There was a segment on "How it's Made" about Vitale Tables. Peter Vitale tables were used in the movie "Kiss Shot" starring Whoopi Goldberg. I happen to own one of the tables from the movie with original shipping label on it from Vitale to the movie set @ the Fairmont Hotel.
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That's sweet! I'd like to see that table.
Rob.M
Does anyone know if there is a printed story or video about Peter Vitalie pool tables and why did they go out of business?
Gil and Andee Atkisson founded the Peter Vitale company in the late 70s. Peter Vitale had been a mentor to Gil when he was a young up and coming pool player in Southern California. Gil went on to own a nice poolroom in Anaheim before getting into the pool table business.
Andee used to design one very special table to be displayed at the BCA trade show every year. One of them had elephant head legs carved out of wood. Each year her table was the most unique and beautiful on display there.
In the Peter Vitale tournament staged in Los Angeles (yours truly was TD) in 1987, the tables had 4" deep cut pockets and gave all the players fits. To this day they were by far the most difficult pool tables to play on I've ever seen in any tournament. Gil and I discussed this prior to the event and I had suggested he make the tables play tough. He went over the top in that department.
You could actually hang a ball so deep in the corner pocket that if the cue ball was on the rail you couldn't make the ball! You couldn't see it! There is a video from this event available on my website and you can see for yourself how tough they were.
Gil and Andee had a life long love affair and when Gil died a few years back, Andee also passed away shortly after. They are together now for an eternity. :thumbup2:
Does anyone know the cushion profile for a Peter Vitalie table?
I own one with 760 Simonis and superspeed cushions that plays pretty well, but feel it could play better. Thinking about having Artemis cushions installed.