score reel board is seen a few times later in the episode with the lights still on.

Der Alte (The Old One)

High Speed, Williams, 1986

Comet, Williams, 1985

Monte Carlo, Premier, 1987

"Die Braut ohne Gedächnis" (Bride without Memory) bar scene in the beginning of the episode with the bad guys having a meeting

Der Alte (The Old One)

Contact, Williams, 1978

"Ende mit Schrecken" (End of Fear) about 10 min. into the episode, with the obnoxious P.I. Uwe Weissman in a pub playing darts, and after leaving the pub is shot dead in his car. The game is seen a few times in the background and once or twice when the homicide squad is questioning the couple keeping the pub.

Der Alte (The Old One)

Centaur, Bally, 1981

"Kälter als der Tod" (Colder than Death) murder house scene, seen 4-5 times throughout the episode.

Desperate Housewives

Funhouse, Williams, 1990

Firepower, Williams, 1980 

?

an episode aired sometime during October or November, 2006.  If you catch which episode, please email Pingeek.  

The District

Big Deal, Williams, 1977

"Criminally Insane"

two minutes into episode, game is tipped over and smashed in a fight scene.

Doogie Howser

Bad Cats, Williams, 1989

"Use a Slurpy, Go to Jail"

DVD, season 1, end of episode.

Doogie Howser

Cyclone, Bad Cats, Whirlwind, and ?

 "Grass Ain't Always Greener" DVD, season 1

Dragnet(the new)

Whirlwind, Williams, 1990

"The Redemption"

bar scene about halfway through episode.

Dukes Of Hazzard

Space Odyssey, Williams, 1976 and ?Bon Voyage, Bally, 1974

Capt. Fantastic, Bally, 1975; Freedom, Bally, 1975; Lost World, Bally, 1977

One Armed Bandits (episode #1)

DVD, scene 2, 11 min. into episode, Boar's Nest.

DVD, 26 min. into episode, Civic house, right behind bartender. (in this episode, watch for the junkyard scene when Bo & Luke meet up with Cooter and some other guys to cut off the guys bringing in the slot machines. Cooter drives out of the junkyard in a Starsky and Hutch Gran Torino!)

Dukes Of Hazzard

Flying Carpet, Gottlieb, 1972 and ? a Gottlieb wedgehead with a blue and red musical note on the side of the head. Luke's Love Story(episode #7) DVD, 2 minutes into episode, Boar's Nest, Flying Carpet is in the corner and about 30 min. into episode, other Gottlieb cabinet is seen. Backglass lit at a distance is shown at beginning of episode.

Dukes Of Hazzard

Sheriff, Gottlieb, 1971 (in a Jungle cabinet)

Gold Fever (episode #?3? season 2)

DVD, 23 minutes into episode, Boar's Nest bar

Dukes Of Hazzard

Sheriff, Gottlieb, 1971

The Ghost Of General Lee (episode 6, season 2)

DVD, about halfway through episode, Boar's Nest bar

Ed

Space Station, Williams, 1987

?

Phil challenges the handicapped african american (forget his
name in the show) to a game of wheelchair basketball, out in the back lot of the bowling alley

ER

Bad Cats, Williams, 1989

?

Carter is in a convienence store and there is a robbery and the crooks try to escape by climbing on a pin and going out the ceiling, but one falls back and crashes into the playfield glass

Everybody Loves Raymond

Jack*Bot, Williams, 1995

?

his big brother (Robert i Think his name is) goes back to work to being a cop. About halfway through the show, there is a radio alert of shoplifting, so he shows up at a candy/convenience store where some punk kids are playing this pin with EM sound effects.

Everwood

?

?either episode 11 or 12, season 1

whole game room shot at the very end of show

Family Guy

 

?

Peter is raped on top of some sort of EM pinball machine, episode unknown.

Friday Night Lights

?

1/25/08 air date

Towards the end of the show in a scene where two guys were in a house hiding because one of them owes a lot of money to some thug that beat him up. A knock comes on the door and the camera pans toward the door and you see the front view of what looks like an early solid state Bally/Stern. Hard to tell as the camera did not focus on the background. The cabinet was a darker blue color.

Friends

4-Belles, Gottlieb, 1954 and Roto Pool, Gottlieb, 1958

?

bar (converted to coffee shop later)

Friends

Diner, Williams, 1990

Funhouse, Williams, '90

Surf 'N Safari, Gottlieb, '91

The Getaway: High Speed II, Williams, '92

season finale(air date, 5/15/03) Last half of the show-- Chandler, Monica, Mike, and Phoebe go downstairs in the hotel gameroom for some Ping Pong. The Getaway pin has an out of order sign on it. Diner is on the far right, barely visible.

The George Carlin Show

?

George Plays A Mean Pinball(air date, 5/8/94)

?

Good Morning America

Good Morning America, Stern, 2007

Pirates Of The Caribbean, Stern, 2006

Spider-Man, Stern, 2007

Wheel Of Fortune, Stern, 2007

 (air date, 1/18/08) About 90 minutes into broadcast.  The GMA pin is one of a kind, shown on the program to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the flipper.  

Good Times

Circus, Bally, 1973

Florida Goes To School

James is playing the pin at a local bar, he bumps it a few times, all the lights blink in the head, a sign pops up from the back of the head and says, "Right On!"

Greg The Bunny

Big Guns, Bally, 1987

"Welcome To Sweet Knuckle Junction"(episode 1, season 1) Just 1 minute into episode, Jim is playing a Big Guns pin as Greg walks in.  Look closely and you will see that although the ball is moving, the lights don't work and "music off" and 00 00 are seen on the display the entire time.  

Grounded For Life

Time Warp, Williams, 1979

Mata Hari, Bally, 1978

 

Red Boot Pub, various episodes

Guy's Big Bite

?

some sort of EM wedgehead on the set. If you know which one it is, please EMAIL ME.

Happy Days

Pro-Football, Gottlieb, 1973

Breaking Up Is Hard To Do (featuring Laurette Spang from Battlestar Galactica)

Pin seen beside jukebox, by the bathroom. This episode, #9, is the first episode with a pin, with others to follow. Keep in mind, Pro-Football was made in 1973, the show first aired in 1974, and it takes place around 1955.

Happy Days

Klondike, Williams, 1971

Because She's There (episode #11)

Ritchie plays the pin. You get a good glimpse of the Klondike logo and some of the art and Fonz reaches behind the game head and uses his pocket knife to rack up points so Ritchie can get a replay.

Happy Days

Nip-It, Bally, 1972 and ?Line Drive? (a pitch and bat).

Who's Sorry Now? (episode#19)

The unknown pitch and bat is used in a flashback scene that takes place in a diner, same footage used to feature some Happy Days characters in the sitcom "Love, American Style." The pin's cabinet has crescent shapes with stars. I have no idea what it is.

Happy Days

Space Time, Bally, 1972

Fonzie moves in (episode #40)

pin is featured at "Arnold's"

Happy Days

Nip-It, Bally, 1972

Arnold's Wedding

watch closely for a slightly blurred shot of the backglass in this episode, it's fake.

It shows a crocodile, and the words Nip It, and that's it. The other episodes showed the original glass.

Heroes

?

?

Airdate sometime in early October, 2007

roughly the 20 minute mark when Peter Petrele is in Ireland in the back room trying to replicate the lightening bolt power to the left of him is a pinball machine in the packing position (standing upright).

Homicide

Popeye Saves The Earth, Bally, 1994

?

?

The Honeymooners:  The Lost Episodes

?

"Two Men On A Horse"

Ralph tries to win some badly-needed cash by playing pinball against a
sucker. He ends up getting beat by the guy who kicks his a*s with only
his first ball - and the guy turns out to be the operator (he empties
out the nickles when he finishes beating him!) Norton plays the machine later and it explodes with flames, confetti and waving flags popping out of the machine. Ralph does a hilarious 'no hands' dance while playing the machine trying to get the ball to go where he wants, it's
hilarious. (Note, the Honeymooners episode is one of the Lost Episodes that were taken from the Gleason Show, not the 'regular 39' filmed series, they are available individually on dvd etc.)

I Married A Princess

Starship Troopers, Sega, 1993,

"Malibu Charity Bash"(season 1, episode 3)

?

In Living Color

Mata Hari, Bally, 1978

episode #22, "Detective Head Goes Bowling"

about 4 1/2 minutes into episode, bowling alley bar.

In Plain Sight

On Beam, Bally, 1968

air date 8/10/08?

It was in the character Rafe or Rafel's apartment. He is the boyfriend
of lead character Mary. But it was Mary's sister who was shown on the
phone while the game was in the background.

The Invisible Man

Centigrade 37, Gottlieb, 1977

The Invisible Woman

about 10 mins. into the episode, Fawkes is playing the pin in a bar where he is to meet Mei Ling, the invisible woman. Even original Gottlieb chimes are present. Fawkes seems to be familiar with the early Gottlieb coin door way of sometimes having reject coins far away in the reject return slot, because after he has played, he examines the slot thorougly with his fingers.

The Jeffersons

Gun Smoke, Chicago Coin, 1968

?

the characters are in a "cowboy bar" and in a couple of scenes, you can just barely make out a pin in the distance.

The Jeffersons

Genie, Gottlieb, 1979

Alley-Oops

George is in charge of a bowling team. Look behind him and you will see the pin.

Kojak

King Of Diamonds, Gottlieb, 1967, 8 Ball, Williams, 1966 and ? One For The Morgue DVD, pool hall, 37 min. into episode. One other pin also shown

La Femme Nikita

White Water, Williams, 1993

Airborne, Capcom, 1996

Twister, Sega, 1996 and ??

"Simone" (season 1, episode 3)

DVD, arcade scene, 9 min. 17 seconds into episode.  Blurred shot of a row of pins in the back. Here's two screen shots, here and here. If you can identify any of the other two, email Pingeek.

Law & Order

Genesis, Premier, 1986

"The Torrents Of Greed" (season 1, episode 15 or possibly 16. This was a 2 part episode.) DVD, bar scene, last few minutes of episode.

Law & Order: Criminal Intent

Nitro Ground Shaker, Bally, 1980

"Self-Made" (season 7, episode 140) air date 11/15/07

Animator's studio, 11 minutes into episode. Pin appeared to be missing all displays.

Law & Order:
Special Victims

Murder & Destruction

Identity (season 6, episode 128) air date 1/18/05

approx. 10 minutes into episode.  Some sort of dot matrix pin with cabinet repainted and translite replaced.  

Lois and Clark

?

Neverending Battle (season 1, episode 3)

an old lady and her grandaughters come out of an arcade alley (?!?) and one of the little girls is saved from
being crushed by a falling billboard by Superman. In the alley (?!?)
can be seen 5 EM games, one of which appears to be a 'Pioneer'. What's
funny is across from the pins are two video cabinets that have been repainted a HORRIBLE flowery-hippy scheme.

Look What I Did!

No Fear, Williams, 1995

Revenge From Mars, Williams, 1999

"Pennsylvania Game Room"? (season __, episode _) air date 4/3/08

Pinball machines and a gameroom were featured in this episode.   

Lost

Revenge From Mars, Williams, 1999 

Cyclone, Williams, 1988

"The Man From Tallahassee (season 3, episode 61) air date, 3/21/07

rec room scene, 18 minutes, 8 seconds into episode. Screen shot HERE.

Lost

Revenge From Mars, Williams, 1999 

Cyclone, Williams, 1988

 

"Left Behind" (season 3, episode 63) air date, 4/4/07

rec room scenes: 1 minutes, 12 seconds, and 4 minutes, 45 seconds into episode.  Screen shots HERE.

Mad About You

Monte Carlo, Bally, 1973

The Painter (episode 22, season 1) DVD, 7 min. into episode, Paul and his cousin Ira play this pin in a bar.
Mad About You -------- Surprise (episode 8, season 2) DVD, 4 min. into episode, Paul and Ira are shown waiting in line to get tickets for the Broadway play "Tommy."
Mad About You Kings Of Steel, Bally, 1984 Edna Returns (episode 11, season 2) DVD, 13 min. 51 seconds, clear shot of playfield, EM chimes and some solid state sounds.
Mad About You Kings Of Steel, Bally, 1984 Virtual Reality (episode 15, season 2) DVD, 9 min. into episode, bloody EM chimes again.

Mannix

Majors 1941, Chicago Coin, 1941

Sunburst

Mannix enters from the back entrance to the restaurant to get the bad guys.  As he goes in the back door, through the store room, you can see the left side of the head of this woodrail pin barely.

Married With Children

Fireball II, Bally, 1980

(episode ?, season 7) scene where the Bundy's just ripped off their son's scholarship money. It's sitting in the family room after they went shopping.

M.A.S.H

Heat wave, Williams, 1964

?

?

    M.A.S.H       

Spot-A-Card, Gottlieb, 1960 ? ?

Miami Vice

?

?

an electromechanical pin gets the crap beat out of it by a drug dealer.

Miami Vice

Devil's Dare, Gottlieb, 1982

"Cool Runnin" (season 1, disc 1)

DVD, approx., 19 min. into episode, half of the game partially off screen.  

Million Dollar Listing

The Addams Family, KISS, Wizard, Captain Fantastic, Beat Time, Odds & Evens, 4 Roses, Magic City, & ?Dimension?

?

Rock music producer has to sell most of his pinball machines to sell the house.  This was a show on the cable channel Bravo.

Monk

Fireball Classic, Bally, 1984

Mr. Monk Goes To The Dentist (episode 15, season 4)

when the band is hanging out in Aaron's stepfather's garage discussing
alternative band names around 4/5 of the way through the show, one of
the guys is playing a Fireball Classic.

Monk

Rocket, Bally, 1947

Mr. Monk and Little Monk (episode 8, season 4) bar scene, about 30 minutes into episode.

Monty Python's Flying Circus

?

"The Naked Ant" sketch, episode ?

opening sketch shows the right bottom corner of an early EM pin playfield, a ball is shot in the game, then a bearded hermit bounces against trees and typical EM chimes are heard.

Mr. Belvedere

Fireball, Bally, 1971

Pinball (air date, 11/29/85)

the family buys a pinball machine and Mr. Belvedere, their butler, gets so hooked on it, they have to get rid of it. The show ends with Mr. Belvedere going over the edge and playing one at the arcade, where the family arrives to take him back to reality.

MTV Cribs

Playboy, Bally, 1978

Playboy, Data East, 1991

Playboy, Stern, 2002

and possibly the 2002 Stern version as well.

MTV Cribs Priciest Pads Countdown (aired 7/29/07)

Heffner plays a round of '78 Playboy, and drains the ball quickly.  Admits he hadn't played the game in quite some time.  

The Muppet Show

Skill Pool, Williams, 1963

and 3 other EM pins.

Host: Sandy Duncan

musical number in a bar.  Sandy Duncan is dancing with some Muppet monsters. Two pins on the right include Skill Pool and some sort of early 60's Bally pin, with an upside down triangle pattern on the bottom of the head, a pattern used in a few Bally pins of that era, including Hootenanny.  There are also two slot machines to the right, and two other pins on the left.  

Murder She Wrote

?

"Secret Of Gila Junction" (episode 243, season 12)

About 20 minutes into the show, bar scene with someone playing a pin.  From the score displays, it was an early solid state Williams but the title wasn't shown, but it appeared to have a space theme. The playfield was briefly shown and the pop bumpers had incorrect caps on them from a 1978 Bally Star Trek pin. 

My Name Is Earl

 Dragon, Gottlieb, 1978

Travel Time, Williams, 1973

Pilot episode

dvd, season 1, first five minutes into movie, bar scene, you can just barely make out a blurry distant shot of the pins.   They show up in many other episodes.

My Name Is Earl

Genie, Gottlieb, 1979

Mystic, Bally, 1979

 "Broke Joy's Fancy Figurine" (episode 6, season 1) 

season 1, bar scene, first half of episode.

My Name Is Earl

 Dragon, Gottlieb, 1978

Travel Time, Williams, 1973

  "Sticks & Stones" (episode 27, season 2) air date 10/5/06.  DVD, bar scene, 2 minutes into episode.   See screen shot HERE.

My Restaurant Rules 

Attack From Mars, Bally, 1995

2005 edition, episode unknown In one of the episodes a chef and waiter leave one restaurant for another.
When they are in a bar on the phone talking to the other restaurant (and asking if they can work there),
there's a badly faded Attack from Mars pinball machine in the background.

Mythbusters

WHO dunnit, Williams, 1995

Medieval Madness, Williams, 1997

 Road Show, Williams, 1994

"Vodka Myths II: Can Vodka remove cigarette smoke smell from clothes?" (season 3, episode 7)

Laundrymat scene.  First seen at 16:40. Shot of the Build Team playing is seen at 16:45.  Kari is playing WHO dunnit, Grant is playing Medieval Madness, and Tory is playing Red & Ted's Road Show.

Also a close up of the MM playfield is seen at 16:46.

Also EM sounds are dubbed over. (As usual). (this is usually done to avoid speech from the pinball machine interferring with the actor's voices.)

My Wife & Kids

Stars, Stern, 1978

Tales Of The Arabian Nights, Williams, 1996

?

Stars is seen in the rec room.  There is also an episode where the family goes to a bowling alley and behind them is a Tales of...., and another WPC pin. 

The Nanny

King Pin, Gottlieb, 1973

"The Christmas Show" (episode 8, season 1) air date, 12/22/93. pawn shop scenes.  Screen shots HERE.

Nash Bridges

Liberty Bell, Williams, 1977

?

Don Johnson shoots a guy in his apartment who is trying to rape his daughter on a pool table.

No Reservations

Pirates Of The Caribbean, Stern, 2006

"Hong Kong" (episode 37, season 3) air date, 9/3/07.

Anthony Bourdain was in Hong Kong and made comparisons to the city and pinball.  Various close up camera shots of the pin throughout episode.

Northern Exposure

Cyclone, Williams, 1988

Hayburners, Williams, 1951

various episodes

pin seen in a bar called "The Brick."  Hayburners is seen in earlier episodes of this show.

Psych

Ripley's Believe It Or Not!, Stern, 2004

"Black and Tan:  A Crime Of Fashion" (episode 30, season 2) air date, 2/8/08.

Arcade scenes, starting at 9 minutes, 39 seconds into episode.  Screen shots HERE.

Quantum Leap

Klondike, Williams, 1971

Fun-Fest, Williams, 1973

Delta Queen, Bally, 1974

Star-Crossed (season 1, episode 2)

DVD, disc 1, 31 minutes into episode, college coffee house, pins are seen against the wall on the right.  Trivia:  The Delta Queen pin shown was not built until July, 1974. Fun-Fest was not built until 1973. Al (Dean Stockwell), mentions at the end of the episode about them being at the Watergate Hotel, and the date is June 15, 1972.

Quantum Leap

Delta Queen, Bally, 1974

Amigo, Bally, 1974   and ?

Animal Frat (season 2, episode 21)

Frat house scenes.  Episode is supposed to take place on October 19, 1967, but these pins were built in the 70's.  See screen shots HERE, HERE, and HERE.  Also, a shot of the third pin can be seen HERE in a crowd shot with just a corner of the backglass visible. If you know which pin this is, EMAIL ME.

Quantum Leap

Whoopee, Williams, 1964

M.I.A (season 2, episode 31)

bar scene, 22 minutes into episode.  Screen shot HERE.

Quantum Leap

Travel Time, Williams, 1973

Future Boy (season 3, episode 44), air date 3/13/91.

skating rink, 27 minutes into episode. Screen shot HERE.  Episode is supposed to take place on October 6, 1957, but Travel Time was built in 1973.

Quantum Leap

Baseball, Gottlieb, 1970

"Memphis Melody" (season 5, episode 96) air date 4/20/93.

Diner scene, 7 minutes, 57 seconds into episode. Screen shots HERE. This episode takes place on July 3,  1954, but the pin shown was built 16 years later. (TRIVIA:  Season 1, dvd disc 2, "The Right Hand Of God."  One of the nuns is none other than Mrs. Hathaway from "The Beverly Hillbillies."  

Quantum Leap

Baseball, Gottileb, 1970

    "Mirror Image" (season 5, episode 97), air date 5/5/93.

"Al's Place" bar scenes. Pin first seen at beginning of episode. Screen shot  HERE.  This episode takes place on August 8, 1953, but the pin shown was built 17 years later.  This was the final episode of Quantum Leap.

Rachael Ray

Lost World, Bally, 1978

Space Invaders, Bally, 1980

episode with ex burglar showing how easy it is to break into somebody's home. (season 2, episode #?), air date 3/24/08. 14 minutes, 48 seconds into episode.  Pins seen in back room. Screen shots HERE.

Red Green: Stuffed And Mounted

????, Williams?, 1940's or 50's?

"The Science Fair"

DVD, disc 1, some sort of woodrail in background, backglass has been painted over badly and looks like cabinet probably has too.  Good luck identifying this one.  Check out the still shot HERE.  If you can ID it, email Pingeek with the name of the game.

Rhoda

Grand Slam, Gottlieb, 1974

I'll Be Loving You, Sometimes

Valerie Harper and Howard Hesseman at arcade

The Rockford Files

Hee Haw, Chicago Coin, 1973

The Hammer Of "C" Block (season 2, episode #37), air date 1/9/76 per this episode guide.

DVD, disc 4, bar scene, behind Isaac Hayes' head, you can see a bit of the backglass and the left side of the head of the game.  

The Rockford Files

Little Joe, Bally, 1972

Odds & Evens, Bally, 1973

"The Trouble With Warren" (season 3, episode #56), air date 12/24/76. DVD, disc 3, bar scene fight, about 3 minutes into scene, pins seen in the corner to the right.  See screen shot HERE.

 The Rockford Files

Spin Out, Gottlieb, 1975

Time Zone, Bally, 1973

"The Becker Connection" (season 3, episode #61) air date 2/11/77. DVD, disc 4, Two bar scenes.  Spin Out is seen in the first at 13 minutes into the episode, and Time Zone in the second, at 21 minutes into the episode. Screen shots HERE and HERE.

The Rockford Files

Bali-Hi, Bally, 1973

Gulfstream, Williams, 1973

"Dirty Money, Black Light" (season 3, episode #67) air date 4/1/77. DVD, disc 5, loan shark's office.  Screen shots HERE. The Internet Pinball Database reports there were only 80 Bali-Hi pins produced.  Also, the artwork for both these pins were done by Christian Marche.  

The Rockford Files

El Dorado, Gottlieb, 1975

Outer Space, Gottlieb, 1972

"Beamer's Last Case" (season 4, episode #68) air date 9/16/77. DVD, disc 1, bus terminal, 39 minutes into episode, pins seen by the window at the front of the building in the background. Screen shot HERE

The Rockford Files

Jungle Queen, Gottlieb, 1977

Surfer, Gottlieb, 1976 

"The Attractive Nuisance" (season 4, episode #81) air date 1/6/78. DVD, disc 3, Rocky's restaurant, 3 minutes into episode.  Screen shot HERE. Notice the sign that says "It's the law. No gambling allowed."

The Rockford Files

Central Park, Gottlieb, 1966

"A Good Clean Bust With Sequel Rights" (season 5, episode #97) air date 11/17/78. DVD, disc 2, bar scene, 15 minutes, 6 seconds into episode. Screen shot HERE.  

Rules Of Engagement

Jokerz, Williams, 1988

air date approximately October 29th, 2007, episode title unknown

name of this pin has been changed for this show to "Poker Pinball" and artwork has been changed on the backglass.

SCTV

Airport, Gottlieb, 1969

season 6 episode:

segment, "Happy Marsden Hour"

Kids show which takes place in a bar. They show a cheesy cereal called "Six Gun Justice." Look for a clear shot of this pin as Happy gets trashed and bumps into the wall.

SCTV

Wild Fyre, Stern, 1978

Black Knight, Williams, 1980

season 6 episode:

segment, "Al Peck's Hardware Store"

Al features outdated electronics in a sale called "Dinosaur Days." CB's, 10/$4.00(10-4, get it), 8 tracks free. Al comments how pinball is outdated, and we see the two pins, clean and working. He says, "Make an offer and I'll throw in a Pong for the kids."

Seinfeld

Fireball, Bally, 1972 (just the backglass)

"The Serenity Now"(season 9, episode #159)

(season 9 on DVD as of 11/6/07)

DVD, 7 min., 56 seconds into episode, Elaine is in the room of a 13 year old kid who had kissed her at his Bar Mitzvah, explaining to him that she's too old for him.  Behind the kid a Bally Fireball backglass is clearly seen for a few seconds. see screen shot HERE.

Sex And The City

Space Station, Williams, 1987

"The Man, The Myth, The Viagra,"

?

Silver Spoons

Odds & Evens, Bally, 1973

Monte Carlo, Bally, 1973

Scorpion, Williams, 1980

?

various episodes

Simpsons

animated pinball machine

"Who Shot Mr. Burns", part 1 (season 6, episode #128) air date 5/21/95. 3 minutes, 49 seconds into episode. Mr. Burns leaves an exhausted Smithers to keep riding the exercise bike.  He goes into another room and you can see the corner of a pinball machine and hear Gottlieb 70’s electromechanical chimes.  Screen shot HERE.

Simpsons

   Devil's Advocate (animated fictitious pin) "Marge's Son Poisoning" (season 17, episode # 361) air date 11/13/05. Homer walks into Moe's bar and finds the "Devil's Advocate" pin turned over on its right side with Moe, Carl, and Lenny trapped under it.  When Homer asks how this happened, Moe says, "Long story, We were trying to impress some girls, and things kinda got away from us."  Homer rights the game with one hand because he's been working out with a dumbbell.  The "Devil's Advocate" pin has appeared in the series before.

Sleeper Cell

Earthshaker, Williams, 1989

"Family" Seen during first 15 minutes of show.

Sliders

Sharpshooter, Game Plan, 1981

"The Guardian" (season 3, episode #4) bar scene, almost 28 minutes into episode, a pin only identified by it's playfield, not Sharpshooter's pf, but about a minute or two later, you can see a Sharpshooter pin in the distance, recognized by the backglass.

??Small Potatoes??

Black Hole, Gottlieb, 1981

many episodes

pin is seen in video store

Smallville

Jungle Lord, Williams, 1981

"Cool" (season 1, episode #5)

DVD, approx. 13 minutes, 30 seconds, scene in The Talon, clear shot of backglass and cabinet.

Sopranos

The Addams Family, Williams, 1992

     "Pie-O-My" (season 4, episode #44) air date 10/13/02. Dorsey's Lounge, 32 minutes, 30 seconds into episode. Screen shot HERE.

Sports Century

?

the episode about Don Larson

50's woodrails of some sort

Star Trek

Majors 1941, Chicago Coin, 1941 (2 of them)

Twenty Grand, Williams, 1952 and ???

"A Piece Of The Action"(season 2, episode #46)

3 pins in the background, warehouse scene. 2 appear to be identical. See Fawdown's page for a screen shot.

Star Trek:  Voyager

Firepower, Williams, 1980 

"Deathwish"(season 2, production #130)

DVD, 31 min. into episode, in Q's continuum, guy outside general store is playing a Firepower pin not lit up, fake EM displays, and fake backglass that says "A Continuum....Galaxy." See Fawdown's page for a screen shot.

Star Trek: Voyager

Fish Tales, Williams, 1992

"11:59"(season 5, #117)

a bunch of DMD era pins in a bar,  kinda blurry in the background.  See Fawdown's page for a screen shot.

Star Trek:  Voyager

Firepower, Williams, 1980 

 "Future's End" (part 1), season 3 DVD, scene 5, 25 min. into episode, Ed Begley, Jr. plays Firepower, no sound, seen also in part 2.  35 min. into episode, a framed, lit Mystic backglass is shown in the background.   Once again, See Fawdown's page for a screen shot;)

Starsky And Hutch

Grand Slam, Gottlieb, 1972

Pilot (season 1, episode #1)

DVD, scene 2, 5 min. into episode, bar scene (*Grand Slam shows up in Huggy Bear's bar starting with episode 2)
Starsky And Hutch Pro-Football, Gottlieb, 1973 and Twin Joker, Bally, 1972

Savage Sunday (season 1, ep. #2)

DVD, scene 3, 18 min. into episode, Huggy Bear's bar
Starsky And Hutch El Toro, Bally, 1970 and Winner, Williams, 1972, and a bingo with a blue cabinet and a head with a bowling pin painted on it.

Savage Sunday (season 1, ep. #2)

DVD, scene 3, 25 min. into episode, Monty's bar, fight scene.
Starsky And Hutch Pro-Football, Gottlieb, 1973 and El Toro, Bally, 1970 The Fix (season 1, episode #5) DVD, scene 5, 40-45 min. into episode, bar scene (this is a different bar from episode #2. Notice how the same pins showed up on different sets for this show.

Starsky And Hutch

El Toro, Bally, 1970 and Grand Slam, Gottlieb, 1972 Snow Storm (season 1, episode #6) DVD, scene 2, 9 min. into episode, Huggy Bear's place. Grand Slam shows up in scene 6, 48 min. into episode, also at Huggy Bear's.

Starsky And Hutch

? Williams pitch and bat. White cabinet with green baseball field, pitcher and batter painted black. Kill Huggy Bear (season 1, episode #9) DVD, scene 3, 22 min. into episode, Huggy Bear's. Two thugs show up to beat up and/or kill Huggy Bear. One lifts up the pitch and bat, and throws it down, breaking the head off the game.

Starsky And Hutch

Key West (bingo), Bally, 1956; Wild West, Chicago Coin, 1961; Captain Kid, Midway, 1966; Twin Rifle, Chicago Coin, 1971; Texas Ranger, Chicago Coin, 1963; Helicopter, Sega, 1968; Speedway, Chicago Coin, 1969; Hot Line, Williams, 1966; Spanish Eyes, Williams, 1972; Jumping Jack, Gottlieb, 1973; Summer Time, Williams, 1973; Triple Action, Williams, 1974; Grand Slam, Gottlieb, 1972; El Toro, Bally, 1970; Pro-Football, Gottlieb, 1973 and maybe a few others I missed? The Bait (season 1, episode #10) DVD, scene 2, 9 min. into episode, arcade scene, featuring a bunch of EM skill games and pinball machines.

Starsky And Hutch

Soccer, Gottlieb, 1975; Pro-Football, Gottlieb, 1973 and about 3 others too distant to identify. There is also a juke that lights up purple, 70's style cabinet, possibly a Seeburg SPS2. Captain Dobey, You're Dead (season 1, episode #12) DVD, scene 2, 10 min. into episode, Mac's Pool Room, a few pins and a jukebox.

Starsky And Hutch

King Pin, Gottlieb, 1973, Time Zone, Bally, 1973, Monte Carlo, Bally, 1973 The Psychic (season 2, episode 11) DVD, 38 min. into episode, Don's Arcade

Surreal Life (VH-1)

Road Show, Williams, 1990, and Meteor, Stern, 1978

aired approx. 7/25/05 house set up like a circus.  Pins seen throughout episode.

S.W.A.T

Nip-It, Bally, 1972

The Killing Ground

DVD, scene 2, 26 min. into episode, bar scene

Tap Out

Street Fighter II, Gottlieb, 1993

aired 7/31/07

 possibly on the VS. network.  a guy
that trained with Chuck Liddell (former UFC Light Heavyweight
Champion). They showed his house, and he had a Megatouch, a Blitz/
Showtime cabinet and the pin also.

That '70s Show

Little Chief, Williams, 1975

Op-Pop-Pop, Bally, 1969

Flip Flop, Bally, 1976

Travel Time, Williams, 1973

Deluxe Official Baseball, Williams, 1960

"That 70's Pilot" (season 1, episode 1)

pop shop scene. 8 min. 48 seconds into episode.  Screen shots HERE.

That '70s Show

Travel Time, Williams, 1973

"Battle Of The Sexists" (season 1, episode 4)

"The Hub" pop shop.  Pin is seen twice in this episode.  Good shot of this pin at 16 min. into episode. Screen shots HERE.

That '70s Show

Little Chief, Williams, 1975

"Holy Crap!" (season 2, episode #48), air date 5/1/00. "The Hub" pop shop.  Screen shots HERE.

That '70s Show

Big Deal, Williams, 1977

"Hyde's Father" (season 3, episode #54) air date 10/17/00. bar scene.  Screen shot HERE.

That '70s Show

Future Spa, Bally, 1979

?

Background of a pop shop.

The Ringers

Fish Tales, Williams, 1993, No Fear, Williams, The Getaway: High Speed II, 1993

?

?

This Old House

The Simpsons Pinball Party, Stern, 2003

(season 28, episode #2611)

Firehouse scene

3rd Rock From The Sun

Fireball Classic, Bally, 1984

Mary Loves Scoochie, part 1 (season 6, episode #136)

DVD, 12 min. into episode, the scene in the Amish shop, the tough guys playing the pin and deciding to harass Sally and Harry dressed as Amish. See screen shot HERE.

21 Jump Street

Winner, Williams, 1972

Pilot 

DVD, police station (This pin appears in many episodes.)

21 Jump Street

Stars, Stern, 1978; Power Play, Bally, 1978; Hot Hand, Stern, 1979; Torch, Gottlieb, 1980;

Besieged, part 2 (season 2, episode 3 from this season) DVD, bar scene, chapter 3, 27 min. into episode.

21 Jump Street

Flash, Williams, 1979

Two For The Road (season 2, episode 4 from this season) DVD, bar scene, chapter 1, 11 min. into episode.

24

Night Rider,(EM) Bally, 1976

"3:00 PM - 4:00 PM"

"5:00 PM - 6:00 PM"

"6:00 PM - 7:00 PM"

DVD, season 1, kidnapper's house.  Screen shot HERE.  Also, the words "Night Rider" have painted over in red on the cabinet.  See screen shots HERE and HERE.

Twin Peaks

Suspense, Williams, 1969 and ?

in the bar of the Great Northern Lodge, there are two EM games.

Two And A Half Men

?

? (season 5)?

Near end of episode, gameroom scene, with pool table and some sort of woodrail, possibly a bingo. 

Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps

Mata Hari, Bally, 1977

------

seen frequently in almost every episode in the pub scenes, but  it is usually very hard to make out which game it is.

Whacked Out Sports

Firepower, Williams, 1980

?

In the background of the intro sequences pin is seen, well, the backglass anyway.   

The Wire

Whirlwind, Williams, 1990

episode 5, ???

DVD, episode 5, guy gets killed after racking up a big score on this pin.

Yes, Dear

Monster Bash, July, 1998

 Jack-Bot, October, 1995

Circus Voltaire, October, 1997

Natural Born Delinquents

Jimmy and Christine in the arcade.

X-Files

Totem, Gottlieb, 1979

Ghost In The Machine(season 1, episode 6)

about 15 mins into the episode, Mulder and Scully visit the Eurisko's ousted chairman Brad Wilczek's home. (thanks Sampo)

X-Files

?

"The Pine Bluff Variant", (season 5, episode 18)

about 10 mins into the episode a scene at a movie theater foyer, a pin is seen, the cabinet is painted dark red with no distinguishing details, later on in the episode, the same foyer is now a crime scene, the same pin has been covered with plastic by the hazmat team, now it looks as though the game may be just an empty shell. (thanks Sampo)

 

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