We are getting ready to wrap up our year of Famous Utahn’s. For Episode 231 we decided to deep dive into Rosanne Barr, Frank Zamboni, and Nolan Bushnell. All of these Utah born people have played a significant part of world pop and sports culture!
Nolan Bushnell, is the epitome of pioneer! Nolan is known as the father of the video game and… AND he created Chuck E. Cheese Pizza Time Theatre. Born in 1943 in Clearfield, Utah. Growing up Nolan did what most northern Utahn’s do, he worked his summers at Lagoon. It was while he was working there he realized how much people loved games and the carnival atmosphere. 1968 Nolan graduated in engineering from the University of Utah. He also attended Stanford (but we prefer the Utah adjacent stuff). In 1972 the gaming box that would take our homes by storm known as Atari, was founded in Northern California by Nolan and his business partner, Dabney. One of our favorite quotes comes from Walter Isaacson’s book, Steve Jobs. “In 1976, Steve Jobs went to Nolan to get him to put in some money in exchange for a minor equity stake in Apple. Nolan remarked, “Steve asked me if I would put $50,000 in and he would give me a third of the company. I was so smart, I said no. It’s kind of fun to think about that, when I’m not crying.” Atari revolutionized the home gaming industry. Come on, who doesn’t love a good game of Pong?! In 1978 he was pushed out of Atari. Enter stage left: Chuck E Cheese. From Wikipedia, It is known that Bushnell had always wanted to work for Walt Disney, but was continually turned down for employment when he was first starting out after graduation; Chuck E. Cheese was his homage to Disney and the technology developed there. In 1981 Bushnell turned over day-to-day food operations of Chuck E. Cheese’s to a newly hired restaurant executive. Nolan stepped down in 1984 from the board after they decided they didn’t like his proposed changes. By late ’84, the company was in bankruptcy.
Bushnell has been involved in other gaming companies, including one that has him on the board of an anti-aging game technology to help with brain function over the age of 35. Nolan has been feature in a few documentaries, awarded a BAFTA as well as many other accolades, and it is said there is a movie about his life in the works with Leonardo DiCaprio. His legacy seeps through the blood of his own children. Venture Beat feature by Dean The DeanBeat, Takahashi interviewed members of the family in 2019.
Frank Zamboni, creator of THE Zamboni machine, was born in Eureka, Utah in 1901. His parents were Italian immigrants. That is where the Utah ties end. However, he did grow up in Lava Hot Springs, ID which is pretty close so we can still talk about him. At the age of 19 his family moved to Los Angeles. Frank and his brother Lawrence started an ice blocking business in the late 20’s to 1939. This was problematic due to electricity and the units needed for refrigeration. They turned their focus and used the equipment to open an ice rink. In 1940 they teamed up with their cousin, Pete, and opened the Iceland Ice Rink. It was 20,000 sq feet, making it one of the largest of its kind., it was even covered with a dome after realized the ice was no match for the So. Cal heat. It was a success because Frank had figured a way to reduce the rippling, from the pipes under the rink, in the ice. Frank got the patent in ’46 and created the machine in ’49. There have been 8 different variations of the machine that we know now. From the Zamboni website, From the 1949 Model A to the 500 Series re-surfacer’s of today, Frank Zamboni’s desire to develop the best possible product for his customers remains as strong in his successors over 60 years later. As Frank often pointed out to rink owners, a comment indicative of his own lifelong mission:
“The principal product you have to sell is the ice itself.”
As of today the ice rink is still operated by the Zamboni family.
Roseanne Barr, born to Jewish parents in Salt Lake City. Barr was spoken about how her parents kept their Jewish heritage secret from their neighbors and were partially involved in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Barr has stated, “Friday, Saturday, and Sunday morning I was a Jew; Sunday afternoon, Tuesday afternoon, and Wednesday afternoon we were Mormons.” While in Utah was when Roseanne found her first stage, in the Mormon church. Rosanne has lived many lives. Stand up comedian, sitcom star with her name sake show Rosanne, talk show host, film star, radio, and even a candidate for presidency in 2012. Her life has not been without controversy and as of 2018, Rosanne still called Utah home.
Some of our resources this episode: Rosanne Barr Wikipedia / Nolan Bushnell website / Zamboni website
Music By: Folk Hogan; Bootleggers Dance