1939 – Clarence the Radio Robot – Austin Huhn (American)

Above: Popular Science Aug 1940.  Below: Radio-Craft Oct 1939 extract from Radio-Craft Oct 39. Clarence.  RADIO ROBOT Something new! A completely self-contained robot which operates within 150 ft. of a remote control unit. Oscillators—very similar to the currently popular " 'wireless' phono oscillator" supply control signals. by AUSTIN HUHN "CLARENCE," the "Man of Tomorrow," last month …

1938 – Big Looie – Patrick & Paul Rizzo (American)

News-Palladium 20 Jan 1938 Charlie McCarthy Has Rival—It's Big Looie Detroit-Built Robot Can Walk, Talk And Play An Accordion; He's 6 feet Tall And Wears Size 16 Shoes. DETROIT, Jan. 20—Two Detroit auto mechanics announced today they had produced a mechanical man that will put Charlie McCarthy in the minor leagues. Big Looie is his …

1937 – Elektro – Joseph M. Barnett (American)

    Colour photo of Elektro at the 1939-40 World's Fair held in New York.   ELEKTRO- "the Moto-Man This 260-lb. mechanical man at the New York World's Fair 1939 walks, talks, smokes, and selects colors! His anatomy includes an "electric eye," 48 relays, 11 motors, a microphone, grid-glow tube, and amplifiers. THIS mighty automaton …

1937 – “Machine-Man”, the Budapest Robot – László Zelenka and Sándor Bortnyik (Hungarian)

The Budapest Robot at the International Fair 1937. Above image source: Robots: Facts, Fiction and Prediction. I haven't been able to find any relevant text to this robot, but it appears to be able to detect an audience (via photo-electric cells in its eyes?), stand using motors in the base guided by the geometry of …

1936 – Mechanical Man – Dept. of Labour (American)

Mechanical Man Exhibit    Original caption: the American Negro Exposition, being held in Chicago's Coliseum, is a regular World's Fair for the people of the Negro race, who have crowded the large halls with exhibits on religion, music, sports, science, industry, art, and the stage. Maudelle Bousfield, of Chicago, and Samuel Evans are shown viewing …