A ten-year-old boy and Robby the Robot team up to prevent a supercomputer from controlling the Earth from a satellite.
Edmund Cooper’s original short story made no mention of a robot, but, following the success of Forbidden Planet(1956), producer Nicholas Nayfack persuaded Cyril Hume to rework it as a vehicle for Robby the Robot.
The parallel between young Timmie Merrinoe (Richard Eyer) being groomed for greatness by his scientist father (Philip Abbott), and Robby’s rebellion against the megalomaniac supercomputer is neatly drawn.
But younger viewers will be more interested in Robby and Timmie’s invisible antics (designed to teach his folks a lesson) than any cornball moralising.
Timmie Merrinoe
Richard Eyer Dr Tom Merrinoe
Philip Abbott Mary Merrinoe
Diane Brewster General Swayne
Harold J. Stone Prof. Frank Allerton
Robert H. Harris Colonel Macklin
Dennis McCarthy Robby
Robby the Robot Robby (voice)
Marvin Miller Arthur Kelvaney
Alexander Lockwood Prof. Baine
John O’Malley Dr Bannerman
Gage Clarke Prof. Zeller
Than Wyenn Prof. Foster
Jefferson Dudley Searles
Director
Herman Hoffman
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A ten-year-old boy and Robby the Robot team up to prevent a supercomputer from controlling the Earth from a satellite.
But younger viewers will be more interested in Robby and Timmie’s invisible antics (designed to teach his folks a lesson) than any cornball moralising.
