ShowBiz Pizza
In this article, Madison Heth will discuss the beginnings of ShowBiz Pizza Time Theatre, its famous animatronic band: The Rock-afire Explosion, and the drama that ensued between Chuck E. Cheese and ShowBiz.
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The disturbing history of showbiz pizza and the rock-afire explosion
The disturbing history of showbiz pizza and the rock-afire explosion
By Madison Heth
By Madison Heth
On Mar. 3, 1980, a pizza parlor by the name of “Showbiz Pizza” opened its brand new doors to the people of Kansas City, Missouri. Little did the pizza business know what a great mark it would leave on society and what turmoil would arise. In order to fully understand the birth of ShowBiz Pizza, one must understand the beginning of its rival, Chuck E. Cheese.
the early years
the early years
It was in May 1970 that the maker of the rising gaming software Atari and the famous Pong game decided to create a place where children--and parents--would be drawn into participating in his arcade games of growing popularity; this was a man by the name of Nolan Bushnell. Bushnell was intrigued by the thought of pizza time theatre-- a place where kids could play arcade games and enjoy the entertainment of singing, dancing machines with large, lifeless eyes and the quite scary voices of humans. Bushnell reflected on his idea of advertisement for the pizza chain, including animatronics, in an interview with The Atlantic in 2013: “It was meant to be a head fake for the parents. Kids are really smart at knowing how to play their parents, and the kids knew that if they said, ‘I want to go to Chuck E. Cheese and play the games’ the parents would just see themselves spending money. But if they said, ‘I want to go see Chuck E. Cheese entertainment — and it’s free,’ they’d be good to go.” With the idea of an animatronic show in mind, Bushnell set out to make his idea a reality.
The first Chuck E. Cheese was opened in San Jose, California by Bushnell in 1977, and kids were quickly eager to spend their weekends there. His beginning pizza company, under the name of Chuck E. Cheese’s Pizza Time Theatre, featured what was originally supposed to be a coyote mascot (that he later realized was a mouse). This is the mouse that many who had the chance of experiencing the pizza place in subsequent years would know to be Chuck E.
A photo of Nolan Bushnell with his Chuck E. Cheese mascot. Photo credit from the website In Search of Lost Answers
A photo of the more modernized version of the Chuck E. Cheese mascot. Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons
chuck e. cheese vs. showbiz pizza
chuck e. cheese vs. showbiz pizza
A picture of one of the Chuck E. Cheese signs over the years. Image Credit: Variety
Chuck E. Cheese and Showbiz Pizza, though two different pizza time theatre companies, have a surprising history filled with many twists, turns, confusion, and drama. The Showbiz Pizza Website, an online resource made to inform people about the memories of the cherished pizza chain, discusses the time when the happy Chuck E. Cheese began to sink into a deep pit of drama; it is here where the beginning idea leading to Showbiz Pizza began to emerge.
A picture of the iconic ShowBiz Pizza sign. Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons
According to the Showbiz website, after Bushnell’s almost immediate success with the Chuck E. Cheese company, whether it was for pure enjoyment of owning the business, or for money–most likely money– he was eager to expand. Bushnell put his trust in a wealthy man, Robert L. “Bob” Brock, who claimed he would franchise the Pizza Time Theatre concept and spread it throughout sixteen states over a contract for $200 million dollars, and this he did. Brock, the franchiser, began to see the popularity of Chuck E. Cheese with its animatronic show “The Pizza Time Players” grow. Within a short amount of time, Brock decided he, too, wanted to create his own pizza restaurant with his own, new animatronic band.
It was in 1979, whilst Brock and Bushnell were still partners, that Brock went to meet with a man by the name of Aaron Fechter. Previously, Bushnell during multiple conventions viewed the young creative engineers' animatronic work and offered to buy some of his business, however, every time Fechter continued to decline. Also, Brock himself had always downplayed Fechter’s animatronics when discussing them with Bushnell, but out of pure curiosity in 1979, oddly, Brock decided he would meet up with Fechter. After discussing the idea of his own pizza time theatre company with Fechter, Brock up and left Bushnell to work on his own concept. He partnered with Fechter, the man who had already begun the plan for an animatronic band earlier, and the same creative engineer Bushnell wanted so badly to partner with. It was then that the ShowBiz Pizza Time Theatre Company was brought to light.
A real photo of the second ShowBiz Pizza Place opened in Jacksonville, Florida 1980. Image credit ShowBiz website.
In March of 1980, the first ShowBiz Pizza Place opened in Kansas City, Missouri, owned by Brock and Co-owned by Fechter. However, its animatronic show was only a quickly put-together jumble of some of Fechter's already built animatronics, which actually became quite loved during its opening months. In August of 1980, the second ShowBiz Pizza Place opened, this time showcasing the animatronic band that would become the staple of Showbiz Pizza in American pop culture: The Rockafire Explosion.
The split of Brock from his agreement with Bushnell, along with the fact that he created a rival company to Chuck E. Cheese, would spark the drama between the now two owners and, ultimately, between the two Pizza Time Theatres. After Brock tried to leave his contract with Bushnell and Bushnell refused, Brock continued the startup of ShowBiz anyway, which caused for a lawsuit of various reasons from Bushnell, and continued rivalry between the two companies. During the early '80s, Chuck E. Cheese franchises and Showbiz Franchises would often be built right next to each other, further advancing the competition. Eventually, in 1982, Bushnell’s suing of Brock and ShowBiz Pizza was brought to a close resulting in both Bushnell receiving some of ShowBiz’s profit over the course of the following fourteen years, along with Brock paying close to a million dollars in damages.
In 1983, both competition with the growing ShowBiz franchises and the video game industry's massive crash caused Bushnell and his Chuck E. Cheese franchise to file for bankruptcy. Though it was not only Chuck E. Cheese that was facing a decline in attendance. After a few years of soaring numbers of attendees, ShowBiz’s popularity, too, came to a halt. Here is where the story takes a complete U-turn. When Brock heard about Bushnell’s struggle with bankruptcy, he decided that, in order to keep himself afloat too, he needed to do something. Showbiz Pizza jumped in to save Bushnell or, in reality, to more or less actually save ShowBiz by purchasing the company and merging Showbiz with Chuck E. Cheese. Brock gave Bushnell permission to keep his original franchise name of Chuck E. Cheese and, for the time being, both companies would continue to run as old times-- only they would be under the same roof of advertisement and funding. However, within a few years, all ShowBiz Pizza Places would end up converting fully to the name of Chuck E. Cheese. The very business that began the drama and led to the emergence of ShowBiz turned into the ultimate disappearance of the business.
When ShowBiz and Chuck E. Cheese made the decision to merge together, everything was to stay fairly the same, all except for Aaron Fechter. The merging led Fechter to want out of the deal with Brock and ShowBiz by the end of the decade, only he wanted all of his very famous animatronic band to leave with him. This move ultimately caused the Chuck E. Cheese/ShowBiz franchise to once again be rebranded, while also removing one of the greatest reasons that the ShowBiz franchise was successful: The Rock-afire Explosion.
the rock-afire explosion
the rock-afire explosion
A photo of the Rock-afire Explosion set up in a ShowBiz Pizza Place, 1980. Photo Credit: ShowBiz website.
The Rock-afire Explosion is an animatronic band created by Creative Engineering Inc. under its President Aaron Fechter in 1979. It was in August 1980 that the first viewing of what is considered “the greatest animatronic rock band of all time” debuted.The Rock-afire explosion contains a group of seven main animatronic characters, all with unique looks, voices and personalities.
A picture of the animatronic ShowBiz mascot, Billy Bob. Image Credit: The ShowBiz Website.
- billy bob brockali
Billy Bob is an animatronic bear who is seen playing the bass. His character traits, according to the ShowBiz Website, are that he is “innocent, kind, and naive.” Billy Bob was the animatronic who became the mascot of ShowBiz Pizza, as he was voiced by his creator, Aaron Fechter and is also clothed in yellow and red striped overalls, the ShowBiz colors. In the early stages of ShowBiz before the Rock-afire Explosion debuted, Billy Bob was only a walk-around character but, with the 1980 opening of the first ShowBiz featuring the Rock-afire Explosion, Billy Bob also debuted in his animatronic form.
2. Fatz geronimo
2. Fatz geronimo
Fatz Geronimo is the gorilla in Rock-afire, and is found front and center rocking it on the keyboard. Fatz’s character was actually not new to the Rock-afire explosion, as he was a previous member of the “Wolf Pack 5”, the already-made band Fechter first used during the beginnings of ShowBiz. Before Rock-afire, Fatz was known as “Fatz Gorilla”, but his name changed to “Fatz Geronimo” when he was added to Rock-afire, due to his inspiration of the famous pianist Fats Domino. Fatz was voiced by a famous writer, artist and musician at the time, Burt “Sal” Wilson, who majorly contributed to the comedy and life of the Rock-afire Explosion.
A picture of the animatronic Mitzi Mozzarella. Image Credit: The ShowBiz Website.
3. mitzi mozzarella
3. mitzi mozzarella
Mitzi Mozzarella was the female, cheerleading mouse of the Rock-afire Explosion. Mitzi did not play an instrument, but she did sing. Mitzi played a major role in Rock-afire as she was the only girl member. She was used in marketing to encourage the girl audiences and be an important role model for them. Similarly to Fatz, Mitzi was also a part of the former “Wolf Pack 5”. Mitzi was first voiced by Aaron Fechter, speaking in a very high-pitched voice but, in 1982, singer Shalisa Sloan took over Mitzi’s vocals.
4. beach bear
4. beach bear
Beach Bear was the second bear of Rock-afire who also was a guitarist. Beach Bear wore a beach-inspired outfit, with a tropical lei and Hawaiian shorts, and also had wavy blonde hair. Beach Bear was also from the earlier Wolf Pack 5. His personality was considered the craziest compared to the rest. In the beginning, he was voiced by Fechter but, later, during Beach Bear’s revamp, his voice actor switched to musician Rick Bailey.
A picture of the animatronic Beach Bear. Image Credit: The ShowBiz Website.
A picture of Duke Larue, the animatronic dog. Image Credit: The ShowBiz Website.
5. dook larue
5. dook larue
Dook LaRue is the dog in the Rock-afire Explosion, and he is seen playing the drums in a silver space suit. Dook’s prototype was the animatronic dog “Dingo” in Fechter's Wolf Pack 5 and, when the Rock-afire Explosion was created, Dingo was given a full outfit and voice change. In the Rock-afire Explosion, Dook was voiced by Duke Chauppetta, an American voice actor and musician. Dook was characterized by having the least lines, yet the best musical voice.
6. rolfe and earl
6. rolfe and earl
Rolfe was a wolf, and Earl was his puppet pal. Rolfe and Earl were the major comedic duo in the Rock-afire Explosion. Rolfe was a supposed ventriloquist, though his puppet seemed to more or less have a mind of its own. The ShowBiz website states that the two were known for their “combination of wit, arrogance, and self-deprecating humor.” The two often criticized the Rock-afire band or tried to control it during the skits. Both Rolfe and Earl were voice acted by Aaron Fechter and their inspiration came strictly from the “Wolf Pack 5”.
A picture of the animatronic duo Rolfe and Earl. Image Credit: The ShowBiz Website.
The animatronic Looney Bird. Image Credit: The ShowBiz Website.
7. looney bird
7. looney bird
Looney Bird was the bird of Rock-afire and he often inhabited the same side stage as Billy Bob. Being Billy Bob’s sidekick, Looney Bird often held quite the spotlight. He was known majorly for the comic relief he provided. Looney Bird’s character originated from another of Fechter's animatronic shows, one of his first ones, the Hard Luck Bear Show, containing a bird by the very closely related name of Gooney Bird.
When Fechter created the Rock-afire Explosion, he had ShowBiz in mind, but his love for the show was too great to just let it go during the drama between Chuck E. Cheese and ShowBiz. Fechter took the Rock-afire out of the ShowBiz franchise and instead began licensing it to various places that were interested. After Rock-afire left ShowBiz, it underwent various updates and changes to accommodate the changing times, and many of the ShowBiz characters are still working today-- just very few in actual restaurants.
An image taken from one of Aaron Fechter's recent warehouse tour YouTube videos with a few fans. Credit: The Rock-afire Explosion YT
Presently, Aaron Fechter continues to give tours in his warehouse full of memorabilia from before the ShowBiz days, into the ‘80s and ‘90s and even up to today. He, even to this day, manages to take some of the Rock-afire to events and showcases them, along with other animatronics of his. Fechter continues to maintain many of his animatronics and machinery from his work when he was younger, including his “Anti-Gravity Freedom Machine”, the email before email, though once his creation was completed the internet boom occurred and real email came with it, so Fechter was unable to sell his creation. Fechter is currently working on moving out of his warehouse and to a new place, where he is creating a museum for the Rock-afire and other animatronics he created. He is also consistently contributing information, behind the scenes and history on Rock-afire through his YouTube channel “The Rock-afire Explosion”.
the inevitable demise
the inevitable demise
As time goes on, technology changes, and the ideas of what is considered fun carries with the rest. When Bushnell thought up the idea of a pizza time theatre, and with Brock and Fechter to support the growth, the interest sparked and brought a large profit--reaching kids big and small. Though unfortunate, through history, we see the rise and fall of many businesses, companies, and ideas; ShowBiz was only a victim of the natural ways of history. Just as is true regarding many other parts of the past, much seems to become forgotten. If it was not for Fechter himself and countless other lovers of Rock-afire, then it, too, may have gone under in the flow of time. Thanks to the ones who cherish the old and, in this case, the memories of ShowBiz, Rock-afire, and Chuck E. Cheese, society is able to reminisce on the previous eras of life and pop culture, and remember the intriguing, sometimes slightly disturbing history of the past.
the truth
the truth
As we look back on ShowBiz Pizza, the thought of an animatronic show can be undeniably unsettling. The thought of metal mechanisms moving underneath what was once lifelike skin, and the image of animatronic eyes staring lifelessly as they sing in human-like voices; all prove that point. As a 21st-century being, it is hard to even imagine that these robots could have held such a prominent place in people’s hearts. However, the often buried truth is that no reason exists as to why we should have to keep a narrow view of items of the past; when you look deep and listen to the ones who had first-person experiences, the magic of the old and lost emerges. As crazy as it may seem, the Rock-afire Explosion and Showbiz Pizza were magical places for children in the '80s and '90s. Youtube users commenting on a ShowBiz remembrance video, by Recollection Road, state that ShowBiz and its animatronics were a magical experience and filled with great childhood memories. One commenter, @ AJ17_ , said, “Growing up in Michigan, I was OBSESSED going to Showbiz Pizza when I was a kid, as for me, the animatronic show was like going to Disney.” Another commenter @ mr.gunzaku437 reminisced, “My family was very broke back in the ‘80s but I remember going to Showbiz Pizza the one time we could go. It was amazing! It’s one of the few good memories I have of my childhood.” To pull at the romantic’s heartstrings, @ sduma82 shared, “My husband and I had our first date at Showbiz Pizza. We have now been married for 36 years and counting.” Various other commenters shared their memories of being taken to Showbiz by their grandparents or parents as kids. Others shared the memories of taking their own kids, as well as the experience of going there as an adult.
Sometimes, people truly underestimate how even the smallest of joys, like an animatronic pizza parlor, can have an impact on a person's life and society as a whole. After learning about ShowBiz, its complicated history, and somewhat disturbing animatronics, people can take away this: cherish the small pleasures that bring you joy and excitement in your life and, like Fechter, never stop trying, building and exploring, because you CAN do great things.
Sources:
Sources:
https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2013/07/chuck-e-cheeses-silicon-valley-startup-the-origins-of-the-best-pizza-chain-ever/277869/
https://www.showbizpizza.com/history/index.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7HXTwLbvQPM
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