Robots of: the 1950s (A Gallery)

The robots of the 1950s  cinema were generally imposing, huge, terrifying, and of humanoid build.  If you encountered these metal men, you knew to be scared, or at least intimidated.  Robby was a happy exception.

Identified by Hugh: The Day The Earth Stood Still

Identified by Hugh: Robot Monster.

Identified by SGB: Devil Girl of Mars.

Identified by Ponch: Tobor the Great.

Identified by Ponch: Gigantor

Identified by Ponch; Target Earth.

Identified by Hugh: Forbidden Planet.

Identified by Hugh: Kronos.

Identified by SGB: The Mysterians.

Identified by Hugh: Colossus of New York.

Robots of: The 1960s (A Gallery)

The great decade of the Space Age -- the 1960's -- is also the great age of TV robots, in particular.

This epoch brought us multiple "guest appearances" by Robby the Robot on The Twilight Zone (1959-1963), and introduced us to many more mechanical friends, including the Jetsons' maid, Rosie, and the "bubble headed booby" from Lost in Space (1965-1968).

Identified by Hugh: The Twilight Zone

Identified by Hugh: The Jetsons

Identified by Hugh: Fireball XL5

Identified by Hugh: The Twilight Zone.

Identified by Hugh: The Outer Limits

Identified by Hugh: Lost in Space.

Identified by Hugh: Doctor Who.

Identified by Hugh: Frankenstein Jr.

Identified by Hugh: Doctor Who.

Identified by Hugh: Star Trek

Identified by SGB: King Kong Escapes

Identified by Hugh: Star Trek

13

Robots of: 2000 - 2009 (A Gallery)

The robots of film and television from the span 2000 - 2009 see a return, in large part, to the cute robots of the immediate post-Star Wars (1977) era.  The greatest and most unforgettable robot of this period is the Little Tramp himself, or a robot corollary: Wall-E.

There were still some murderous robots featured during this span, for certain, but by and large, the robots of this time period -- even when menacing -- were also cute.

Identified by Hugh: Red Planet (AMEE)

Identified by Hugh: Lara Croft, Tomb Raider.

Identified by Hugh: A.I.

Identified by Hugh: Minority Report.

Identified by Hugh: Treasure Planet.

Identified by Hugh: I, Robot.

Identified by Hugh: Robots.

Identified by Hugh: Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith.

Identified by Hugh: Transformers.

Identified by Hugh: Meet the Robinsons.

Identified by Hugh: Wall-E.

Identified by Hugh: The Day the Earth Stood Still (Gort)

14

Robots of the 1990s: A Gallery

Pound for pound, it seems like 1990s cinema and TV series did not feature many robots, at least in comparison to the seventies and eighties. 

Robots guest starred on episodes of the ascendant Star Trek franchise infrequently, and old designs, like the Lost in Space robot, or Mecha-Godzilla, were re-booted for a new age.

Still, some amazing robots appeared for the first time in the 1990s, including the (animated) Iron Giant, and the new droids of the Old Republic Age, in The Phantom Menace (1999).

Identified by David: Hardware (Mark 13)

Identified by Hugh: Robocop 2

Not Identified: Robot Jox

Identified by Hugh: Star Trek: The Next Generation "Quality of Life" (Exocomps)

Identified by SGB: Alien 3 (Bishop)

Identified by David: MechaGodzilla.

Identified by Hugh: Earth 2

Identified by Hugh: Space Precinct

Identified by Hugh: Star Trek Voyager: "Prototype."

Identified by Hugh: Alien Resurrection (Call)

Identified by Hugh: Lost in Space (1998)

Identified by Hugh: The Iron Giant

Identified by Hugh: Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace (1999)/Battle Droids