1959 – "DUHAB" (Detector of Undesirable HABitués) by Lawrence Lipton / Bill Riola. Photograph caption dated December 5, 1960 reads, "Electronic Cat Detects Subversives for Beatniks. Duhab accompanies poet-author Lawrence Lipton to weed out undesirables." Image source: The Los Angeles Public Library. Lawrence Lipton was talking to the Valley College Writer's Club. Source: The beatnik …
Read More “1959 – “DUHAB” – Lawrence Lipton / Bill Riola (American)”
1957 – "Mr. Fantastic" Ushering Robot by Andy Frain Jr.. A tape recorder replays the ushering commentary via a speaker in 'his' chest. 'His' right toe has a sensor that counts the passing crowd. An interesting anecdote about Andy Frain, Jr. Source: The San Bernardino County, May 21 1954. Runs $1 Million Firm His Pay: …
Read More “1957 – “Mr. Fantastic” Robot – Andy Frain Jr. (American)”
From the "Captain Video" TV serial, the "I, Tobor" episodes starting the week of November 2, 1953. Tobor (played by 7' 6" Dave Ballard) was a prototype robot designed to be a tireless worker and indestructible soldier. It bore the inscription "I-TOBOR" (a reversed image of ROBOT-I) on its chest plate. Tobor's body featured a …
Read More “1953 – Tobor the Robot – Dave Ballard (American)”
1903 – La Motogirl – Doris Chertney [Chertsey?] / Frederic Melville. Image and text source: here. Belle Epoque Violin Playing Robot, circa 1905 In the French newspaper Le Gaulois, #9558, there is a notice of the appearance, on December 15th, 1903?, at 8:30 PM at the Olympia Theater in Paris, of La Motogirl. Now, we …
Read More “1903 – La Motogirl – Doris Chertney / Frederic Melville (American)”
To Stanley….From Mille Merragan & Shrozo 4/5/1920. Thanks to Valeria and her Retro Geek Girl website for the larger image to one I referenced in my Enigmarelle post here. Any further information on "Shrozo" most welcomed. There was a spate of living automatons appearing over a similar period of time having similar names -see Moto Phroso, Moto …
Read More “1920 – Shrozo the Robot Girl – (English?)”