Fatz Geronimo (Animatronic)

The Fatz Geronimo Animatronic (Also the 3-Stage Mr. Munch Animatronic) was one of the main Rock-afire Explosion animatronics produced by Creative Engineering Inc. The animatronic would first be developed in April of 1980, before debuting at the Jacksonville, FL (9820 Atlantic Blvd) on August 14th of that year. His character was based off Fats Gorilla from the Wolf Pack 5 animatronic show Creative Engineering had developed.

History

Fatz Geronimo animatronics would continue to be produced up until 1983. The January batch would be the last used inside Showbiz Pizza restaurants, and would be kept and stored for future openings, while Creative Engineering would continue to produce bots until June. Now with a surplus of bots, these would need to be sold to other family entertainment centers.

Throughout 1989 to 1992, the Rock-afire Explosion would become Munch's Make-Believe Band, or more commonly known as the 3-Stage, through Concept Unification. This was a process to rebrand the Rock-afire Characters as their Chuck E. Cheese counterparts due to the expiration of the Rock-afire license for Showbiz Pizza, now Showbiz Pizza Time, Inc. Fatz Geronimo would now become Mr. Munch, sporting a hat, purple fur, yellow fur, and a new organ front. The only mechanical change was the lowering of air pressure for his movements, and later diagnostic changes to the air flow in the cylinders. Another process which some stores would also choose not to go forward with. In April of 2001 a major change would come for all 3-Stage bots in stores. Their previously latex masks would now be changed out for furred plastic ones, to reduce costs for the rapidly deteriorating latex. Around this time stores would also be offered the ability to purchase new eyes for their 3-Stage characters, now with smaller pupils and more detailed irises. Store owners were also encouraged to repaint the eyelids with Rust-Oleum Painters Touch spray paint.

Design

The bot is a large gorilla in formal attire. He has a golden tuxedo with a black bowtie, as well as realistic gorilla hands and feet.

Mechanical Structure

Movements

The bot features sixteen movements in total. Those being his head, his eyelids, his eyes, his mouth, arm raises, arm movements, foot tap, and a body lean. No movements were removed during Concept Unification, unlike Rolfe Dewolfe and Dook Larue.