Close Menu
  • CURRENT ISSUE
    • Cover Story
    • Profiles – Companies, Products & People
    • Spotlight Feature
    • VR Spotlight
    • Favorites & Special Reports
    • Bob Cooney Special Reports
    • Editorial
    • Datebook
    • Columns
      • Q&A with AMOA
      • Q&A with AAMA
      • NOW TRENDING by Howard McAuliffe & Nick DiMatteo
      • George McAuliffe’s GAMEROOM GURU
      • Adam Pratt’s ENDGAME
      • Jack Guarnieri’s JERSEY JACK
      • Beth Standlee’s PARTY PROFESSOR
      • Clint Novak’s PRIZE PATROL
      • FUN ACROSS AMERICA
      • Frank Seninsky’s FRANK TALK
      • Tom Fricke’s REDEMPTION & THE LAW
      • Randy White GUEST ESSAY
  • INSTANT REPLAY
  • PODCASTS & VIDEOS
    • The RePlay Podcast
    • Machines, Myths & Legends
    • Older Audio/Video Archive
  • GET REPLAY
    • Subscriptions
    • Sample Copies
    • Order Back Issues
    • Index
  • ABOUT
    • About RePlay Magazine
    • Meet the Team
    • Cookie Policy
  • LINKS
  • CONTACT
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
Trending
  • Foundations Next Week Featuring Industry Experts
  • Arachnid’s Mike Gannon Retires After 42-Year Career
  • Jim Hines Returns to Univest
  • Betson Part of Huge Install at Elston Electric
  • Hippie Fish Mini-Golf FEC Now Open in Gulfport
  • First National Darts Day Rousing Success for BullShooter
  • VNEA Names Mike Wiltse New Executive Director
  • QubicaAMF Launches New Scoring System
X (Twitter) Facebook RSS Instagram YouTube
RePlay Magazine
  • CURRENT ISSUE
    • Cover Story
    • Profiles – Companies, Products & People
    • Spotlight Feature
    • VR Spotlight
    • Favorites & Special Reports
    • Bob Cooney Special Reports
    • Editorial
    • Datebook
    • Columns
      • Q&A with AMOA
      • Q&A with AAMA
      • NOW TRENDING by Howard McAuliffe & Nick DiMatteo
      • George McAuliffe’s GAMEROOM GURU
      • Adam Pratt’s ENDGAME
      • Jack Guarnieri’s JERSEY JACK
      • Beth Standlee’s PARTY PROFESSOR
      • Clint Novak’s PRIZE PATROL
      • FUN ACROSS AMERICA
      • Frank Seninsky’s FRANK TALK
      • Tom Fricke’s REDEMPTION & THE LAW
      • Randy White GUEST ESSAY
  • INSTANT REPLAY
  • PODCASTS & VIDEOS
    • The RePlay Podcast
    • Machines, Myths & Legends
    • Older Audio/Video Archive
  • GET REPLAY
    • Subscriptions
    • Sample Copies
    • Order Back Issues
    • Index
  • ABOUT
    • About RePlay Magazine
    • Meet the Team
    • Cookie Policy
  • LINKS
  • CONTACT
RePlay Magazine
You are at:Home»INSTANT REPLAY»Pin Maker David Gottlieb Makes Amusement HOF

Pin Maker David Gottlieb Makes Amusement HOF

0
By Matt Harding on May 16, 2023 INSTANT REPLAY

David Gottlieb, founder of Gottlieb Pinball, was one of the inaugural inductees into the Amusement Industry Hall of Fame. One of the Hall’s legacy (non-living) members, Gottlieb founded D. Gottlieb & Co. in 1927. The company originally manufactured the Husky Grip Tester and Majestic Moving Target.

In 1931, Gottlieb found tremendous success with a countertop pinball machine named Baffle Ball. He sold some 50,000 machines at $17.50, establishing D. Gottlieb & Co. as a dominant early manufacturer of pinball machines.

During this time, Gottlieb could not fulfill the orders of his customer Ray Moloney, who went on to start Lion Manufacturing, which later became Bally Manufacturing. Throughout many decades in the coin-operated amusement business, David Gottlieb and Ray Moloney were fierce competitors but very close friends – raising money for charities such as the Damon Runyon Cancer fund.

A proud supporter of the coin machine industry, Gottlieb served as president of Coin Machine Industries (CMI) in 1939. Also a proud American and patriot, Gottlieb did his part during World War II, manufacturing parachute hooks, rubber rafts and other wartime supplies.

Gottlieb & Co. had many innovations, including the first 4-player pinball machine (Super Jumbo) and the first 2-player pinball machine (Duette). Another key innovation was the “Add-A-Ball” feature that allowed pinball machines to be operated in territories that did not allow free play. The most notable invention was in 1947 when Gottlieb employee Harry Mabbs invented the flipper. First placed on Humpty Dumpty, the flipper was a revolutionary invention and soon after, all pinball machines had to have flippers.

Heavily involved in charity throughout his life, David Gottlieb’s dream was realized when Gottlieb Memorial Hospital opened in 1961. An active and engaged member of the Chicago area Jewish community, he was also involved in both the West Suburban Temple and Oak Park Temple in Oak Park, Illinois. A devout family man, David was married to his beloved Dorothy from 1926 until his passing in 1974.

David and Dorothy had three children, Marjorie, Alvin (pictured with his father above in the 1930s) and Roberta. After David retired, D. Gottlieb & Co. was run by his brother Nate, his son Alvin and Marjorie’s husband, Judd Weinberg. D. Gottlieb & Co. was sold in 1976 to Columbia Pictures.

Amusement Industry Hall of Fame David Gottlieb Gottlieb
Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
Previous ArticleOld Wurlitzer HQ Still in Use Today
Next Article TrainerTainment Webinar June 8 on Powerful Language

Related Posts

Foundations Next Week Featuring Industry Experts

Arachnid’s Mike Gannon Retires After 42-Year Career

Jim Hines Returns to Univest

Comments are closed.







RePlay Logo

RePlay Magazine is a monthly trade publication covering the game center and route business. Since 1975, RePlay has been reporting on the equipment, people and trends that have made "coin-op" a fun and exciting business.

Get the FREE Instant RePlay Newsletter

Sign up and receive newsletters to keep you in the know.


© 2025 RePlay Magazine - All rights reserved. For permission to reproduce content, email editor@replaymag.com.
  • About
  • Privacy
  • Contact

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.