Photo I is a close-up of the two doors behind which all the action takes place. Photo 2
is the left side door open into the castle. Inside, you see a poor fellow having his head
cut off by the executioner. The ghoul saws away until the head falls off and drops into
the basket at the foot of the bench. The left side door closes and the right side door
opens. The next movement is the opening of the door to the chimney-oven. Inside the
oven, the top of the cooking pot rises , pushed up by the severed head that is being
cooked inside the pot, Photo 3. The door to the oven closes and the Devil , Photo 4
swings into view, displaying the head as a pie. The writing under the Devil's platter
blithely assures us, "No pain." Whew! That's reassuring.
What's not to love about an arcade machine that celebrates the dismemberment of
some poor fool and the subsequent culinary delight of devil 's food pie? Further
discussion with the seller revealed that he purchased this terrific game 35 years ago at
an auction in Lansdowne, Pennsylvania. According to the seller, the auction contained
many British arcade games. (Author's note. This agrees with my research that found a
large number of British arcade pieces making their way to the States in the late 1960's
and early '70's). After the Ebay seller purchased Hell's Kitchen at auction, he found
himself unable to transport it home, lacking a vehicle large enough to accommodate the
machine. He first called his wife and told her he had won a large British game at an
auction. She asked, "What is it?" He replied , "I don't know; it cuts off heads." He then
called her father to see if his father-in-law would loan out the use of his station wagon
for transport. The father called his daughter to get more information on what this
machine was and she replied, "He's gone nuts . He's bought a guillotine." They were
expecting their first child and space in their small house was at a premium. In spite of
either obstacles or good common sense, he brought Hell 's Kitchen home where it
entertained one and all from 1973 until 2008.
In the face of such a wonderful story, how could I pass up this magnificent piece?
Besides, through research I knew this 'Kitchen' to be one of only four. Prior to my
discovery of this machine, only three were known to exist and this one was rarer yet,
being the only one in a French case. We went back and forth and eventually came to an
agreeable price. Hell's Kitchen now resides at my house, reminding all who view it that
no one is totally without redeeming social value; you can always serve your fellow man
as a tasty pie. I also like to remind Dearly Beloved that I now have my very own
Johnny Depp and he dances to !ill'. tune!
All my stories have a moral. This story is no different. We enjoy a hobby where
accurate information is many times treated as a premium to be hoarded and used only
for personal gain. Had I done so here, it is doubtful that I would ever have discovered
Hell 's Kitchen . On the other hand , you can share your knowledge with those around
you, enriching others who might share your interest in the wonders of coin-op. The
return to you may be as surprising as it was to me. As I discovered, it can be a real
topsy-turvy world.
John Peterson (USA)
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