Peggi was the first graphic artist hired by Mattel Electronics to work on Intellivision. Previously, programmers were expected to develop their own artwork for their games. It quickly became obvious, however, that some programmers were better at graphics and animation than others. These pixel-savvy programmers would spend so much time helping others with artwork that their own games would fall behind schedule. In 1982, the company finally started hiring specialists. Peggi was the first; she provided the graphics for the Intellivision version of Lock 'N' Chase, the map of Europe in the Intellivoice game B-17 Bomber, and many others.

David designed and programmed Game Factory for the Intellivision Entertainment Computer System module. Game Factory incorporated several of the actual software tools used by the game designers to develop graphics and sounds, allowing the player to feel what it was like to create an Intellivision game. Unfortunately, David finished Game Factory the same week that Mattel shut down Intellivision production in January 1984. The game remained unseen by the public until the release of the Intellivision Rocks collection in 2001. [You can order Intellivision Rocks here on our web site.]

In addition to programming, David is an actor. He appeared as Tom Cruise's drug dealer in the film Minority Report and as one of the pirates in the live-action opening of The Spongebob Squarepants Movie. He recently achieved what may be the geek pinacle for a programmer/actor: he was turned into an audio-animatronic robot for Disneyland's Tom Sawyer's Island. His voice and likeness are used for the shackled pirate in Dead Man's Grotto.

If you're in the Los Angeles area, come see David appearing in The Grapes of Wrath, Saturdays and Sundays at the Knightsbridge Theatre now through November 23. For more information go to knightsbridgetheatre.com.

P.S. And a happy belated birthday to Vickie Dahlgren (Oct. 1), Executive Secretary to Intellivision Director Don Daglow and later to Vice President Gabriel Baum. We love you, Vickie!

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