This CBS sitcom featured USAF Base Psychiatrist Dr Robert “Bob” McDonald (Bob Cummings) who found himself in charge of Rhoda (Julie Newmar) – a beautiful extremely lifelike female robot built by his friend Dr Carl Miller (Henry Beckman) for a U.S. space project called ‘Project Orion’.
Rhoda’s real name was AF 709, and Bob’s job was to teach “her” how to be a perfect woman while keeping her identity secret from the world – especially lecherous neighbour, physicist Dr Peter Robinson (Jack Mullaney), who had fallen in love with Rhoda.
On her back were four small birthmarks, each of which acted as an emergency control button. Her main ‘off’ switch was located in her right elbow, and her eyes provided a source of power obtained from light (covering her eyes caused a system relaxation).
Her microscopic sensors kept her body temperature at a constant 98.6 degrees, making her immune to cold. Rhoda’s memory bank contained 50 million items of information, and her computer brain could compute any piece of programmed information in one second.
Bob passed Rhoda off as Dr Miller’s niece. At the office, she was Bob’s secretary – typing a flawless 240 words per minute.
At home (an apartment at 5600 Wilshire Boulevard), where Bob lived with his sister, Irene Adams (Doris Dowling), Rhoda was a patient who required special attention and was living with them until she could function on her own.
Bob was a ladies’ man and his favourite eatery was the Galaxy Club in Los Angeles.
When Bob Cummings left the series in 1965 (because he and Newmar could not get on) his character was written out of the series. In the storyline, Dr McDonald was transferred to Pakistan to join Dr Miller.
Peter, who had accidentally discovered that Rhoda was a robot, took over as her caretaker and instructor.
Dr Robert (Bob) McDonald Bob Cummings
Rhoda Miller (AF709)
Julie Newmar Dr Carl Miller
Henry Beckman
Irene Adams
Doris Dowling
Dr Peter Robinson
Jack Mullaney Dr Foster
Jan Arvan
At home (an apartment at 5600 Wilshire Boulevard), where Bob lived with his sister, Irene Adams (Doris Dowling), Rhoda was a patient who required special attention and was living with them until she could function on her own.
Dr Robert (Bob) McDonald
