Buried in the back aisle of a midwest Ozark antique shop I spotted a great old Talking Comic Shows coin-op machine. Sad looking, silent, and in very poor condition, this child-size contraption harkened back to a time when cartoons weren't so readily available as they are these days any 'ol time you want (ie: on DVD, a dozen different pay channels, or the internet.) Yep, as we see here, your 5 cents delivered full color, animated entertainment featuring funny animals like Tom and Jerry, or maybe even a Daniel Boone adventure! Just plunk in your nickel and place your peepers up to the viewer for some awesomely antiquated, flicker box fun! Of course "adult" versions of these also existed, --a quick search on the www will also provide you quite the tanlizin' show!
Looks very similar to this contraption:
ReplyDeletewww.cartoonresearch.com/index.php/paul-terrys-terryscope/
I remember there used to be booths where one could sit inside and watch a cartoon (usually Walter Lantz) for a quarter. Between that and the "March of Comics" giveaway at the shoe department, I actually enjoyed being dragged to the local Sears.
Wow, that is cool as hell. I assume it doesn't work? I wonder what it would take to make it work again? I really want to look inside the cabinet to see if the images/cells whatever are still rattling around in there.
ReplyDeleteWas it actually for sale?
I like the bright colors on this, even if they are now faded with time.
ReplyDeleteThe colors, the entire image, reminds me of the travelling carnival that would pull into town and stay a few weeks before moving on. The colors on the trucks and stands would be mostly bright but faded here and there.
I'm with Mr. Cavin here I wonder what's inside, if any of the parts remain and if any of the reels are there. I suspect, at this point, the reels if they are there are pretty much toasted.
ReplyDeleteThat is a really neat find.
So is this kind of like a Mutoscope? Any idea when it's from?
ReplyDelete