PTT Winchester Crusty Name Sign (1977)
Crusty alongside his nameplate seen in the '4 Corners' 1979 news broadcast.
Production
Although barely any info about the production of the Winchester nameplates have surfaced, we can speculate that it was produced shortly after opening, as no nameplates are present in some earlier photographs. Production was most likely carried out by the Fantasy Forest Manufacturing Company and was probably shipped with Winchester Helen Henny (Animatronic) along with the several other Winchester nameplates, those being Chuck E. Cheese, Jasper T. Jowls, Warblettes, and Helen Hennys nameplates respectively. If production was not carried out by Harold Guldbrandsen's Fantasy Forest Manufacturing Company, it was either produced at Atari or in-house by an employee.Usage
The only appearance of Crusty the Cat and his respective nameplate was at the first Chuck E. Cheese's Pizza Time Theatre on 370 South Winchester Boulevard, placed under Crusty's nameplate from presumably August 1977 to 1980. Once it had completed its usage, it was probably shipped to Sunnyvale along with the other portrait animatronics or kept in a storage room. The former is most likely the case.Design
Like all other Winchester nameplates, Crustys nameplate used a rounded wooden base with the text 'CRUSTY THE CAT' encased in a thin yellow border surrounding the text. Opposed to Chuck E. Cheese's nameplate and Jasper T. Jowls nameplate, Crusty did not have his full character name written on the plate, most likely being the case due to it not being an actual 'name' and more of a describing feature. It is unknown if Crustys nameplate would receive the text '© PIZZA TIME THEATRE INC. 1978' on his nameplate in late 1979 like Chuck E. Cheese and Jasper T. Jowls received on their respective nameplates.- https://youtu.be/ucg8MujPDQA
At the bottom.
Notice the lack of nameplate.
Crusty alongside his nameplate seen in the '4 Corners' 1979 news broadcast.
Ditto.