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Doodle Bug


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Doodle Bug / IPD No. 703 / March 18, 1971 / 1 Player
 
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Average Fun Rating: [ 7 stars - Click for comments ]    7.2/10  (15 ratings/14 comments)        [ Add Your Rating! ]
Manufacturer: Williams Electronics, Incorporated (1967-1985) [Trade Name: Williams]
Date Of Manufacture: March 18, 1971
Model Number: 390
Type: Electro-mechanical (EM) [?]
Production: 3,006 units   (confirmed)
Serial Number Database:View at The Internet Pinball Serial Number Database (IPSND.net)  (External site)
Theme: Dancing - Happiness - Music
Notable Features: Flippers (2), Pop bumpers (5), Slingshots (2), Standup targets (5), Kick-out hole (1), Right outlane ball return gate, Up-post between flippers. Doodle Bug scoring animation below playfield moves a captive ball repeatedly across a point-scoring rollover button. A gap exists between the flipper and adjacent slingshot disallowing cradling the ball with an energized flipper. 3 or 5 ball play.

Maximum displayed point score depends on the version:
Early Production game is 1,999,990 points.
Regular Production game is 199,990 points. Exceeding this score lights Over The Top on the backglass for the remainder of the game.

Sound: 1 small bell, 1 wooden box chime, and a knocker.

Replay wheel maximum is 37 replays.

Backglass measures 22 1/2 inches wide, 25 1/2 inches high, and 3/16 inches thick.

Design by: Norm Clark
Art by: Christian Marche
Notes: The add-a-ball version of this game is Williams' 1971 'Love Bug'. Also released in a 4-player version as Williams' 1970 'Dipsy Doodle'.

An earlier game having a captive ball scoring feature similar to the Doodle Bug is Bally's 1938 'Paramount'. A solid-state game having this feature is Williams' 1981 'Solar Fire'.

The common "Over The Top" backbox version has four actual score reels plus one dummy reel. The 100,000 digit is a silkscreened "1" that is lit from behind when earned. The playfield has a light red background with a dark red circle at each outlane and under the pop bumpers.

The backbox pictured in the manufacturer's flyer has an actual score reel for the 100,000 position, as evidenced by the part number visible just underneath the "1" on the reel. This game has five actual score reels plus one dummy reel. Its playfield art is the light red background with the dark red circles.

Pictured in this listing is a production game from France with an actual score reel in the 100,000 position, just like the flyer game. It has a silkscreened 1,000,000 light in place of the words "Over The Top" although the bulb sockets to light it were not fully wired by the factory. There are no match numbers on the glass or on the backbox insert. The playfield is pink and has large circles in a light shade of purple at the outlanes and under the pop bumpers. The cabinet has serial number 65420 and its pink color has faded white. We believe this game to be Early Production and have marked it as such. An operator later added a yellow rollover button to its playfield to help advance the 1-2-3-4 target sequence. The current owner added a large bell and knocker as there were none, and replaced some 1970's Gottlieb-style pop bumper caps with ones similar to what was used in production. No paperwork accompanied this game except for its Instruction Card and Score Card shown here. We show additional playfield pictures of the same game shot with a different camera showing darker shades of color, but the owner confirms the playfield is actually pink with light purple circles.

Photos in: Pinball PortfolioExternal Link, page 98
Slot Machines and Coin-Op GamesExternal Link, page 56
The Pinball Compendium 1970-1981External Link, page 29
The Pinball Compendium Electro-mechanical Era, page 185
Collector's Guide to Vintage Coin Machines 2nd EditionExternal Link, page 107
Mike Pacak's Pinball Flyer Reference Book A-F
Documentation: 63 KB PDF Catalog Supplement "Y" With New Parts & Units ("Doodle Bug" Assembly) [Williams Electronics, Inc.]
  696 KB PDF Instruction Manual [Williams Electronics, Inc.]
  416 KB PDF Schematic Diagram (paginated) [Williams Electronics, Inc.]
Images:
(click to zoom)
Image # 683: Doodle Bug Playfield
Playfield

482x704
[Russ Jensen]
Image # 684: Doodle Bug Playfield
Playfield

348x483
[Russ Jensen]
Image # 685: Doodle Bug Backglass
Backglass

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Image # 686: Doodle Bug Backglass
Backglass

367x426
 
Image # 4466: Doodle Bug Flyer, Back
Flyer, Back

887x1151
 
Image # 14432: Doodle Bug Cabinet - Left
Cabinet - Left

355x300
 
Image # 14433: Doodle Bug Cabinet - Front View
Cabinet - Front View

185x287
 
Image # 14434: Doodle Bug Inside Backbox
Inside Backbox

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Image # 41588: Doodle Bug Illuminated Backglass - 99,990 Points Exceeded
Illuminated Backglass - 99,990 Points Exceeded

1200x1600
[Jay Stafford]
Image # 41589: Doodle Bug Illuminated Backglass - Over The Top - 199,990 Points Exceeded
Illuminated Backglass - Over The Top - 199,990 Points Exceeded

1200x1600
[Jay Stafford]
Image # 41650: Doodle Bug Illuminated Backglass
Illuminated Backglass

1200x1414
[Todd Newman]
Image # 41651: Doodle Bug Cabinet - Right 
(The legs have been removed, revealing the original unfaded pink color.)
Cabinet - Right*

1200x521
[Todd Newman]
Image # 41652: Doodle Bug Playfield
Playfield

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[Todd Newman]
Image # 41653: Doodle Bug Stripped Playfield
Stripped Playfield

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[Todd Newman]
Image # 41654: Doodle Bug Illuminated Playfield
Illuminated Playfield

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[Todd Newman]
Image # 41655: Doodle Bug Upper Playfield
Upper Playfield

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[Todd Newman]
Image # 41656: Doodle Bug Lower Playfield
Lower Playfield

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[Todd Newman]
Image # 41657: Doodle Bug Stripped Lower Playfield
Stripped Lower Playfield

1200x900
[Todd Newman]
Image # 41658: Doodle Bug Illuminated Doodle Bug
Illuminated Doodle Bug

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[Todd Newman]
Image # 41659: Doodle Bug Cabinet - Front
Cabinet - Front

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[Todd Newman]
Image # 41660: Doodle Bug Backglass - Reverse
Backglass - Reverse

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[Todd Newman]
Image # 41661: Doodle Bug Inside Backbox
Inside Backbox

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[Todd Newman]
Image # 41662: Doodle Bug Under Playfield
Under Playfield

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[Todd Newman]
Image # 41663: Doodle Bug Inside Cabinet
Inside Cabinet

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[Todd Newman]
Image # 41664: Doodle Bug Illuminated Front View
Illuminated Front View

900x1200
[Todd Newman]
Image # 48471: Doodle Bug Early Production Backglass 
(Serial number 65420.)
Early Production Backglass*

1200x1544
 
Image # 48472: Doodle Bug Early Production Backglass - 999,990 Points Exceeded 
(The lamps for this score were not fully wired by the factory. Serial number 65420.)
Early Production Backglass - 999,990 Points Exceeded*

1200x828
 
Image # 48473: Doodle Bug Early Production Playfield 
(The pop bumper caps and the yellow rollover button below the doodle bug are not original to this game. Serial number 65420.)
Early Production Playfield*

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Image # 48474: Doodle Bug Early Production Playfield - Detail 
(The yellow rollover button below the doodle bug is not original to this game. Serial number 65420.)
Early Production Playfield - Detail*

1200x900
 
Image # 48475: Doodle Bug Early Production Apron - Detail 
(The telephone number format shown here was used in the 1970s. Serial number 65420.)
Early Production Apron - Detail*

1200x900
 
Image # 48476: Doodle Bug Under Early Production Playfield 
(The after-factory wiring for the yellow rollover button is evident in this picture. The knocker and large bell at rear of cabinet were added by a game owner. Serial number 65420.)
Under Early Production Playfield*

1200x1600
 
Image # 48477: Doodle Bug Under Early Production Playfield - Detail 
(This image shows the yellow rollover was added after the game left the factory. Serial number 65420.)
Under Early Production Playfield - Detail*

1200x900
 
Image # 48478: Doodle Bug Inside Early Production Cabinet 
(The knocker and large bell at rear of cabinet were added by a game owner. Serial number 65420.)
Inside Early Production Cabinet*

1200x1600
 
Image # 48479: Doodle Bug Inside Early Production Backbox 
(To the immediate left of the dummy score reel is a two-plug jack to select 3 or 5 balls. The option dial in the lower left corner selects either replay or add-a-ball operation. Serial number 65420.)
Inside Early Production Backbox*

1200x1504
 
Image # 48480: Doodle Bug Inside Early Production Backbox - Detail 
(Factory wiring is missing for the 1,000,000 lamps. Serial number 65420.)
Inside Early Production Backbox - Detail*

1200x900
 
Image # 48481: Doodle Bug Inside Early Production Backbox - Detail 
(The lamp socket and its wiring are missing for the 10th Ball To Play. Serial number 65420.)
Inside Early Production Backbox - Detail*

1200x900
 
Image # 48482: Doodle Bug Early Production Backglass - Reverse 
(There are no silkscreened match numbers. Serial number 65420.)
Early Production Backglass - Reverse*

1200x1600
 
Image # 48483: Doodle Bug Behind Early Production Backglass 
(The insert has no provisions for match numbers. Serial number 65420.)
Behind Early Production Backglass*

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Image # 48484: Doodle Bug Early Production Serial Number 
(Serial number 65420.)
Early Production Serial Number*

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Image # 48485: Doodle Bug Early Production Illuminated Front View 
(The pop bumper caps and the yellow rollover button below the doodle bug are not original to this game. Serial number 65420.)
Early Production Illuminated Front View*

1200x1600
 
Image # 48486: Doodle Bug Early Production Cabinet - Full View 
(One leg was removed to highlight that the original pink cabinet color has faded to white on this game. Serial number 65420.)
Early Production Cabinet - Full View*

952x1512
 
Image # 48549: Doodle Bug Early Production Backglass - Tilt 
(Serial number 65420.)
Early Production Backglass - Tilt*

1200x905
[Jean-Pierre Renault]
Image # 48550: Doodle Bug Early Production Backglass - Game Over 
(Serial number 65420.)
Early Production Backglass - Game Over*

1200x901
[Jean-Pierre Renault]
Image # 48551: Doodle Bug Upper Early Production Playfield 
(The pop bumper caps are not original to this game. Serial number 65420.)
Upper Early Production Playfield*

1200x1439
[Jean-Pierre Renault]
Image # 48552: Doodle Bug Lower Early Production Playfield 
(The pop bumper caps and the yellow rollover button below the doodle bug are not original to this game. Serial number 65420.)
Lower Early Production Playfield*

1112x1600
[Jean-Pierre Renault]
Image # 48553: Doodle Bug Early Production Instruction Card 
(Serial number 65420.)
Early Production Instruction Card*

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[Jean-Pierre Renault]
Image # 48554: Doodle Bug Early Production Score Card 
(Serial number 65420.)
Early Production Score Card*

1200x684
[Jean-Pierre Renault]
Image # 48555: Doodle Bug Early Production Backbox - Right 
(Serial number 65420.)
Early Production Backbox - Right*

736x1600
[Jean-Pierre Renault]
Image # 48556: Doodle Bug Early Production Cabinet - Right 
(The legs are removed to show the original pink color has now faded to white. Serial number 65420.)
Early Production Cabinet - Right*

1600x600
[Jean-Pierre Renault]
Image # 48557: Doodle Bug Early Production Cabinet - Front 
(Serial number 65420.)
Early Production Cabinet - Front*

1200x825
[Jean-Pierre Renault]
Image # 70813: Doodle Bug Backglass
Backglass

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[Jean-Pierre Renault]
Image # 70814: Doodle Bug Doodle Bug
Doodle Bug

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[Jean-Pierre Renault]
Image # 70815: Doodle Bug Cabinet - Front View
Cabinet - Front View

1052x1600
[Jean-Pierre Renault]
Image # 70816: Doodle Bug Inside Backbox
Inside Backbox

1200x1412
[Jean-Pierre Renault]
 

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