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Episode 258: Ellen Sharpe. Happy Mother’s Day!

Pinball Profile·podcast_episode·20m 55s·analyzed·May 10, 2020
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TL;DR

Ellen Sharp discusses her life with Roger Sharp and contributions to pinball history on Mother's Day.

Summary

Jeff Teolis interviews Ellen Sharp, wife of pinball historian Roger Sharp, on Mother's Day. The conversation covers their meeting in New York, Ellen's 25-year art studio teaching the Monart method, her involvement in early competitive pinball record-keeping, her appearance on pinball backglass art, and her competitive pinball play. Roger joins toward the end to offer Mother's Day wishes and clarify details about backglass artwork featuring Ellen.

Key Claims

  • Ellen and Roger met in an elevator in New York when Roger was an unemployed copywriter looking for a job

    high confidence · Ellen directly recounts the elevator meeting and subsequent call as the beginning of their relationship

  • Ellen typed approximately 300 pages of Roger's pinball book on a Smith Corona typewriter placed on the bathroom sink

    high confidence · Ellen states: 'I had it placed on the bathroom sink. And I typed about 300 pages for the pinball book'

  • Ellen and Sandy (Steve Epstein's wife) manually tracked and recorded pinball competition scores on paper before software was available

    high confidence · Ellen confirms: 'Sandy and I kept scores' and describes the manual paper-based process in the early days

  • Ellen appeared on the Sharpshooter pinball backglass artwork with another woman

    high confidence · Ellen states 'I definitely was on Sharpshooter' and Roger confirms there are two women depicted, with Ellen's hand positioned higher

  • Ellen ran an art studio for 25 years teaching the Monart drawing method

    high confidence · Ellen states: 'I had a studio for 25 years' and describes teaching the Monart method step-by-step

  • Ellen competed in Level 257 Selfie League pinball events until a few years ago

    high confidence · Jeff mentions seeing 'you were a regular in the Level 257 Selfie League'

  • Ellen competed at the Atlanta pinball event and finished eighth, losing to another competitor at the last second for the finals

    high confidence · Ellen states: 'I was number eight. And then somebody knocked me out at the very last second for the finals'

Notable Quotes

  • “If we talk about Roger Sharp being the father of pinball, well then Ellen Sharp has to be the mother of pinball”

    Jeff Teolis @ Early in episode — Establishes Ellen's historical importance to pinball as the spouse and supporter of its leading historian

  • “He had to be tall, he had to have a beard, long hair, he had to be kind, sensitive, creative, all those things. But I forgot to put money on the list. And Roger met every one of those things, except he was unemployed.”

    Ellen Sharp @ ~5 min — Humorous personal anecdote about Ellen's criteria for a partner and how Roger met them despite unemployment

  • “Never give up. Perseverance pays off.”

    Ellen Sharp @ ~22 min — Ellen's motherly advice on perseverance, even when told someone is 40 years old and still trying to achieve a goal

  • “You don't ever, ever do that. It's competition, but you don't wish anybody badly.”

    Ellen Sharp @ ~25 min — Describes the moral lesson she and Roger instilled in their sons about sportsmanship and competition

  • “I don't think I'm that type of an artist. [regarding pinball backglass design]”

    Ellen Sharp @ ~42 min — Ellen declines interest in designing pinball backglass art despite her art studio expertise

  • “We tell them, you know, when they come in, we go over the basic elements of shape as a review before we do the lesson... And we learn, you know, as we go on. There are no mistakes in art.”

    Ellen Sharp @ ~45 min — Describes Ellen's teaching philosophy and how she removes fear of failure from art education

  • “Ellen's hand is a little bit further up my thigh.”

    Roger Sharp @ ~55 min — Roger humorously clarifies the backglass artwork detail, joking about Ellen's hand placement relative to the other woman

  • “Originally it was only going to be her. I mean, it was only Grace Kelly with Gary Cooper in High Noon.”

Entities

Ellen SharppersonRoger SharppersonJeff TeolispersonSteve EpsteinpersonSandy EpsteinpersonJosh SharppersonZach SharppersonSharpshootergame

Signals

  • ?

    community_signal: Ellen Sharp's long-term involvement in competitive pinball community including score-tracking and tournament participation

    high · Ellen tracked scores with Sandy Epstein in early days; competed in Level 257 Selfie League regularly; participated in Atlanta and Colorado tournaments

  • ?

    design_philosophy: Backglass artwork design decisions on Sharpshooter featuring multiple women, with deliberate positioning choices

    high · Roger explains original plan was only Ellen, but second woman (Lee Goldboss' wife) was added later; Ellen's hand placed higher on thigh

  • ?

    community_signal: Roger Sharp's creative writing process involving Ellen as transcriber/typist for major pinball book project

    high · Ellen typed ~300 pages of Roger's pinball book on Smith Corona typewriter from longhand yellow legal pad originals

Transcript

groq_whisper · $0.063

0:00
it's time for another pinball profile i'm your host jeff teels you can find everything on pinballprofile.com don't forget to check out our facebook group also you can see us on Twitter and Instagram at pinballprofile. Emails pinballprofile at gmail.com. It is Mother's Day, one of the most special days of the year for sure. You think of what your mother did. I think of what my mother has done. They are absolute saints in our lives. And I think of what this woman has had to do with her kids, with her husband. If we talk about Roger Sharp being the father of pinball, well then Ellen Sharp has to be the mother of pinball and she joins us right now. Hello, Ellen, how are you? Hi, Jeff. I'm doing great. Thank you. It's such a thrill to be talking to you because I may once or twice have talked to your kids and your husband. And you know what? Those guys talk a lot. So it's nice to finally hear you talk. Okay. You've been with Roger for so many years. I mean, I've just listened to him recently on Loser Kid podcast. He did a three-hour, two-part podcast. It's nice to get to hear Ellen get a word in once in a while. Well, thank you. Let's go back. You and Roger met not in Chicago, but actually in New York where you're from. So tell us about that, please. I was working for an ad agency and went into the elevator and Roger was there. And I started talking to him and asked if he worked at an ad agency. And he said he was an unemployed copywriter looking for a job. So we rode down in the elevator, I gave him my card, and he called a couple of days later. And that was the beginning. So he wasn't a GQ? Oh, no, no, no. He eventually asked me to, he drafted up a letter and I typed on a regular typewriter to different magazines because he wanted to write for a magazine. And GQ was one of them. He became associate editor and then managing editor. See, I wasn't sure when somebody says to you in an elevator, hey, I'm a copywriter, but they have nothing on their resume. Is it true? Is it a pickup line? You didn't know. I, well, I had written on a paper. I mean, this might sound a little strange of what I wanted to look for in a potential partner. And he had to be tall, he had to have a beard, long hair, he had to be kind, sensitive, creative, all those things. But I forgot to put money on the list.
2:51
And Roger met every one of those things, except he was unemployed. So that's how we started. Not easy to be unemployed in New York, I would imagine. Well, if you're in advertising, it's pretty easy. You float from different ad agencies. Everybody kind of knows one another. If he didn't meet you, GQ doesn't happen. The books might not happen. And as you said, transcribing on a typewriter. I think I've heard stories of him dictating one of his books to you in a bathroom or something like that with a typewriter. Yeah, he wrote in longhand on a yellow legal size paper and handed it to me. And I was I think it was a Smith Corona typewriter. And I had it placed on the bathroom sink. And I typed about 300 pages for the pinball book. Wow. Yeah.

Roger Sharp @ ~56 min — Roger explains the original backglass art was meant to feature only Ellen, but another woman was added later

Cyclops
game
Pinball Profileorganization
Sharp Expressionsorganization
Monart methodproduct
Level 257 Selfie Leagueorganization
Rocky Mountain Pinball Showdownevent
Lee Goldbossperson
Loser Kid Podcastorganization
childmind.orgorganization
3:45
And that's just one of many books. Now, after that book, were you doing the other ones, too? Because doesn't he have 20 or something like that? Yeah. No, I was not involved in the other books. That's enough. That was quite enough, but it was very exciting. And the first time I came about pinball was in his studio apartment. He had a few games, and that's how I first came upon pinball. And were you instantly hooked? I mean, you had this list of things you wanted in a man. He checked everything off on that. But pinball can kind of divert people's attentions. At least I know that in my family and other people I see in pinball. So did you know how deep he was into pinball? Yeah, there's a book, but now you're seeing the machines. Well, this was before the book, and I just, you know, didn't think anything. It just looked pretty. I love the back glass and the flashing lights and, you know, but I didn't think much past that at that time. Now, I have to ask you, Ellen, as you just said the word back glass, I was going to get to it a little bit later. Since you just said the secret word, I think now is the time to talk about a certain back class. And that would be one of Roger's games. In fact, one of the kids' favorite games, and a rare one at that, Cyclops. And Ellen, you may be on that back class. You know, I'm not sure about that one, but I definitely was on Sharpshooter. By the way in that Sharpshooter back class you one of two women holding on to Roger Right He couldn just have one I don know if I can say this but my hand was higher I think than that other person Does that mean closer to his pocket? I assume that's all I meant. Or his heart. Let's say his heart. His heart, definitely.
5:30
That is funny. So you say that is not you on Cyclops? You know, I don't know. I'll have to go check it out. It's in the basement. Roger and Josh and I may have talked about that once or twice, so that's interesting, too. Okay. All right. But sharpshooter for sure. Here we are. We're talking about back glass art, and art is actually really what you're known for, too. You had a studio for 25 years. Tell us about your art studio. Well, we can teach anyone how to draw. It's really a teachable skill through the Monart method, and it's just been amazing. I mean, I have former students that are now teaching for me and I am self-taught, but I did learn her process and it's just been a gift. And obviously now with COVID-19, unfortunately, it's difficult for people to gather for classes, but there's possibilities of learning virtually online, correct? Yeah, we're in the process of three of the teachers that teach the basic step-by-step lessons are being recorded. and so we're hoping mid-May will be up and then we're going to donate part of what we're charging to childmind.org That's great, childmind.org Okay, we'll watch for that and let us know so we can gladly promote that I will. Ellen, it is Mother's Day and I think of being a parent myself but still, I mean, nothing compares to a mom, especially for boys but really for all the kids and can you help me out here? All right, I'm a parent. I have, in fact, two young boys who play pinball. Tell me what you would do in this situation. So I have these boys. They both like playing pinball. They both really, really, really want something major. I mean, absolutely the best. The younger one seems to be able to win the big game, but, you know, the older one just can't. No matter how many times, he just can't win this major. Should I tell him to give up the fantasy? Never give up. Perseverance pays off. How old are they? 18 and 15. Oh, okay. Never give up. What if you've just turned 40, let's say, and you still have never won the major? You just keep trying.
7:42
If that's important to you, you just keep trying. You do your best. Okay. I wonder if somebody's listening to that. But anyway. Okay, another mother point I need to ask you, Ellen. How many times have you had to answer the question, a child only a mother can love? A child only a mother can love. I've heard it. I don't think I've been asked it. Well, I'm asking. All right. Let's I love your boys. They're great guys and they do a lot for pinball, too. But certainly fun to finally hear from you and have to ask about them growing up. I've heard Roger tell the stories of them not being allowed to play in pinball competitions because heaven forbid they lost and would lose the excitement of playing pinball. One thing I remember, one of the boys, it might have been Zach, I'm not sure, but when somebody didn't do well, he cheered and we gave him the riot act. You don't ever, ever do that. It's competition, but you don't wish anybody badly. That must have sunk in at an early age because that's the furthest thing from what I see in Zach's demeanor now. I mean, maybe it's still secretly inside and he's biting his tongue. But he's a total gentleman when it comes to that and just doesn't get phased. I always talk about people riding the roller coaster. You know, a lot of people really get high and they're so excitable. And yet when they get down, it's hard to get them out of that funk. Whereas Zach is pretty level headed. The whole I don't see a lot of ups and downs with Zach. Yeah, no, he's pretty even. Yeah, it's just interesting to watch your children grow up with their different personalities and strengths and weaknesses. And I'm very proud of my boys. I mean, I couldn't be more proud of all three of mine. So the boys didn't compete at an early age, but certainly you were there when Roger was creating this whole papa and the competitive pinball along with Steve Epstein. And I've heard stories in the past of you transcribing. This is before match play, but just endless amounts of, not books in this case, but scores. You and Steve Epstein's wife, in fact. Right, right.
9:59
Yeah, God, that goes back. Back in New York, we had our wedding reception at the Pinball Arcade. A champagne toast, and Steve closed the arcade. And yes, we did. Sandy and I kept scores. I mean, it's so nice now with the software, with computers. but tell me how hard it was just to go back and forth with all these scores and then have all these players go have you updated it yet have you updated it yet and all that kind of hectic things that went on back in the early days I trying to remember It been such a long time ago that I don remember I remember sitting at this table with Sande, but it's kind of a blur. And how long did you do that for before finally someone took it over or there was software?
10:46
Not too long, I don't believe. But it was all paper. It wasn't like Lotus 1, 2, 3 or anything like that? No, no, no. All paper. Wow. All paper. I still do paper at my school. I mean, I have an iPhone the boys gave me for a surprise birthday a few years ago. They asked me to come into the new century. So here I am on an iPhone with you. Perfect. Now, you've played a little bit yourself. In fact, I see you're, up until a few years ago, you were a regular in the Level 257 Selfie League, and you've played other events. I saw that you even went to Colorado and played with Roger in the Rocky Mountain Pinball Showdown. Yes. And then we also were in Atlanta and I competed and I was number eight. And then somebody knocked me out at the very last second for the finals. I was just that close, but it was very exciting. It was. I've seen the competition level in the boys and in Roger. Is that in you as well? It depends on what I'm competing for. growing up, I wanted to be the first lady baseball player for the New York Yankees. That was my dream. I mean, with Mickey Mantle, Yogi Berra, all those players. And then I saw a league of their own and I just started crying because I didn't realize they did have a ladies baseball team. So when art became my thing and when I know if I focus on pinball, I'd probably would be really competitive. Because when I did go to level 257, I could feel that adrenaline shoot in. But, you know, the boys practice, they know the games, they know the rules. I don't know the rules. I just keep the ball in play. Like, that's how I kind of play it. Aside from competition, you have machines at home. Are you playing at all? I am not. Just doesn't do it for you anymore? I am so busy trying, you know, between, you know, trying to figure out my art thing, taking care of the dogs and, you know, just everyday things and doing some art. I have not played pinball. Maybe I'll have to do that with Roger. I think I will do that.
13:05
There you go. Well, it's Mother's Day. You do whatever you want on Mother's Day. Well, beating him would be good. Maybe. Does he ever say things like, oh, I'll just play one handed or something like that, or I'll double your score or something like that? No, but occasionally I'll hear bing, bing, bing, bing in the background. And then I know he's just relaxing or, you know, unwinding. But things have been really weird living in this twilight zone. It's just been really strange. It has been strange. And again, we're all hoping for a vaccine, more testing and keeping the social distancing so that we are safe. Health is everything. It is. It is. You've mentioned a few times about the art studio and how passionate you are for art. Have you ever thought or designed pinball art or a back glass? No, I have not. I don't think I'm that type of an artist. As we talk about art, right now I'm looking at sharpexpressions.com, and of course sharp with an sharp expressions.com and I'm seeing so many talented kids and their pictures too. Look at that. There's Charlotte and Colin Sharp right there with some of theirs. This is pretty impressive. You've got a lot of talented kids. I think we do. I remember when my kids were a little younger and we were talking about art because I loved art as a child and my son would say, I can't draw. Or even, you know, there are games that kids can play. I'm not talking Pictionary, but things like that and they just have no interest because of their fear of drawing. And I obviously can't relate to that. I certainly empathize, but I don't understand it. So what would you suggest to bring out the artistic side in children? Well, we tell them, you know, when they come in, we go over the basic elements of shape as a review before we do the lesson. And these are for the younger beginning children and tell them that there are no mistakes in art. And we learn, you know, as we go on. And because, you know, there are some children who are perfectionists or think that they can't learn. And I've seen over these years, children who started out and you couldn't even make out what they were drawing. And now they're drawing on their own and doing beautiful artwork. They'll never become a famous artist, but it's just, there's so much learning involved in what we do, being kind to yourself and learning how to see and learning about spatial relationships We just have a very nurturing atmosphere at the studio Alan starting out is it easier to use something like color pencils versus markers or watercolors No. We start out with a flare black marker, and we take them step by step so you cannot erase. This is, you know, for the getting ready and the basic classes. And the teacher will ask, let's say it's a bird, and the middle of the eye is a dot. So the teacher will, after going over the elements of shape, what element is in the middle of the eye of the toucan, let's say. And the kids will shout out dot. And the teacher will put it and each student will put it on their drawing paper. And it goes step by step. And then after that, they will color. And so each week there's a different lesson. And as time goes on, they progress. And we've had lifers and some of them have come back to teach. It's been pretty amazing. I'm shocked. Again, I'm on sharpexpressions.com, and I'm looking at the student art gallery. These are all kids. And I was joking with you. Have you ever had any interest about a back glass for pinball machines? I'm looking at a lot of talent here that we could see doing, forget pinball back glass, doing certainly a lot more here. Boy, oh boy. I mean, I'm looking at kids age 11 doing these graphite pictures, and holy cow, what talent. You've got some good students. To be surrounded by this beauty is just so inspiring. I want to thank you very much for coming on Pinball Profile today. Again, happy Mother's Day to you, to your entire family. I hope you have a wonderful day, and I hope you get a lot more people looking at Sharpexpressions.com because you do some great work there. Thank you very much, Jeff. Ellen, I know just some way, somehow, even though I'm talking to you, Roger, this is the longest he hasn't said a word, and he's dying to get in to say something. So, Roger, jump on the phone. We're talking about Mother's Day. We're talking about what a wonderful wife and mother Ellen is. I will give you a chance to say something, so here's your two hours to say that. Go ahead. Wow. How did you know? Did you hear my breathing before? Was that it? I tried to cough into my elbow, which is what we're supposed to do these days. You heard me, didn't you, in the background? I was kind of looming. It was a little violent on the washing of the hands, a little scrubbing too hard, I thought. Well, I mean, admittedly, trying to make certain that Ellen did not say anything that was inappropriate about you being part of the family, or anything else for that matter, but to my marvelous and wonderful wife and the mother of my children, all of my children, I wish her a very, very wonderful and happy and blessed Mother's Day, despite the fact that it's just going to be another day here with me in lockdown and shelter in place. But we'll see if I can't make a nice special dinner for her. I'm sure you'll do wonderful things. And by the way, she said Cyclops. It's not her. Well, it's not her. But I'm sorry to say. All right. Seamus obviously has a thing for Tush, which surprised the heck out of me. But, yes, that is supposed to be Ellen, although definitely from the waist up. And your wife wasn't enough? You had to have another woman on your leg for Sharpshooter? Come on, Roger. Well, yeah. I mean, that was Lee Goldboss' wife.
19:04
The only difference, and I've said it before and we've talked about this, we've joked about it, is Ellen's hand is a little bit further up my thigh. But, you know, originally it was only going to be her. I mean, it was only Grace Kelly with Gary Cooper in High Noon. Come on. There was only one person that was, you know, aching and begging and hoping that he would survive. But suddenly it was like Marilyn Goldboss had to be on the back last tune. It's like, all right, I'll put her over there. No, that's where my daughter's going to go with our cat. Okay. How about here? Yes. Yeah. By the way, nice pickup line, too. I know you've written 20 books, but your next book should be, you know, how to pick up ladies in an elevator. Oh, I'm a copywriter. Smooth, Roger. Real smooth. Yeah, I was holding back for fear of, you know, crying, squeezing, whatever I could. But yeah, you know, what goes up must come down.
20:00
Thank you, Roger. I appreciate that. And again, happy Mother's Day to Alan. Well, definitely. And all my best to you and to everybody else out there. Stay safe and out of harm's way. We'll get through this. Check out more of Roger on Loser Kid Podcast. It's a 12-part series, 42 hours, three questions answered. It's great.
20:22
Oh, God. All right. This has been your Pinball Profile. You can find our group on Facebook. Go to pinballprofile.com for everything you need. Twitter, Instagram, at pinballprofile, emails, pinballprofile at gmail.com. Happy Mother's Day. I'm Jeff Teolas.
20:44
Thank you.