my 5th birthday was at chuck e chesse pizza time theater in springfiled i had my birthday party at the old chuck e chesse pizza time theater until the they closed in 1988 when showbiz bought chuck e chesse in springfiled illinnois we were very upset when they closed we loved that place my mom took me also when wasnt my birthday just for fun
I use to have daily problems with the reel to reel audio for the shows. All the shows audio, music, movements, lights, etc. were controled with a single reel to reel tape player. They were heavily used and would fail constantly. Usually what would happen is the characters would either not move or they would move erratically. I even had "The King" fall one day. He pivots using a single ball joint in his back. It broke and he fell forward. It scared the **** out of the kids that were watching him.
I use to work at several Chuck E Cheese stores in Florida back in the 80's when they were having money problems. They were closing stores left and right before the bankruptcy happened. I was moved to another store after each was closed. When Showbiz took over they came in my last store and started forcing out the employees and replacing them with their own. They started at the top and worked their way down. I left when they started with me. I hated Showbiz when they took control.
Helen used to be kinda scary...but how did she go from that to a present day teen? Was she a teen already in the 80s? Same with Chuck E. I'm confused...
they changed Hellen from her original 84 version to the cheerleader routine in hopes popularizing with the younger girls, mostly to compete another character from the Rock-a Fire named Mitzi Mozzarella
I have that poster of Helen Henny shown behind her on the stage, i stole it from CEC when I was a kid, lol...its in horrible conditiob but I still have it!
I live in CA, so my version didn't have the character signs behind the 'bots; I believe it was just a curtain...think of Statler and Waldorf from The Muppet Show :)
Does anyone have any info on Mr. Munch's Madhouse? Was it supposed to be a video or something?
I don't remember seeing the Clapper Board, but I remember the Cheese Crawl and the waving flags! :)
@mp3aa I remember 43rd & Thomas as Pistol Pete's Pizza. They also had the Rock-afire show. Chuck E. must have not lasted long in AZ. It was one of those markets Billy Bob won.
@mp3aa Nearly the whole mall that used to have Pistol Pete's in it on 43rd/Thomas is empty now, including the old CEC/Pistol Pete space. Thanks for the AZ CEC history. It's similar to what happened in MN. ShowBiz and CEC's franchises pulled out in '87. Circus, like Pistol Pete's, took over a mix of the old SPPs and CECs, also with Rock-afire shows. CEC came back in '98 and bought Circus, so now CEC rules Mpls and PHX again. Billy Bob had a good run in those markets in the 80s/90s, though.
This is the old version of the first appear of Helen Henny, long before, she have once changed to herself as in 1990 "an young teenager or somethings a cheerleader". But now today it is her the same she has yellow hair. She is one of my favorite Chuck'E Cheese character. A real smart and young nice bird. I mean chicken she's.
I wasn't even born yet when this was recorded. That kind of chuck E. cheese from the 80's looks very creepy and uncomfortable to have fun. Thank god I wasn't born at that time of ERA. Things wouldn't be so easy for me at that time. But it's good to see how it got to look back then. Didn't got a chance you know.
Those bots still exists, today actually but all Chuck's have been converted to full body bots and some of the other people have too. Just look up 3 stage and road stage.
Well they shouldn't exist anymore since the technology has advanced. Couldn't they tried a better kind of equipment to use on them instead of crappy ass bots? Like it's just some parts from chuckE that has never changed over the years.
@chestosneako These have 9 movements. Not bad, considering they were put in 300 stores. One word: MONEY. Do you really think it would be cost effective to put 25 movement bots in 600 stores? No way. That's why they came up with Studio C Alpha. It has 32 movements. They realized it was too much money, so they came up with Beta. Most Beta's have 16 movements. Who knows what Phase 5 will bring. Chuck will probably only be able to move his head and mouth. The classic 2 movement! I can see it now.
Ok I've got the most random/difficult question. I really don't know how to ask it, but does ANYONE remember some weird flapper like wings and elephant feet that would play like tambourine's and jingles? They were coming out of the wall up to the right of the stage. Out in front of the stage a little bit. Someone please help me figure this one out! ha
my 5th birthday was at chuck e chesse pizza time theater in springfiled i had my birthday party at the old chuck e chesse pizza time theater until the they closed in 1988 when showbiz bought chuck e chesse in springfiled illinnois we were very upset when they closed we loved that place my mom took me also when wasnt my birthday just for fun
funmusic878 2 weeks ago
I use to have daily problems with the reel to reel audio for the shows. All the shows audio, music, movements, lights, etc. were controled with a single reel to reel tape player. They were heavily used and would fail constantly. Usually what would happen is the characters would either not move or they would move erratically. I even had "The King" fall one day. He pivots using a single ball joint in his back. It broke and he fell forward. It scared the **** out of the kids that were watching him.
PokerBrent 6 months ago
I use to work at several Chuck E Cheese stores in Florida back in the 80's when they were having money problems. They were closing stores left and right before the bankruptcy happened. I was moved to another store after each was closed. When Showbiz took over they came in my last store and started forcing out the employees and replacing them with their own. They started at the top and worked their way down. I left when they started with me. I hated Showbiz when they took control.
PokerBrent 6 months ago
That's just the way it looked back then.
mp3aa 1 year ago
why is chuck es vest like that?
brando99able 1 year ago
I like him alot better then than now. Now Chuck E is too sugary-sweet.
Bluesjanet 1 year ago
Helen used to be kinda scary...but how did she go from that to a present day teen? Was she a teen already in the 80s? Same with Chuck E. I'm confused...
smercuryfangrl9 1 year ago
@smercuryfangrl9
they changed Hellen from her original 84 version to the cheerleader routine in hopes popularizing with the younger girls, mostly to compete another character from the Rock-a Fire named Mitzi Mozzarella
TheChoujinVirus 1 year ago
I have that poster of Helen Henny shown behind her on the stage, i stole it from CEC when I was a kid, lol...its in horrible conditiob but I still have it!
AnthonyHolic 1 year ago
he looks high! haha lol
TheChicanoboi 1 year ago
Oh my god, i think im gonna have nightmares my whole life...
bambamandneneshow2 2 years ago
I live in CA, so my version didn't have the character signs behind the 'bots; I believe it was just a curtain...think of Statler and Waldorf from The Muppet Show :)
Does anyone have any info on Mr. Munch's Madhouse? Was it supposed to be a video or something?
I don't remember seeing the Clapper Board, but I remember the Cheese Crawl and the waving flags! :)
fivebearrugs 3 years ago
Where was there a Chuck E. Cheese in Phoenix? I only remember ShowBiz Pizza on 35th & Northern and another ShowBiz in Mesa.
dooklarue 3 years ago 3
43rd Ave & Thomas.
mp3aa 3 years ago
@mp3aa I remember 43rd & Thomas as Pistol Pete's Pizza. They also had the Rock-afire show. Chuck E. must have not lasted long in AZ. It was one of those markets Billy Bob won.
dooklarue 7 months ago
@dooklarue @dooklarue
Chuck E. Cheese corporate went bankrupt from poor management.
We were a franchise with a store in Tempe and Phoenix.
We kicked Showbiz Pizza's butt.
When Showbiz took over after the corporate bankruptcy, they doubled our royality payments and our owners gave up.
The Tempe store was closed and the Phoenix store was sold to the idiots that ran Pistol Pete's.
I think it's a Peter Piper's now.
mp3aa 7 months ago
@mp3aa Nearly the whole mall that used to have Pistol Pete's in it on 43rd/Thomas is empty now, including the old CEC/Pistol Pete space. Thanks for the AZ CEC history. It's similar to what happened in MN. ShowBiz and CEC's franchises pulled out in '87. Circus, like Pistol Pete's, took over a mix of the old SPPs and CECs, also with Rock-afire shows. CEC came back in '98 and bought Circus, so now CEC rules Mpls and PHX again. Billy Bob had a good run in those markets in the 80s/90s, though.
dooklarue 7 months ago
This is the old version of the first appear of Helen Henny, long before, she have once changed to herself as in 1990 "an young teenager or somethings a cheerleader". But now today it is her the same she has yellow hair. She is one of my favorite Chuck'E Cheese character. A real smart and young nice bird. I mean chicken she's.
Favicfangirl0029 3 years ago
I wasn't even born yet when this was recorded. That kind of chuck E. cheese from the 80's looks very creepy and uncomfortable to have fun. Thank god I wasn't born at that time of ERA. Things wouldn't be so easy for me at that time. But it's good to see how it got to look back then. Didn't got a chance you know.
chestosneako 3 years ago
Those bots still exists, today actually but all Chuck's have been converted to full body bots and some of the other people have too. Just look up 3 stage and road stage.
SoraRoxasdude1 3 years ago
Well they shouldn't exist anymore since the technology has advanced. Couldn't they tried a better kind of equipment to use on them instead of crappy ass bots? Like it's just some parts from chuckE that has never changed over the years.
chestosneako 3 years ago
Buddy, you have no idea how cheap the company who made the bots are.
SoraRoxasdude1 3 years ago
@chestosneako These have 9 movements. Not bad, considering they were put in 300 stores. One word: MONEY. Do you really think it would be cost effective to put 25 movement bots in 600 stores? No way. That's why they came up with Studio C Alpha. It has 32 movements. They realized it was too much money, so they came up with Beta. Most Beta's have 16 movements. Who knows what Phase 5 will bring. Chuck will probably only be able to move his head and mouth. The classic 2 movement! I can see it now.
tieyourmotherdown1 1 year ago
The clapper board.
Unfortunately, I can find no video of it in my archives.
mp3aa 3 years ago
Ok I've got the most random/difficult question. I really don't know how to ask it, but does ANYONE remember some weird flapper like wings and elephant feet that would play like tambourine's and jingles? They were coming out of the wall up to the right of the stage. Out in front of the stage a little bit. Someone please help me figure this one out! ha
drummerboy398 3 years ago
what about the flags along the walls also that would wave at the end of the show?
BillyO8834 3 years ago
i'm glad i was'nt born when they had balcony shows
SimbrealityHomeOne 4 years ago 2
Gee. What a big beak Helen has in this video.
CHjfbalko 4 years ago
Any vids of the electronics behind this? I saw a vid years ago-showed the big tape machine with ALL the programming tracks on it!!
VideoJunkei 4 years ago
Gosh Chuck E. sounds weird
garfieldsimpsonfan 4 years ago
Is this the same location in all your videos?
garfieldsimpsonfan 4 years ago
Some are in Tempe, AZ and others are in Phoenix, close by.
I was Tech for both stores.
mp3aa 4 years ago
Yeah, I figured, since this one had colored warblettes and the others had black
garfieldsimpsonfan 4 years ago
Do you know the old soft shoe? I can wing it!
heine71 4 years ago
Wow another great vid!! Thanks for posting!
pizzacam 4 years ago