Muppet Coin Activated Marionettes?

[Muppet Guy]

Hey All,

I just joined your wonderful forum here and thought I'd start things off with an odd request. I grew up in Sydney, Australia (I've lived in the US since '92). When I was a kid in Sydney, I remember coin operated Muppet marionettes. The Muppet stood, suspended by strings, behind glass in a vending machine style box (you would usually find these situated by vending machines in various stores or restruants). You would deposit your money and on would come lights and the Muppet Show theme song would play. In front of you were buttons you would press that would manipulate the strings...so you would press certain buttons to make each of the Muppet's limbs move. The very first one I saw was a Miss Piggy inside a Grace Brothers. It might be helpful to note that I'm 22 years old (in case they discontinued these some time ago). I don't know if these were ever in the US or if there are any Australians members here, but if anyone can remember these things, I'd love to hear about it. If someone out there has pics, that would be great! Thanks.

 

[radionate]

I remember these here in the states. I never saw Muppet ones though. I remember them at Chuck E. Cheese and Showbiz (back when it wasn't owned by Chuck & co.) Pizza Parlors. The only one I specifically remember was Bozo the Clown. He looked rather scary in the glass case. I also thought he was going to pop out and attack me, a la the clown in Poltergist (which haunted me for years)

 

[Thog]

Originally posted by radionate
....I also thought he was going to pop out and attack me, a la the clown in Poltergist (which haunted me for years)

I had the same problem. I can never own anything with clowns on it again.
BTW the E! True Hollywood Story of Poltergist is on this Sunday night. You know I'll be watching.

 

[radionate]

Originally posted by Thog
I had the same problem. I can never own anything with clowns on it again.
BTW the E! True Hollywood Story of Poltergist is on this Sunday night. You know I'll be watching.

I so wonder how many kids out there were terrified by that scene for the rest of their lives!

 

[Fozzie Bear]

It's the clown thing which is the reason you're scared of haunted houses, isn't it?

FZ

 

[radionate]

Originally posted by Fozzie Bear
It's the clown thing which is the reason you're scared of haunted houses, isn't it?

Its a part of it yeah. I'm not scared of clowns, just evil clowns in dark places. Those scare the peewads out of me.

 

[Fozzie Bear]

Originally posted by radionate
Its a part of it yeah. I'm not scared of clowns, just evil clowns in dark places. Those scare the peewads out of me.

If you have wads in your pee, you should see the doctor. Min turned out to be a kidney stone.

Or was it a kidney bean?

FOZ