Episode 84 - The Bally Table King: George Christian

Deep dive into George Christian, Bally's forgotten design genius and creator of the best-selling pinball machine ever.

Synopsis

Wedgehead A Pinball Podcast explores the life and design legacy of George Christian, Bally's prolific solid-state designer (1976-1982) whose games sold over 100,000 units but whose personal history remains largely undocumented. Hosts discuss Christian's design hallmarks, his mentorship under Norm Clark, his most famous title (8-Ball, best-selling pinball of all time with 20,233 units), and his mysterious departure from the industry to open a pizza shop in Melrose Park, taking his story with him.

Highlights

• George Christian was an Iranian immigrant who adopted an Americanized name to assimilate
• 8-Ball is the best-selling pinball machine of all time with 20,233 units sold, a record that stood until 1992 when Pat Lawlor's Addams Family sold 40,000+ units
• George Christian refused to attend pinball expos for the last 35 years and is reportedly bitter about how his pinball career ended
• After leaving Bally, George Christian opened a pizza shop in Melrose Park that closed within the last 10 years and kept a personal 8-Ball Deluxe in the lobby
• Norm Clark mentored George Christian in a relationship described as mentor-and-apprentice but Clark did not receive design credits on Christian's games
• Dave Christensen (Bally artist) allegedly snuck George Christian's original surname onto the back glass of Nitro Ground Shaker as a jab
• Freedom (1976) was George Christian's first design credit and Bally's first solid-state game
• Future Spot (1979) featured the 'horniest art package of all time' with art by both Paul Ferris and Dave Christensen

Entities

• Bally· company
• 8-Ball· game
• Addams Family· game
• Dolly Parton· game
• Freedom· game
• Future Spot· game
• Nitro Ground Shaker· game
• Melrose Park· location
• Wedgehead· organization
• Wedgehead Pinball Podcast· organization
• Alan· person
• Alex the Waterboy· person
• Brian Eddy· person
• Dave Christensen· person
• George Christian· person
• Greg Fraris· person
• Henry Winkler· person
• Norm Clark· person
• Pat Lawlor· person
• Paul Ferris· person
• Ty Palmer· person