Lucky Star

Lucky Star, designed by Harry Mabs with artwork by Roy Parker, was manufactured by Gottlieb in May 1947, with a confirmed production run of 2,600 units. It is a single-player, flipperless electro-mechanical game, built just months before the flipper transformed the industry, and it carries a glamour theme typical of the era's fascination with Hollywood-style imagery of beautiful women.

As a flipperless game, Lucky Star was played through skillful plunging and nudging rather than direct ball control. The playfield features nine passive bumpers and six kick-out holes, which capture the ball and eject it back into play, along with a time clock feature. These elements gave players a mix of point-scoring targets and moments of suspense as the ball settled into holes.

Roy Parker's artwork places Lucky Star squarely in the postwar Gottlieb tradition, and with 2,600 units built it was a solid seller for its day. It stands as an appealing snapshot of pinball on the very eve of the flipper era.