Draft:Five Star Final (pinball)
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Comment: The whole article requires citations. Entire sections are currently uncited. MediaKyle (talk) 12:51, 23 August 2025 (UTC)
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| Manufacturer | D. Gottlieb & Co. |
|---|---|
| Release date | June 1 1932 |
| Players | 1 |
| Design | David Gottlieb |
| Mechanics | Purely Mechanical |
| Production run | > 50,000 |
Five Star Final is a pinball machine produced in 1932 by D. Gottlieb & Co amusement company. Designed by David Gottlieb, it is one of the early coin-operated pinball machines released during the Great Depression following the success of Gottlieb's Baffle Ball in 1931. Named after the practice of newspapers publishing a series of editions throughout the day, with their final-edition front page having five stars printed and the word "Final." This name, along with the advertising in newspapers and magazines, led some to believe this to be Gottlieb's final game.[1] Five Star Final is notable for its innovative double playfield design and its role in the early pinball era.
History
[edit]Five Star Final shares many game elements found in any pinball machine; various obstacles (pins, posts, walls), different scoring hole values, clear glass covering the playfield, limited number of balls (10) and a special yellow/gold ball that doubles whichever hole it lands in.[2] There are no bumpers, electricity or automatic scoring as this game predates electricity being added to pinball machines.
Five Star Final was the first double playfield, figure eight design.[3] The playfield design, before the game was even delivered, was copied everywhere. New games, and replacement playfields, all copied its inventive ball movement.[4] The first advertisement in The Billboard on June 4th said Five Star Final was "The Game of Swift Dynamic Action!"[5] By June 18th the head had changed to "Original Idea! Swift Action! Cheat Proof Slot! New Ball Lift! Sensitive Plunger!"[6] and by June 25th copy had been added to say, "Buy The Original. 'They copied all they could follow, but they couldn't copy my mind, and I left them sweatin' and stealin', a year and a half behind.' Brains Originate. Parrots Imitate."[7]
Five Star Final followed the successful model of the earlier Baffle Ball in that there were two models released simultaneously. Five Star Final Jr. and Five Star Final Sr. released at $16.50 and $37.50 respectively and the two models share many similar features with Five Star Final Sr. being longer and including level adjusting legs.[5]
Five Star Final launched Gottlieb's export business to England, France and Germany. D. Gottlieb & Co. launched international jobbers and exports became an important phase in their successful business development.[8]
In popular culture
[edit]The first advertisements for Five Star Final started in May of 1932 with a series of small advertisements showing a "five star final" edition of a newspaper with the words "Five Star Final" in large bold letters on the front cover and "Coming June 1st".[1] The following advertisements were swift and many as evidenced by full color direct mailers and full double page spreads advertising the game in The Billboard[5]
The name "five star final" also referred to several other notable items from the early 1930's. This included a movie nominated for best picture named Five Star Final and the play the film was based on, also named Five Star Final.
Components
[edit]Cabinet
[edit]The cabinet of Five Star Final is rectangular and wooden with the playfield contained inside under glass.
Playfield
[edit]The playfield is a wooden surface beneath the glass top, designed to guide a ball around the figure eight and up onto the first of the playfields before gravity pulls the ball towards the second playfield and the bottom. Balls are placed into the playfield by the way of the plunger, a spring-loaded device that consists of a rod extending through the cabinet wall and fitted with a spring. Balls are guided around the ball channel by a polished aluminum track on the inside of the cabinet.[9] The playfield features two red, white and blue circles around a gold and red five pointed star design. Inside the center of the star design sits a metal cup for high scores, this design is duplicated in the lower playfield as well.
Plunger
[edit]The plunger is a spring-loaded device at the extreme front-right corner of the cabinet, positioned at the lower right end of the ball channel. It consists of a metal rod extending through the cabinet wall, topped with a plastic knob for manual operation. A helical spring launches the ball forward and up the playfield ball channel when released. As only one ball is released each time the plunger is pulled back to its extreme position this allows the player to shoot balls into the playfield with controlled force.
Coin mechanism
[edit]The coin mechanism is a coin controlled system that governs ball release. Five Star Final was designed for both 1 and 5 cent play and came with 10 steel and 10 marble balls allowing the operators to choose the preferred ball type. The normally locked, manually operated lever that when activated by a coin would shift the sliding gate beneath the playfield beginning a new game. Five Star Final introduced a more tamper proof "triple-dog" coin mechanism that Gottlieb used on subsequent machines such as Cloverleaf.[5]
Ball lift mechanism
[edit]The ball lift mechanism returns played balls to the launch position via a one quarter, clockwise turn lifting a single ball into the ball channel. This process should be repeated until all balls have been launched into the playfield.
Gameplay features
[edit]Gameplay features these key components;
- Coin Operated Start: Players begin by inserting a coin into the coin slot and pushing it all the way in. This clears the playfield of any balls from a previous game and resets the board for a new round. The coin mechanism ensures that the game is pay to play and prepares the game by releasing the balls.[2]
- Multiple balls per game: For 1 or 5 cents a player receives 10 balls to play, allowing for multiple attempts to build a cumulative high score. This feature extends playtime and allows for a player to refine their technique to maximize points
- Precision sensitive control plunger: A spring-loaded plunger is located along the right side of the ball channel. In advertisements it is described as a "finger tip control plunger"[9] A player pulls it back and releases it to propel a ball onto the playfield. The force and angle of the pull on the plunger determine the ball's initial launch speed and angle.
- Skill based aiming: With a small amount of practice a player can develop a feel for the release of the plunger and exactly how much to pull back the plunger to achieve a desired result.
- Scoring Holes: The playfield features multiple circular holes of varying sizes, each labeled with a point value ranging from 100 to 2000. Lower values are in easier to reach areas while the largest points (1000 and 2000) are in the center of each figure eight and feature golden metal cups.
- Yellow/Gold ball bonus: Five Star Final came with both steel balls and marbles. Each set of balls included a yellow/gold ball that would count double whichever hole it landed in.
- Visual engagement: The playfield is covered by a clear sheet of glass separating the player from the playfield while still allowing for viewing of the balls while in play
Scoring Points
[edit]In the game of Five Star Final players score points by launching balls onto an inclined playfield and aiming for them to land in the various scoring holes. The game combines elements of skill and chance. Play continues by launching balls until all 10 balls have been played and rest on the playfield. When play has completed the player then counts their score by adding up all scoring holes that have balls in them.
For each of the 9 stand balls simply add up the point values for whatever hole it has landed in. For the yellow/gold ball double the point value of the hole where it landed and add that to the total.[10]
Gameplay techniques
[edit]The primary skill of Five Star Final involves the application of the proper amount of tension on the plunger. The amount of tension and the angle at which the plunger is manipulated to strike the ball affects the speed and angle of attack the ball has when it reaches the playfield. The playfield has a polished aluminum track on the inside of the figure eight that protects the wood playfield.[1]
Nudging
[edit]Players can influence the movement of the ball by slightly moving or bumping the machine cabinet, a technique known as "nudging". Five Star Final predates all tilt mechanisms which guard against excessive manipulation of this sort.
Video game simulations
[edit]Five Star Final Jr. has been recreated as a Visual Pinball recreation[11]
Visual Pinball provides a way for the player to experience the Five Star Final Jr. game without having to travel to one of the few locations where it can be seen/played,[12] such as Pinball Gallery.[13]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c Bueschel 1996, pp. 51.
- ^ a b "Internet Pinball Machine Database: Gottlieb 'Five Star Final Jr.'". www.ipdb.org. Retrieved 2025-07-26.
- ^ Bueschel 1996, pp. 49–50.
- ^ Bueschel 1996, pp. 51–52.
- ^ a b c d The Billboard 1932-06-04: Vol 44 Iss 23. Billboard Publishing Company. 1932-06-04. pp. 74–75.
- ^ The Billboard 1932-06-18: Vol 44 Iss 25. Billboard Publishing Company. 1932-06-18. p. 75.
- ^ The Billboard 1932-06-25: Vol 44 Iss 26. Billboard Publishing Company. 1932-06-25. p. 83.
- ^ Bueschel 1996, p. 52.
- ^ a b Bueschel 1996, p. 50.
- ^ "Jeff's Pinball Pages". www.jeff-z.com. Retrieved 2025-08-29.
- ^ "VP8 - Gottlieb - Flipperless - Recreation - Five Star Final Jr. (Gottlieb, 1932) VP8". Pinball Nirvana. 2014-10-30. Retrieved 2025-07-27.
- ^ "Five Star Final Jr. Pinball Machine (Gottlieb, 1932) location map". pinside.com. September 28, 2025. Retrieved 2025-09-28.
- ^ FYI Philly - Pinball Gallery (Television production). ABC.
Works cited
[edit]- Bueschel, Richard (1996). Encyclopedia Of Pinball - Whiffle to Rocket 1930-1933 - Volume 1. Silverball Amusements. ISBN 9781889933016.