In Part 1 of “The Most Famous Robots That Never Lived” we talked about three of the most influential robots in pop culture history; the T-800 from The Terminator, Rosie from The Jetsons, and the robot from Lost in Space. Today we take a look at four more such robots.
C-3PO and R2D2 from Star Wars
This robotic odd couple brought some comic relief to the epic sci-fi franchise, and in the process became two of the most famous robots in entertainment history. C-3PO is the uptight straight man, while R2 is the zany little guy who only speaks in beeps and whirrs. The two did their part to bring down the Empire, with more than a few great one-liners and classic moments in the process.
KITT from Knight Rider
It is because of this robot that a generation of young boys grew up desperately wanting a talking Pontiac Firebird. The Knight Industries Two Thousand, better known as KITT, was chock full of gadgets to help Michael Knight stop crime in its tracks — and swoop the ladies off their feet.
HAL9000 from 2001, A Space Odyssey
HAL is one of the best movie villains ever, even though he is just an ever-present, all-knowing red eye. He is one of the first film examples of technology gone wrong, of a machine that takes matters — and lives — into its own hands. Though soft spoken and kindly (and a good chess player), HAL has other plans in store for the crew of astronauts venturing to Jupiter.
| This guest post was written by Kellen Graham, part-time robot enthusiast and full-time phlebotomist and whose writing has also appeared on onlineclasses.net. |
the Terminator and robocop are my favorites
Hey MG! The Terminator was spotlighted in part one of the article (the T-800 to be more exact). Robocop will have to be added to the next one!
Nice!