First pinball machine with flippers: Humpty Dumpty (Gottlieb 1947)

Gottlieb's Humpty Dumpty, introduced in 1947, was the first game to add player-controlled flippers to keep the ball in play longer, adding a skill factor to the game. Humpty Dumpty had six flippers--all facing outward, away from the center of the playing field.

Additional informations

Manufacturer: D. Gottlieb & Company
Date Of Manufacture: October 25, 1947
Type: Electro-mechanical (EM)
Production: 6,500 units
Design by: Harry Mabs
Art by: Roy Parker
Marketing Slogans: "Announcing... The Greatest Triumph in Pin Game History - Sensationally New Player Controlled Flipper Bumpers..The player will Laugh! The Spectator will Roar! The operator will be Thrilled!"

Photos of the pinball machine

Cabinet

playfield

Video with gameplay

Video 1.

Video 2.

Flyer

Add in Coin Machine Journal (december 1947)

Coin Machine Journal, December 1947, page 62
This magazine page is shown here edited to remove everything but the ad and the magazine's page header.

More info

Humpty Dumpty at The Internet Pinball Database:
https://www.ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=1254

Top 8 Most Innovative Pinball Machines of All Time: https://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/a3461/4276614/

[Ryoko54 <11:33>]

I remember first seeing and playing this table when I was a kid, it was featured on Microsoft Pinball Arcade along with Baffle Ball, Slick Chick, Knock Out, Spirit of 76, Haunted House, and Cue Ball Wizard. Fun game, and the way the balls collect at the bottom and all drop down when you start a game is cool to see.