Replica "Zoltar Speaks" Fortune Teller Demo (inspired by 1988 film "big")

I finally got around to making a video of this little project that I completed in 2008. As a collector of old slot and penny arcade machines from the '30s and '40s, I thought that the original fortune teller appearing in the 1988 film "big" was the most visually interesting piece I had ever seen. To the best of my knowledge, the original fortune teller existed only as a movie prop, and was never a real production unit, so I built one in my basement shop. It is 8 1/2 feet tall and comes in at over 600 pounds. This was done entirely by looking at screen captures from the DVD and by guessing at the internal mechanisms and parts that I could not see. It is fully functional and operates just as you see here, including the music and sound effects.

I wrote a short story about this for the Homebrew feature in MAKE magazine volume 21, available January 19, 2010. I hope to post another video shortly showing a slideshow of the construction process for anyone who may be interested in the DIY project side of it.

I thought it would be fun to do this demonstration video using roughly the same camera shots and cuts from the film, so it may look vaguely familiar to some.

This video was taped at Kilroys (www.kilroysusa.com) in the warehouse district of Minneapolis, which is one of the most fascinating stores to visit if you are into coin-op machines and unusual items of this nature. "Zoltar Speaks" is currently on display there (as of January 2010) until I get motivated to move it again, which may be never.

I would be interested in hearing from anyone that has any information about the original machine used in the film. I've never heard anything about it except there appears to be a slightly different version ( perhaps a second backup prop) that occasionally makes appearances in commercials for the Fox Legacy show on the Fox Movie Channel.

UPDATE FOR INQUIRIES TO BUY:
This machine was intended to be a one-of-a-kind replica for my own collection and would be far too expensive (not to mention unethical) to reproduce. However, I am accepting serious offers on the machine seen here. If you are interested, please send a personal message.

UPDATE #2: Thanks to a tip from commenter ogibendogie, it sounds like the original machine is in the lobby of the Falcon Theatre in Toluca Lake, CA. The theatre is owned by Garry Marshall, brother of Penny Marshall (director of BIG). There are subtle differences between that machine and the one in the film (clothing differences and possibly a different head casting) but other than those differences, it does indeed appear to be original.

On a side note, about a year ago I was contacted by an individual (who would not identify himself) that was a collector who claimed to own the original. I suspected BS at the time and still do, unless perhaps I was speaking with Garry Marshall himself.

Category:

Film & Animation

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[er10b]

hmmm... I'm no expert on these machines, but I would assume that the music from the real machine was provided by a motor-driven record player given it's age.

Now I wish I had an original one so I could take the bottom covers off and have a look inside...

[pitts8rh]

@er10b

If by the original one you mean the prop built specifically for the movie, I doubt that there was anything inside except a motor to move the head and lights for the annunciator panels (but I don't know for sure). There were many coin-operated fortune tellers produced in the early to mid 20th century for amusement parks and arcades, but the Zoltar fortune machine from the film never existed as a production unit..

[mozartjoke]

Dear Pitts8rh, could you give me your emai addres? I'd like to send you a mail with some questions. By the way this machine is incredible! Thank you for post it! I watch it already 200 times...:)

[pitts8rh]

@mozartjoke

I sent you a PM with the requested information, but I'm guessing you no longer have any questions about the video after giving it a thumbs down. I guess I'd hate it too if I had watched it 200 times...

[ogiebendogie]

According to worstpreviews com/headline php?id=20202 the original is in the lobby of the Falcon Theater. Great job on this replica!

[pitts8rh]

@ogiebendogie

I appreciate the tip. I have updated the info based on your comment. The photo at your link shows a figure that has some minor differences to the actual figure that appeared in the main film, although this slightly different copy does show up in the extras on the DVD. They either built two, or more likely they just had multiple figures (the shirt colors and the face painting are slightly different).

[HipHopJun]

Incredible!

[warrengonline]

@esneprod I watched it when it first came out and just last year also. I like JACK with Robin Williams too.

[warrengonline]

This is AWESOME!!

[esneprod]

Thumbs up if you're watching in 2012! =]

[shindimaster]

Perfeita a réplica. Parabens.

[ozziesrobots]

Hey if you still have it shoot me an email

Great job BTW :)