Rick Rat Walkaround: Difference between revisions

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The Rick Rat walkaround costume was a generic mascot costume purchased by Nolan Bushnell for his "Coyote Pizza" restaurant concept in November of 1974.

History

TODO: Early History

The costume would stay with Pizza Time Theatre and later ShowBiz Pizza Time Inc. in the corporate offices. Some time between 1976 and 2001 the suit would be lost, and only the head would remain.

In an early 2000's 4th Quarter Update video, the costume head would be used on Chuck E. Cheese as a visual gag for Chuck having just woken up and not taken a shower, with Chuck commenting he currently looks "like a rat".^[1]

The head currently remains on a shelf at the Chuck E. Cheese's Corporate Office in the Entertainment Department.

Other Production Costumes

Busch Garden's The Old Country's "Alfie" costume, an alternate design to the usual rat costume.

The costume was a generic costume sold by an unknown company, which was distributed to many entertainment centers across the US. The costume would begin as a coyote costume, before slowly changing its features to be like a rat.

Casa Bonita - Earliest known use of the costume (February 1975). Costume is notable by its droopy suit, which covers up most of the legs. Its stomach also appears to be woven into the suit itself. The suit is called "Wylie Coyote". On May 3, 1978, the costume would be leased to the Rose Park Senior Citizens Center for their Fun Festival^[2]. Notably this exact costume would later appear in a Crystal's Pizza & Spaghetti ad in 1981, as both places were founded by the same person.
Hunt's Pier - This costume would appear around 1976, with an unknown name. The costume would now have a yellow snout and a drawn on smile. The sewn-on stomach would be removed entirely for a fully furred body. The mascot would wear a red bandana, a red/white striped shirt, and black boots. The costume still survives in the Wildwood Historical Museum.
Crystal's Pizza & Spaghetti - This costume would appear in 1978. The ears would now stand straight up, and the character's teeth would be removed. The yellow snout and drawn smile would also be reverted from the Hunt's Pier design. The stomach would not be woven into the suit, but instead be a piece of fabric overlaying it. Two different cuts of fabric are seen in photos, one larger with a flat bottom, and one in an oval shape. Just like Casa Bonita, Crystal's would also call theirs "Wylie Coyote".
Busch Gardens: The Old Country - One standard costume would be featured here, alongside 2 others with an alternate design. It is likely most of the other mascots in the park also come from this same manufacturer. The standard suit, named "Rufus" would have golden fur along the entire suit, alongside brown skin details. Footage of the suit confirms it also has a tail, being the first known version outside of Atari's to possess this trait.^[3] The second suit is "Alfie", which brings in a new rat design in the style of the original suits. This suit features shorter black fur, larger ears, a shorter snout, hair, and a black tail. The mascot would wear a red vest and brown shoes. The third suit, "Robes-Pierre", is a duplicate of the alternate design featuring the original gray fur with pink skin- wearing a feathered cap, pink vest, and boots.

Gallery

Crystal's Pizza & Spaghetti Rat Costume, "Wile E. Coyote" (Unknown Year)
Crystal's Pizza & Spaghetti Rat Costume, "Wile E. Coyote" (Unknown Year)
Crystal's Pizza & Spaghetti Rat Costume, "Wile E. Coyote" (1978)
Casa Bonita's Rat Costume (Unknown Year)
Casa Bonita's Rat Costume Art (Unknown Year)
Busch Garden's The Old Country Rat Costume "Rufus" (Unknown Year)^[4]
Casa Bonita's Rat Costume (February 1975)
Busch Garden's The Old Country map, depicting the two rat costumes "Robes-Pierre" and "Rufus" (1978)^[5]
Busch Garden's The Old Country map, depicting the two rat costumes "Robes-Pierre" and "Rufus" (1978)^[6]
Busch Garden's The Old Country Rat Costume "Rufus" (August 13, 1978)^[7]
Busch Garden's The Old Country Rat Costume "Rufus" (August 13, 1978)^[8]
Crystal's Pizza & Spaghetti Rat Costume, "Wile E. Coyote" (1981)
Hunt's Pier "Pirate Ship Rat" (1976)
Hunt's Pier "Pirate Ship Rat" at the WildWood Historical Museum (2004)
Hunt's Pier "Pirate Ship Rat" at the WildWood Historical Museum (2017)
Crystal's Pizza & Spaghetti Rat Costume, "Wile E. Coyote" (Unknown Year)

Gallery

Nolan Bushnell & Rick Rat (Unknown Year)
Rick Rat in Nolan's Office (June 1975)^[9]
Rick Rat at the Consumer Division's construction announcement (June 1976)^[10]
Rick Rat Costume Head at SPT Headquarters (Unknown Year)
Rick Rat Costume Head used on Chuck E. Cheese in one of the 4th Quarter Update Videos (Early 2000's)
Rick Rat Costume Head at SPT Headquarters (2001)
Rick Rat Costume Head at SPT Headquarters (December 2014)

References

[1] ttps://youtu.be/w_u5zjNqClg

[2] ttps://www.newspapers.com/image/762993255/?fcfToken=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJmcmVlLXZpZXctaWQiOjc2Mjk5MzI1NSwiaWF0IjoxNzE1NTc3NDE0LCJleHAiOjE3MTU2NjM4MTR9.GBTsY8bD1wNyail0PLUbX1sfi9CbCnx9ZV1Jv5fv4wM&clipping_id=147281715

[3] ttps://youtu.be/gg-UHptqfss

[4] ttps://youtu.be/gg-UHptqfss

[5] ttps://plasticpumpkins.blogspot.com/2006/08/official-but-not-really-official.html

[6] ttps://plasticpumpkins.blogspot.com/2006/08/official-but-not-really-official.html

[7] ttps://www.newspapers.com/image/233695956/?clipping_id=147205274&fcfToken=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJmcmVlLXZpZXctaWQiOjIzMzY5NTk1NiwiaWF0IjoxNzE1NTM2ODY1LCJleHAiOjE3MTU2MjMyNjV9.rKAbgcT4R2HL3dNbcCwQoU-DsvOrN8ApBmXYAZJ1uSI

[8] ttps://www.newspapers.com/image/233695956/?clipping_id=147205274&fcfToken=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJmcmVlLXZpZXctaWQiOjIzMzY5NTk1NiwiaWF0IjoxNzE1NTM2ODY1LCJleHAiOjE3MTU2MjMyNjV9.rKAbgcT4R2HL3dNbcCwQoU-DsvOrN8ApBmXYAZJ1uSI

[9] ttps://archive.org/details/play-meter-volume-1-number-7-june-july-1975-600dpi/Play%20Meter%20-%20Volume%201%2C%20Number%207%20-%20June-July%201975/page/14/mode/2up

[10] ttp://allincolorforaquarter.blogspot.com/2013/12/chasing-down-rabbit-trails-fun-and-food.html

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@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+{{Generic|image=Iu4weiwefijwefjwef4.png|desc=Rick Rat Costume Head (Early 2010's)}}
 The '''''Rick Rat''''' walkaround costume was a generic mascot costume purchased by Nolan Bushnell for his "Coyote Pizza" restaurant concept in November of 1974.
+== History ==
+ TODO: Early History
+The costume would stay with Pizza Time Theatre and later ShowBiz Pizza Time Inc. in the corporate offices. Some time between 1976 and 2001 the suit would be lost, and only the head would remain.
+In an early 2000's 4th Quarter Update video, the costume head would be used on [[Chuck E. Cheese]] as a visual gag for Chuck having just woken up and not taken a shower, with Chuck commenting he currently looks "like a rat".<ref>https://youtu.be/w_u5zjNqClg</ref>
+The head currently remains on a shelf at the [[Chuck E. Cheese's Corporate Office]] in the Entertainment Department.
 == Other Production Costumes ==
@@ Line 16: / Line 25: @@
 File:Theratcostumeofrats.png|Crystal's Pizza & Spaghetti Rat Costume, "Wile E. Coyote" (Unknown Year)
 File:Spaghtttistrainerrat.png|Crystal's Pizza & Spaghetti Rat Costume, "Wile E. Coyote" (1978)
+File:Spaghettirattime3.jpg|Casa Bonita's Rat Costume (Unknown Year)
 File:34t34t234t324t4eyh46u46564.png|Casa Bonita's Rat Costume Art (Unknown Year)
 File:213yrt29o8wfehijhkwlejm.png|Busch Garden's The Old Country Rat Costume "Rufus" (Unknown Year)<ref>https://youtu.be/gg-UHptqfss</ref>
@@ Line 35: / Line 45: @@
 File:Rickyrat75time.png|Rick Rat in Nolan's Office (June 1975)<ref>https://archive.org/details/play-meter-volume-1-number-7-june-july-1975-600dpi/Play%20Meter%20-%20Volume%201%2C%20Number%207%20-%20June-July%201975/page/14/mode/2up</ref>
 File:Rick Rat Replay June 1976.png|Rick Rat at the Consumer Division's construction announcement (June 1976)<ref>http://allincolorforaquarter.blogspot.com/2013/12/chasing-down-rabbit-trails-fun-and-food.html</ref>
+File:Rickle rateter1.jpg|Rick Rat Costume Head at SPT Headquarters (Unknown Year)
+File:Chuck4thquarterpose.png|Rick Rat Costume Head used on Chuck E. Cheese in one of the 4th Quarter Update Videos (Early 2000's)
+File:Reeeckeee rattus.jpg|Rick Rat Costume Head at SPT Headquarters (2001)
+File:Unknown (11).png|Rick Rat Costume Head at SPT Headquarters (December 2014)
 </gallery>