PICTURES of Activision's 1982 Pitfall Party (aka the Rumble in the Jungle)

[JayAre]

The following info. may sound familiar to some of you.  I've copied it over from another thread, just to provide background info. on this event.

 

In June of 1982, the summer CES was held in Chicago.  To coincide with this event, and on the evening of June 7 at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Activision hosted the Pitfall Party (aka the Rumble in the Jungle) to celebrate the release of the game.  It took place in the hotel's grand ballroom and multiple adjacent ballrooms.  There were three bands playing simultaneously, dozens of party-style midway games, several open bars, live animals in cages hanging from the ceiling and hundreds upon hundreds of attendees.  It was rumored that Activision spent in excess of $250,000 on the party.  Attendees were given a safari jacket and an explorer's hat; Rumble in the Jungle matchbooks were even printed.  Activision employees also received the "Survival Kit" zippered pouch.  It contained a badge to get into the party, an Instamatic camera and coupons for the midway games.  Thanks to Dan Kitchen for providing much of this information.  By the way, Ken Uston, the infamous blackjack player, also attended the party.  He wrote several books relating to blackjack and video games.  I remember reading somewhere that he showed up with an exotic pet that he had.  If I remember correctly, it was a pet monkey!

 

Attached are a few pics from the party.  Sorry I don't have any more, but these were the only ones I was able to get a hold of.  I'm also attaching pics of the invitation package (courtesy of CPUWIZ), safari jacket, explorer's hat, matchbook and the "Survival Kit" pouch.  Enjoy the pics!

 

Jim Levy

 

Here we have Carol Shaw.  I believe that's Mike Lorenzen (designer of OINK!) with the hat on

 

Gotta love the cheetah-skin tablecloth

 

Invitation package

 

Safari jacket, explorer's hat & matchbook

 

"Surival Kit" pouch

Edited August 31, 2020 by JayAre

[Rom Hunter]

Amazing.

Thanks for sharing!

[high voltage]

 

Very pretty threesome

[JayAre]

6 hours ago, Rom Hunter said:

Amazing.
Thanks for sharing!

You're welcome, my friend.  Glad you liked them.

 

I just wish there would have been more pics.  This was such an amazing event.  It would've been great to see pictures of some of the other things at the party (e.g. the live animals, midway games, and especially Ken Uston's pet monkey).

[JayAre]

I was organizing some of my Atari stuff and found this last picture from the Pitfall Party.  That's Activision President & CEO, Jim Levy, holding the cig.