Crusty the Cat

[MMBBfan327]

Just wondering, who's got a reel or showtape of him? There has to be one, as there's a sound clip of him on the PTP page. Anyone know who's that is?

Also, who knows who played his voice, or any info on the character at all? Was his setup just like the Chuck, Jasper, and Pasqually robots at the time? I'm asking that becasue I've seen pics of the first 3 robots, but the pic they had at Corprate showed Crusty with a 'colorful' background. Lastly, did they use the same bot but change the cosmetics for Mr. Munch, or did they get a whole different robot? Was Crusty ever at any other PTT restaurants besides Winchester Blvd.?

[pizzacam]

Well, I THINK all Travis has is a short piece, but I'm not sure. As for the guest characters, NO each guest character was a temp replacement bot in the "Helen" spot. She later became permanent but that's the spot where the guests usually were. As for Crusty, I think HE was at the end where Munch later was. I'm sure J and or Jenn can shed some brighter light on the subject. ;)

[VegaNova]

Yeah, all I have is that short sound clip. It was part of a medley of clips that 'slipped' out of Dept 18 years ago. Not sure what it was compiled for or anything like that....

The whole Crusty/Munch changeout is a mystery to me... all I'm sure of is that it took place before the balcony stage existed. That means during the 'portrait' era... which nobody seems to have very good info on.

From what I can gather, there were 4 portrait frames in the 4 corners of the showroom, and then the Warblettes were in the center of one of the walls. So this meant originally it was Jasper, Chuck, Crusty, and Pasqually. Later they introduced Munch, but other characters were also introduced during the portrait era including Foxy, Helen, and I believe Madame Oink. Just judging from the setup - the portraits in the 4 room corners - it's likely that there were only 4 characters running at any given time... or they could have made Munch permanent and added a 5th portrait frame somewhere to incorporate the female guest character.

Not sure about any of this though. All I remember hearing was that the balcony stage was designed and placed in restaurants around 1980 or so, meaning that the entire portrait era lasted a whopping 3 years. Until someone can turn up some pre-1980 documentation or one of these ancient showtapes, we can only guess on these things.

But anyway back to Crusty... that photo from CEC HQ is the only actual photo anyone's ever seen, that sound clip is all that's turned up, and the only mention of him by name or description is from the 1977 PTT program/menu. It's very possible that he was only tested at the first store and never lasted to appear at the later stores.

-VegaNova

[MMBBfan327]

Thanx for the info, guys. Yes, Crusty may have been a test-character at the first location. How about Kooser Road? Did they have him?

What else was on that medly clip, Vega? Do you think we'll ever find any Crusty showtapes or anything? That'd be cool if somebody went to the first PTT right now (which I think's an Office Park someone mentioned), and went into a sealed off room in the back and found a whole bunch of PTT memrobilia, and included in this stuff was the Crusty the Cat robot, along with sinage, prizes, recipes, and other stuff! That'd frickin' rock, but the odds of that are just like SPP opening again and putting CEC into bankruptcy, and then a couple years later, SPP closes again and CEC changes its name to "Chuck E.'s"

Also, about the portrait robots: I haven't seen any up close, and I know a lot of you have at HQ, so just wondering, what do they look like up close? How big would you say they are compared to other CEC robots? Did they all have different setups and backgrounds? I'm thinking they did, becuae Chuck, Pasqually and Jasper were in a window box, Crusty had a colorful design background, the Warblettes were just on a stand and Foxy (as seen in an early photo), was in a balcony type of thing, only in portriat style, similar to going to an Opera, or a great example, the two old guys from "The Muppet Show," where they were always sitting on a balcony seating, but let's get back on task.

Do any of you out there have info on Crusty?

[dheineCECfan]

For the last few years I have been looking for someone on the net who went to the very first Chuck E. Cheese's on Winchester Blvd. in San Jose, California after it first opened in May 1977 that could have photos and/or film/video footage from that first CECPTT location primarly of the CECPTT Pizza Time Players wall portrait format show (which featured Crusty Cat along with Chuck E., Jasper, Pasqually, and the Warblettes). No luck yet, although in 2002 the person who runs the Disney Extinct Attractions Club web site at www.extinct-attractions-club.com (Who I have ordered and even did a few trades of receiving DVD's of footage and such from Disneyland, Walt Disney World, Knott's Berry Farm, and other California Theme Park Attractions) told me he once had footage taken at the first location Winchester Blvd. CECPTT location but lost or misplaced it. He hasn't checked to see if the misplaced 1977 CECPTT Winchester Blvd. San Jose, California location footage is in his attic in his house as of yet, but who knows if and when he'll check again before I come across someone on the net who went to the first CECPTT and has his or her own 1977 Pizza Time Players animatronic show film/video footage.

MMBBFan and VegaNova: You never mentioned the 1977-1979 CECPTT wall portrait animatronic set up featured the Warblettes in the middle in a cage set up rather than in a wall portrait set up that Chuck E., Jasper, Pasqually, and Crusty (and later Mr Munch, Foxy Colleen, Madam Oink, first version Helen Henny, and maybe Sally Sashay) have (and the wall portrait robots only had a few to several movements each compared to later shelf/balcony and Munch Band/Studio C animatronic robots if you don't include the limited movement Studio C Cappa Chuck E. Cheese robot).

[MMBBfan327]

There are, I'm sure, people out there who have photos and footage, keep trying Darryl, and we'll also keep an eye out, too. ;)

I have only seen a couple photos from the first CECPTT on Winchester Blvd., and the only one's I've seen are on this website. Actually, I'm just wondering, does anybody know if they remodled the place in 1978 after Crusty left, because from a pic in 1977-78, there's one version of the showroom, kinda small looking with a Foxy robot on the left, and then another with Chuck and Jasper (in costumes) sitting on a bench in what looks to be a whole different dining room, and both pics both say from San Jose, CA (Winchester). From the first pic, it's very hard to see The Warblettes on the back next to Pasqually, but you can however see a little bit. I don't recall seeing a cage, but Darryl DOES know what he's talking about, so I will take his word for it.

An idea that may of been possible at the time was if they kept Crusty, and added Mr. Munch as a sideact, however later in life, he would still be part of the show, so for a balcony, the order would go: Warblettes, Munch, Jasper, Crusty, Chuck, guest, Pasqually. For MMBB, Chuck, Helen, Munch, Crusty, Jasper, Pasqually. It would take time and consideration, but with CEC's growing popularity, I'm sure this could of happened.

[MMBBfan327]

Just found out something:

Rob Black played Crusty's voice, and all of the others at the time, too.

Also there's a new character I've never heard of named "The Pointer Sisters" who dropped from the ceiling in the middle of the Dining Room and would sing.

I discovered this stuff from Gene Landrum, who created the concept with Nolan.

[VegaNova]

The Pointer Sisters is probably the Warbalettes - that's most likely who they were 'based' after. In one of the PTT portrait pics (the colored one that you posted in a thread) clearly shows the Warbs hanging from the center celing.

Interesting though... someone told me waaay back that they were based on the Supremes, but they were probably mistaken.

If you get any other neat little info 'morsels' be sure to post them!

-VegaNova

[MMBBfan327]

Wow, now that you mention it The Warblettes ARE hanging from the ceiling. When you look at it, it looks like they're nailed to the wall next to Pasqually. If only that brochure had more pics of the showroom we'd probably have more Crusty, huh?

Gene Landrum (who gave me all this info) also said that Bob Black was in minor acting in Hollywood but never made it big. Also he was a creative guy and understood the concept right away which most people didn't even get.

What other questions do you have for Gene? I'll be sure to ask him.

[dheineCECfan]

I checked the Internet Movie Data Base (IMDB for short) at www.imdb.com and came about 6 different people named Robert Black, so it's hard to tell which Robert Black also did the 1977 CECPTT early location shows, but I guess it's the Robert Black who appeared in a 1974 and a 1975 made for TV movie.