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Curt Vendel has passed away. :(


Albert

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How awful.  I've been following Curt's work, and visiting his Atari Museum, since the late 1990s.  Like many others, I corresponded with him occasionally about various projects (in my case, restoring my original Atari Pong cabinet), and he could not have been more helpful each time.

 

There have been many contributors to our community over the years, but Curt was truly one of a kind.  I am so grateful for his tireless efforts of historical documentation and preservation, which (as many of us know) included digging through Atari's dumpsters in their final days to rescue rare documents and one-of-a-kind prototypes.  The result of his labors was a treasure trove of knowledge which has become an invaluable resource, not only for understanding and enjoying the legacy of Atari in all of its richness, but also the larger history of video games and computers.  His creation of the early Atari Flashback consoles, the first new Atari hardware (I think) since the Jaguar, helped to introduce that legacy to a new generation.  His work brought hours of joy to millions, and he will be sorely missed.

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Sad to say that I had no knowledge of Curt, but the comments here on AtariAge certainly make me wish I knew a bit more about him.   I'm checking out the link to the website that jaybird3rd posted.  Anyone happen to have any info/summary of contributions to classic gaming, etc so I can learn a bit more about him?

 

Edit: in addition to the website, I see that a link to a documentary interview was posted as well while I was typing.  

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WOW!  Just WOW! I didn't know Curt personally but I have visited the Museum many times over the years.  I also read about some of his contributions over the years, mostly in these pages. and he seemed like a super guy.  So sad that someone so full of knowledge and life is gone.  Rest in peace Curt.  Condolences to the Vendel family.?

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I never had the pleasure to talk to Curt. I knew his name and knew he had greatly contributed to this community. It saddens me to hear that his family and friends have lost such a great guy. I also feel bad for the Atari community. This year has been nothing but tragedy and loss for everyone. Just know that Curt is in a better place than we are now.

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Aww, that is terrible news. Curt has been one of the OG 21st century Atari pillars of the community with all the stuff he has been involved with.  I recall meeting him and discussing various Atari and homebrew things with him a few times but years ago. Condolences to his family. 

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This is extremely sad news. I don't think it can be understated just how much Curt contributed to this hobby over the years. I never had the pleasure of meeting him in person, but I communicated with him multiple times over the years, and always found him to be extremely helpful as  well as passionate about his love of all things Atari. All of us who have participated in this hobby and have enjoyed the fruits of his labor owe him a huge debt of gratitude. He will be sorely missed.

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His Atari History Museum was the first website I spent any amount of time on, it was beautiful, & easy to navigate, like a kiosk in a museum.

 

This shocks me; it really does. Wasn’t he still working on some projects? Business is War?

 

Goodbye Curt. I never met you; we never even talked, but you touched my life.

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   Really sad news. A man who left a bright mark in our hobby and in Atari history.

 

   If you don´t have a copy yet, please consider buying Curt & Marty Goldberg book: "Atari Inc., Business is Fun". Not only a great source of information but also a way to keep Curt´s memory alive & support his family.

 

https://www.amazon.com/Atari-Inc-Business-Curt-Vendel/dp/0985597402

 

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Wow, this is horrible :( It's one thing when you hear about a legend passing, but it's another when they're a member of your community, though I've only talked to him here on the site.

He will be missed.

3 hours ago, tep392 said:

I also got a 1200 from him recently in a trade.  I'll be thinking of him every time I use it.

Ditto with my Flashback 2.0.

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Really bad news. My deepest condolences to Curt's family and friends. I was never able to meet Curt or chat with him, but I saw his contributions over and over again. I knew he had ongoing health problems but I was shocked to learn of this.

 

I would've loved to hear from Curt about his adventures in acquiring all of that cool stuff. That would have been great. RIP Curt, you are missed. 

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I dont think the size of the hole that has just opened in the Classic Atari community will be known for months.  Curt was involved with so many things and was the connection point to many others that its impossible to measure the loss.  Condolences for his family.

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I didn't know Curt personally... but that news just hit me like a sledgehammer. Curt was a cornerstone of the Atari community. I feel terrible for his family and closest friends. My sincerest condolences to all of them. His and Marty's book is incredible and a must-read for any Atari fan. I hope the follow-up can see the light of day in his memory.

 

What a wretched year this has been.

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In case anyone hasn't heard this, I looked through my archives and found an interview that Curt recorded for the 3/27/1999 episode of Mike Stulir's "Back in Time" webcast.  I discovered Curt's old "Atari Historical Society" website the previous year, but this was the first interview with him that I remember hearing, and hearing it again really takes me back.  The show has been archived in its original RealAudio format on the Internet Archive (I helped them fill in a few of the later episodes), but I hope nobody minds if I attach it here in MP3 format for easier listening.

bit03271999.mp3

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