Get 40% Off
🤯 This Tech Portfolio is up 29% YTD! Join Now to Get April’s Top PicksGet The Picks – Just 99 USD

'Forbidden Planet' robot sets price record for movie prop sold at auction

Published 11/21/2017, 07:37 PM
Updated 11/21/2017, 07:37 PM
© Reuters. Robbie the Robot, the prop robot used in the 1956 science fiction movie Forbidden Planet, is pictured in this handout photo

© Reuters. Robbie the Robot, the prop robot used in the 1956 science fiction movie Forbidden Planet, is pictured in this handout photo

(Reuters) - "Robby the Robot," the seven-foot tall creature featured in the 1956 science fiction film "Forbidden Planet," sold at auction for $5.375 million, a record for a movie prop, a New York auction house said on Tuesday.

Bonhams, which conducted the auction, said the price beat the previous prop record of $4 million for the 12-inch falcon statue in the Humphrey Bogart classic "The Maltese Falcon" and topped the $4.6 million for the white dress worn by Marilyn Monroe in "The Seven Year Itch."

"Robby the Robot is one of those symbols of American culture that is embedded in our DNA," Catherine Williamson, director of entertainment memorabilia at Bonhams, said in a statement.

Robby, with a glass dome head and functioning limbs that included legs that look like stacked bowling balls, is a devoted servant to Professor Morbius. The robot stole scenes in the movie "Forbidden Planet" with his dry sense of humor and body parts that light up when he speaks.

The three-piece prop was built at a cost of about $100,000, which, adjusted for inflation, would be nearly $1 million today.

© Reuters. Robbie the Robot, the prop robot used in the 1956 science fiction movie Forbidden Planet, is pictured in this handout photo

The name of the buyer was not released.

Latest comments

Risk Disclosure: Trading in financial instruments and/or cryptocurrencies involves high risks including the risk of losing some, or all, of your investment amount, and may not be suitable for all investors. Prices of cryptocurrencies are extremely volatile and may be affected by external factors such as financial, regulatory or political events. Trading on margin increases the financial risks.
Before deciding to trade in financial instrument or cryptocurrencies you should be fully informed of the risks and costs associated with trading the financial markets, carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite, and seek professional advice where needed.
Fusion Media would like to remind you that the data contained in this website is not necessarily real-time nor accurate. The data and prices on the website are not necessarily provided by any market or exchange, but may be provided by market makers, and so prices may not be accurate and may differ from the actual price at any given market, meaning prices are indicative and not appropriate for trading purposes. Fusion Media and any provider of the data contained in this website will not accept liability for any loss or damage as a result of your trading, or your reliance on the information contained within this website.
It is prohibited to use, store, reproduce, display, modify, transmit or distribute the data contained in this website without the explicit prior written permission of Fusion Media and/or the data provider. All intellectual property rights are reserved by the providers and/or the exchange providing the data contained in this website.
Fusion Media may be compensated by the advertisers that appear on the website, based on your interaction with the advertisements or advertisers.
© 2007-2024 - Fusion Media Limited. All Rights Reserved.