"What's Gookin'" In Arcade Machines
For-the Post-War Years?
by FRED McKEE-
W estern Representative, International Mutoscope Corp.
"What's cDDkin'''? I am asked this ques-
tiDn every day by men frDm all parts .of
the country, whD are interested in the Ar-
cade business and its pDstwar future, and
it's a gDDd healthy expressiDn, Dr questiDn_
WHAT'S COOKIN'?-it means that these
men are alert tD the future, are planning,
lDDking ever fDrward_ It means that this
business has nDt lDSt its visiDn, its pep,
and its desire tD head fDrward in the field
.of business activity_
There is plenty cDDkin' in those plants
that have prDvided this business with its
equipment almDst frDm the beginning .of
the Arcade business itself_ While they
have been busy night and day cDDkin' up
defeat fDr the Axis, they have alsD cDDked
up SDme ideas f.or the pDstwar Arcade
that will put it .on a higher plane than
ever in the amusement field_ They, tDD,
have their men in the field frDm time tD
time, tD find .out what's cDDkin'-what the
public's reactiDn is tD this Dr that type .of
equipment, fDr the individual Arcade .own-
ers have had tD do a little cDokin' .on their
.own during these war years, and many of
these ideas and revamps .of what they had
tD dD with are
gDing tD influence what
the well-dressed Arcade will wear in the
pDstwar future.
The Arcade business is not just SDme-
thing that happened during these war
years, but it is something that many Dper-
atDrs have just discDveted-a business that
is as .old as the cDin machine itself-an:!
.one that will live as long as people seek
gDDd, healthy, clean amusement. Its future
is insured by its past perfDrmance as a
business endeavor.
Immediately follDwing the last WDrld
War; Arcades flDurished in almDst every
city in the CDuntry. MDst were well
equipped with the mDst mDdern machines
.of that day, and the men that ran them
prospered. But, like SD many peDple in
this business and in .other fields .of the
amusement industry, they drDpped intD a
rut .of cDmplacency. They fought .off buy-
ing new, late equipment tD replace the .old
.ones, with the statement that the old stand-
bys were still wDrking O.K. and why spend
money for sDmething new when these
wDuld still take in money. Business was
dropping .off anyway, and they had made
it, and just didn't want tD spend it fDr
Fred McKee
Mutoscope's W estern Representative
new equipment when the hDrse was dead
anyway.
That was the attitude that killed .off a
gDDd ninety percent .of the Arcade Dper-
atDrs .of that day. NDt all .of them, mind
YOU-SDme .of thDse .old timers stuck, and
tDday YDU can find sDme .of these .old Ar-
cades still dDing business just the same
as they were then; old type drDp lights,
.old cast irDn MutoscDpes, same .old picture
reels .on them that have dDne from twenty-
five to fifty years .of service; same .old drDp
picture machines, in which the girls .of the
beef trust era still wear knee length pan-
-----------------TURN PAGE
Th e McKee Arcade
on South Main Street
in Los An geles is one
of the most popular
A rcades on the stem
with the boys in serv-
ice. In addition to
providin g entertain-
ment McKee also aids
in providin g beds for
the boys in privat;,
homes. Th e Photoma-
tic at the entrance
re a lly g ets t he
" play."
Screen A ctress Jane Withers is an ardent
A rcade fan. In this photo Mr. and Mrs. Mc-
Kee are presenting Jane with a Sky Fighter
for her new home.
51tere ij no jutjlilule
/or QuaAl'f
Quality Products W ill
Last lor the Duration
D. GOTTLIEB & CO.
CHICAGO
ANOTHER MONTH
NEARER VICTORY!
HELP BRING IT CLOSER -
MORE WAR BONDS
BUY
~ /) i". L L ...
-
I'\.. ~
INTERNATIONAL MOTOSCOP£CORPORATION
PENNY ARCADE HEADQUARTERS SINCE 1895
Manufacturer. of Photomatlc and Other Famou. ·Coln Operated Equipment
44·01 ELEVENTH STREET, LONG ISLAND CITY I, NEW YORIl
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