A fortune teller machine (also known as a genie machine or mechanical genie) is a type of amusement automaton, which upon receiving credit gives out a card with a prediction of the reader's future. This is typically given by an

automaton An automaton (; : automata or automatons) is a relatively self-operating machine, or control mechanism designed to automatically follow a sequence of operations, or respond to predetermined instructions. Some automata, such as bellstrikers i ...

. They could be found in

penny arcade ''Penny Arcade'' is a webcomic focused on video games and video game culture, written by Jerry Holkins and illustrated by Mike Krahulik. The comic debuted in 1998 on the website ''loonygames.com''. Since then, Holkins and Krahulik have establish ...

s, and can be seen in modern

video arcade An amusement arcade, also known as a video arcade, amusements, arcade, or penny arcade (an older term), is a venue where people play arcade games, including arcade video games, pinball machines, electro-mechanical games, redemption games, mer ...

s and

amusement park An amusement park is a park that features various attractions, such as rides and games, and events for entertainment purposes. A theme park is a type of amusement park that bases its structures and attractions around a central theme, often fea ...

Notable examples

*Verbal Fortune Teller - Mills Novelty Co, c. 1904 – One unique machine, perhaps the only extant version in the world, survives in a museum in Virginia City, Montana. It features a recorded voice and eerie

animatronics An animatronic is a puppet controlled electronically to move in a fluent way. Animatronics are the modern adaptation of the automaton and are often used for the portrayal of characters in films, video games and in theme park attractions. Anim ...

. "The 100-year-old fortune teller was an extremely rare find. Instead of dispensing a card like Zoltar, the Gypsy would actually speak your fortune from a hidden record player. When you dropped a penny in the slot, her eyes would flash, her teeth would chatter and her voice would come floating from a tube extending out of the eight-foot -tall box. This machine also provided fortunes for males and females separately". Reportedly, magician

David Copperfield ''David Copperfield''Dickens invented over 14 variations of the title for this work; see is a novel by English author Charles Dickens, narrated by the eponymous David Copperfield, detailing his adventures in his journey from infancy to matur ...

tried to buy the machine from the Montana State Historical Commission for two million dollars. Fortune Teller Machines are a rare artifact surviving from the era of penny arcade, boardwalk and amusement parks. Listed are a few of the notable varieties: *Madame Zita - A richly attired fortune teller in Gypsy style. The electric version was manufactured around 1905, by the Roover Brothers. *Grandmothers Predictions (Cleveland Grandma) - William Gent Mfg, c. 1929 – The wise old grandmother passes her hands over the fortune telling cards and stops at the proper fortune. The card falls into the tray below. *Princess Doraldina - Doraldina Corp, c. 1928 – Her youth and beauty attract the arcade customer. The machine's lifelike movements when granting fortunes make the process appear to be alive. *Genco Gypsy Grandma Fortune Teller - Genco Mfg., New York. NY c. 1940s-1950s – The central attraction of the original boardwalk and arcades was the "Gypsy Grandma" that comes to life after depositing a coin into a slot. Once a selection is made using a rotary dial that illuminates the player's astrological sign of choice, the animated Gypsy fortune teller moves her head above a lighted crystal ball while holding a fan of playing cards in her right hand and magic wand in her left hand. Featured sophisticated movements (nods, turns her head, breathes). Her right hand picks-up a fortune card from the enclosure that she opens with her left hand. She brings the card in front of her, turns her head, and then moves the card over the cauldron and drops it (which delivers the card to the patron). *Mike Munves Grandma's Prophesies Grandma Predicts Fortune Tellers. - Mike Munves Corp., New York, c. 1930s – One hand moves over the cards while the hand moves over the crystal ball, head turns from side to side, eyes move, and the chest "breathes", crystal ball glows as the machine dispenses a fortune card. *Mike Munves Deco “Ask Grandma” Fortune Teller. - Mike Munves Corp., New York – Ask Grandma Fortune Teller, Deco. Full size Grandma, life size with human movements (chest, both hands, eyes, head). The crystal ball glows once coin is inserted. She will scan the cards for a peek into your future, and then a fortune card will drop for the patron. *Estrella's Prophecies Fortune Teller – A coin-operated Gypsy-style fortune teller machine. A full size enclosed figure in elaborate oak cabinet. Her head moves from side to side, hand moves across the cards, while her left hand raises and then she slowly dispenses a fortune card through the ornate card slot. *Zoltan Fortune Teller - Prophetron Inc, Massachusetts, late 1960s to early 1970s – Deposit a 25-cent coin, put receiver in your ear, press one of twelve zodiac sign button on the front of the machine (corresponds to the 12 signs of the zodiac). The crystal ball is lit by an eerie, red mystic light when Zoltan predicts fortune. Offers 1 to 12 Zoltan's fortunes in a heavily Hungarian accent. Zoltan usually begins his fortune telling with "This is Zoltan speaking" or "Greetings from Zoltan". The predictions, which last around one minute, include things about your future, lucky numbers, and favorable colors.

Gallery

Various fortune teller machines at Musée Mécanique in San Francisco: IMAGE:Musée Mécanique 064.JPG IMAGE:Musée Mécanique 012.JPG IMAGE:Musée Mécanique 072.JPG IMAGE:Musée Mécanique 166.JPG IMAGE:Musée Mécanique 010.JPG

In media

* In episode 43 "Nick of Time" of the American television anthology series ''The Twilight Zone''. It originally aired on November 18, 1960, on CBS and was written by

Richard Matheson Richard Burton Matheson (February 20, 1926 – June 23, 2013) was an American author and screenwriter, primarily in the fantasy, horror, and science fiction genres. He is best known as the author of '' I Am Legend'', a 1954 science ficti ...

. * In the 1988

Penny Marshall Carole Penny MarshallBorn Carole Penny Marshall in 1943, as per ''My Mother Was Nuts, a Memoir'', p. 10; . Copyright 2012 (October 15, 1943 – December 17, 2018) was an American actress, film director, and producer. She is best known for ...

film ''

Big Big or BIG may refer to: * Big, of great size or degree Film and television * Big (film), ''Big'' (film), a 1988 fantasy-comedy film starring Tom Hanks * ''Big'', a 2023 Taiwanese children's film starring Van Fan and Chie Tanaka * ''Big!'', a ...

'', the main character, a child who wishes to be big, uses a "Zoltar" magical wishing machine very similar to a fortune teller machine that turns him into an adult. * In the eleventh and final series of ''Big Brother'' UK and the '' Ultimate Big Brother'' series, a fortune teller machine named Bob Righter (an

anagram An anagram is a word or phrase formed by rearranging the letters of a different word or phrase, typically using all the original letters exactly once. For example, the word ''anagram'' itself can be rearranged into the phrase "nag a ram"; which ...

of ''Big Brother''), was present in the main living area of the house. In the first few weeks of the series, after an eviction, the machine would tell a good or bad fortune to one of the current housemates. However, in a twist it was actually the evicted housemate who decided who would receive the good or bad fortune. * In '' BioShock'' and '' BioShock 2'', fortune teller machines called Epstein the Swami will give out pessimistic fortunes every time they are used. * In the episode of "Mechanical Genie Island" from the series '' The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack'', Flapjack and Captain K'nuckles get stranded on an island inhabited by the fortune telling machine in a form of genie that plays games with whoever comes on his island in order to cheat them into being his butlers for life. Later, it is revealed that Mechanical Genie is the toy of a giant baby. * In season 3 of '' Bunk'd'', the campers find "The Great Balthazar", a fortune teller machine in the barn. One of the counselors, Lou, is uncomfortable with it, thinking that it is cursed. Near the end of the episode, she wants to smash it with a hammer back to "the underworld she believes that it came from" since she believes that was how the fortunes came true, until her friends give her a reasonable explanation. A camper, Matteo, tries proving it by getting a fortune saying that no one will see his true strength but when he fails to prove to her that it is just a game, another camper, Zuri, says: "You didn't need to be Balthazar to see that coming". * In season 4 of ''

Steven Universe ''Steven Universe'' is an American animated television series created by Rebecca Sugar for Cartoon Network. It tells the coming-of-age story of a young boy, Steven Universe (character), Steven Universe (Zach Callison), who lives with the Crys ...

'', Steven accidentally breaks a fortune-teller machine called Zoltron at the amusement park Funland in his hometown of Beach City. As payment, the owner of Funland makes Steven dress up as Zoltron, sit in the machine, and play the role of Zoltron. * In the Canadian stage musical, '' Ride the Cyclone'', the narrator of the show is Karnak, a vintage fortune telling machine who knows the exact time and place of someone's death. * In " Insatiable", an episode of ''Warehouse 13'', Claudia gets caught up by the effects of an evil fortune teller machine that always predicts terrible outcomes and creates a feeling of extreme dread. * In " Blue Prince", the Rumpus Room contains a mechanical fortune teller named Alzara who gives hints in the form of glimpses into the protagonist's future.

References

External links

{{commons category, Fortune teller machine
Fortune Tellers at pinballhistory.com
Animatronic attractions Commercial machines Divination software and games Fortune-telling

Notable examples

Gallery

In media

See also

References

External links