Harvey

Harvey, manufactured by Williams Manufacturing Company in May 1951, is an early electro-mechanical (EM) machine from this renowned manufacturer, designed by company founder Harry Williams himself with artwork by George Molentin. The game takes its name from the 1950 Hollywood movie "Harvey", the story of a 6-foot invisible rabbit — and in a clever nod to the film, rabbits illuminate into view on the backglass as the player's score advances.

Gameplay is characterized by the dual impulse flippers, which pulse simultaneously when either flipper button is pressed, creating a control mechanism unique to this era. Players navigate the ball among two pop bumpers, five passive bumpers, and four kick-out holes. The tilt system is also distinctive: the penalty for tilting is loss of the ball in play, and the tilt is reset when the ball passes through a rollunder wire at the bottom of the playfield below the flippers.

The manufacturer's original playfield drawing is dated February 20, 1951 and bears the signed initials HEW — Harry E. Williams, whose pioneering work shaped the development of early pinball. Harvey stands as a small but charming testament to that legacy.