Created for the science fiction film Forbidden Planet, Robbie the Robot went on to star in a ton of movies, TV shows, commercials and other media. I mean this robot is everywhere. I daresay you won't find a celebrity living or dead who's made more cameos than Robbie. I looked him up on IMdB and their list is not anywhere near complete. For example, I know he was on the "Perry Como Show" (1956), but this isn't listed on his filmography. So exactly how many times has Robbie popped up on print and screen? I don't think anyone can really say.Before Robbie the Robot was on "The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis" (1959) as seen on the right, he originated on Forbidden Planet and followed up with its sequel The Invisible Boy. Below is a publicity shot of Robbie opposite co-star Anne Francis.
From Forbidden Planet on, Robbie enjoyed appearance after appearance in both print and screen. He made several appearances on "Lost in Space" and "The Twilight Zone". In addition, he made cameos on "Columbo", "Mork & Mindy", and "The Addam's Family".
Robbie is in the films Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace (he's in Watto's junk shop), Gremlins, Earth Girls Are Easy, and Cherry 2000. He's been on "Wonder Woman", "The Banana Splits", "Hazel", "The Man from U.N.C.L.E", "The Simpsons" and even "Stacked" in 2005. Robbie also made a cameo alongside Mr. Whipple in a Charmin commercial. My God, Robbie's taste for the limelight is unquenchable!
Also, Robbie commonly pops up in the background as in The Phantom Menace. Audiences often don't realize that he's even there. Exhibit A: Marvel’s Strikeforce Morituri #7 (June 1987). Can you spot our boy Robbie?
Little known facts: (1) there was a Robbie the Robot Dog comic book character (but Robbie claims no relation), and (2) Robbie the Robot was voiced by the same guy who did Aquaman on Superfriends.
And on a final note: there was a robot that landed on Gilligan's Island, but believe it or not, it was actually not Robbie.
