SU
NY ROM
By Doug Cain
Among the earliest
of payout gambling
machines, the coun-
tertop
pocket-style
slot machines were
introduced in the
early 1 890's and re-
mained popular well
into the twentieth
century. These cou n-
ter machines, more
commonly
known
as "Jacks" machines,
were gradually los-
ing
their
appeal
when the release of
several new models,
beginning with the
Fey Three Jacks in the
mid 1920's, sparked
a comeback. One of
the most unusual of
these new machines
was the Sunny Boy.
The Field Paper Products Com-
pany of Peoria, Illinois was al-
ready in the gambling business as
a maker of punchboards, when
in 1926 they released a small
aluminum countertop machin e
with a very unusual theme. Un-
a short sound film
made that same year
SU## ~ BOY
Surir.J
with
Al Jolson sing-
:;.,~=
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~~:'::c1~". !,~~~~
hlrn o•·« whh. tili , t\.llll!I' MMlic r.er;
b•rh:h.t
ing several of his hits
.:: ~ ik j.'!:,.;:;t'
t ..
in blackface. One
,...,4.
~ be-.
of
the most popular
J• cl<.•c,61 look
.~n ..
movies of the day,
How to Play the Mechine
o:ff
:!:: 7h 1 e:c5u~:r;m,' ,f y~~~,_!P
~
~,:
r?:
!!:i!"',t~
The
Jazz Singer, star-
o n Mll'.r: ti.
:::~"t[;~k~~~, ~ ~~ :rr:.~~ . ~~~
ring Al Jolson again
11, rm ,.,.
-.o-c-. w•,
lu
Of
singing in blackface,
60\''S
,he
lµ,~ k ("11th. 00....-. Qrlil t" a (e,1,1,.._.,-H. q111 li-r
fi11 ll
was
released the fol-
~~:;~~~ pb~.:J-7,_~u~:= ~ ~~:=•~I~::
s.~m. only one tNill h Jdh"'r~ d l4
Tl,..
lowing year.
While the coin
Mechanical Sptcificatlons
drop and Jacks ma-
Y~t lool. , rl c'k•tf'IXif.
bX:t
chines that were
ii
manufactured prior
~":~~~
; /~'f~': ::s~l•::::'rh-ctr
'r'OM
make
:,,uw
to Sunny Boy were
r--:~
J,.,
tvr,
..ii
mostly wooden ma-
I.-:
wvl~-.
chines with castings
Un<'\ltOJldoru.l G~""' ""•
used only where
needed, this ma-
K. & S. Sales Company
C~ icogo. Ill.
chine was designed
with both a sol id
aluminum case and
like the more traditional looking pin-board. The Sunny Boy, which
Jacks machines being produced was available in either 1
by other manufacturers, the Sun- version, was more comp I icated
ny Boy was designed to attract to operate than other Jacks ma-
attention with its highly polished chines of the day. The design
aluminum case, bright colors and combined features previously
infectious smile. The original ad- seen in Jacks machines by using a
vertising stated "You can't help plunger to load the coin for play
stopping to look him over with his and dispense a gumball, a flip le-
shiny black face, infectious smile, ver to shoot the coin onto the pin-
bright red lips and white eyes." It board, and a turn-knob to release
seems politically incorrect today, a jackpot. The combination of all
but it was an accurate reflection those functions led to the need
of the ti mes. White men perform- for a marquee with directions
ing in blackface was common for playing the machine. While
on the vaudeville stages and not these were all features common
considered racially offensive at to Jacks machines, Field incorpo-
the time . The inspiration for the rated another feature into Sunny
machine may have come from Boy that was very unusual. .. the
THE COUNTER MACHINE THAT
TAKES IN THE BIG MONEYI
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