Cover Girl

Cover Girl, released in July 1962 by Gottlieb, one of the most iconic and influential pinball manufacturers of its time, is a classic single-player electro-mechanical game from the heart of the wedge-head era. Designed by Wayne Neyens with artwork by Roy Parker, Cover Girl embraces a glamour and modeling theme, and 2,100 units were produced.

The machine carries a well-rounded feature set for its day: two flippers, three pop bumpers, and two slingshots keep the ball moving, while gobble holes, rollover buttons, and a split standup target enhance player interaction. An end-of-ball bonus of 50 points rewards careful play, and scoring tops out at a maximum displayed score of 1,999 points, with a replay wheel maximum of 26. Sound comes from two bells and a knocker.

The game's design and art reflect its era, with Roy Parker's backglass depicting twelve girls; it is tempting to note that Neil Sedaka's 'Calendar Girl' had reached number 4 on the US Billboard chart just the year before. One production quirk: the blue 'Gottlieb' pennant on the backglass was silkscreened to be lit from behind, but the factory never installed a lamp there or even drilled a hole for one. The game is not to be confused with Keeney's 1947 'Cover Girl'.