Robby the Robot - Tin Toy c.2008

Date Uploaded: 9 Feb 2009

Average Rating: 4 out of 5 (2 ratings)

Reproduction Robby the Robot - "Mechanical Planet Robot" Distributed by Schylling MS430 - Barcode 1964921495 - purchased at the Metropolitan Museum of Art ,New York, March 2008

Robby the Robot is a 7-foot, 2-inch tall mechanical suit designed for an actor to wear, to play the part of a robot. It was originally designed for the 1956 MGM movie Forbidden Planet,[1] and quickly became a science fiction movie and television icon.

As Forbidden Planet was inspired by Shakespeare's play The Tempest, Robby's character was inspired by Ariel, the sprite in the play. An important feature of Robby was an unalterable command that he was not to inflict fatal harm upon human beings. This comes into play near the end of the film, where Robby is commanded to kill the monster, but cannot do so because it comprehends that the monster is an alter ego or extension of Dr. Morbius.