Don't worry about having to memorize the phrase, "Klaatu barada nikto," in Kevin Hardy's house, because Gort isn't there.
Not that Hardy wouldn't pounce on the chance to place a bid if Gort ever showed up at auction. But a toy version of the Earth-destroying robot from "The Day the Earth Stood Still" didn't come out until 2008 remake of the original 1951 film.
And that version is a vinyl action figure, which doesn't match up to the antique metal Japanese toy robots in Hardy's collection.
An antique toy reproduction of Robby the Robot is the most recognizable robot in Kevin Hardy's collection. The original robot was introduced to moviegoing audiences in the 1956 sci-fi movie, 'Forbidden Planet.'
That's one of the most important characteristics in Japanese antique toy robot collecting — they must be made of metal.
"I have a Robby the Robot from the movie, 'Forbidden Planet,'" Hardy said. "Gort from 'The Day the Earth Stood Still' would be the other most recognizable robot from that era, but there aren't any toy robot Gorts from that time."
He's right. Most sci-fi fans and fans of old movies would recognize the robot who could shoot a single ray from his eyes to destroy the earth. That's why it's important to memorize the phrase, "Klaatu barada nikto," which automatically shuts Gort down.
Kevin Hardy of Watson has collected 31 antique Japanese tin toy robots so far. He's found most of them on auction sites, and most of them were still packed in their original boxes.
But there's no need for that with Robby the Robot, who is an ally to explorer Dr. Morbius, who lands his C57-D spacecraft on the planet Altair IV, which turns out to be the forbidden planet for which the 1956 movie is named.
Robby is the star of Hardy's 31-piece collection, which were made between 1949 and the late 1960s, the time when Japan was recuperating from atomic bomb destruction and fallout while reemerging in the industrial world.
Japan's movies also reflected this experience. After all, only the Atomic Age could conjure Godzilla from his deep sea haven. It also jump started the string of futuristic movies where humans cohabitate with robots in space.
The oldest piece in Watson resident Kevin Hardy's antique Japanese tin toy robot collection is this robot manufactured in 1949.
Miniature versions of the on-screen robots, along with others who were inspired by the times, share the Watson home of Hardy and his wife, Sheila.
Hardy is an experienced collector but has been collecting these robots only for a year — purchasing most of them in online auctions and displaying them in a glassed cabinet in his living room.
Why antique toy robots? As Hardy explains, the collection is part of a journey that began with his collection of antique toys.
Watson resident Kevin Hardy calls up an old catalog advertisement on his iPad showing that this antique Japanese tin toy robot was priced at $2.98 when it first hit the market in 1957.
"I have been collecting antique toys my entire adult life," he said. "My dad was a collector, and I have always been interested in robots. I've always been aware of them and admired them, but it's not an inexpensive hobby."
Hardy isn't kidding.
When he decides to pursue a hobby, he's invested, as in totally committed. He collected pedal cars for a while and restored each to mint condition. He also collected classic bicycles at one time, along with petroleum toys.
Kevin Hardy operates the ray gun robot from his antique Japanese tin toy robot collection on the dining room table in his Watson home. The robot is one of 31 in his collection, which he continues to grow. Staff video by Robin Miller
"I restored a Mustang," he said. "And I played guitar, so I've bought and sold expensive guitars. I'm just saying I've always had so much invested in other things that I couldn't just dabble in robots. I've been retired for a couple of years — so about a year ago, I started collecting robots."
Most of the robots in Kevin Hardy's antique Japanese tin toy robot collection came packed in the original boxes in which they were sold. He displays the boxes on a separate shelf in his Watson home.
After Hardy retired from a communications job for Shell in Geismar, the robots were beckoning him.
He was already familiar with the years and models of each, and he knew which ones he'd like to have in his collection.
"So, I had a head start," Hardy said. "Before long, I had my collection. As of yesterday, I have 31. It's not a large one, and I don't have any extremely rare robots, but I do have a very representative collection."
Kevin Hardy has 31 robots so far in his antique Japanese tin toy robot collection. The robots' manufacturing dates range from 1949 to 1969.
Hardy has his eye on future models while restoring his current models to working condition.
Most of his robots are animated. Some light up, others can move across the floor and one raises and shoots a Flash Gordon-like laser gun.
Technically, they're tin toy robots, all manufactured in post-war Japan between 1949 and 1969 to be sold in the United States.
Prices vary according to rarity and working condition with collectors paying anywhere from $200 to more than $100,000 for a collectible toy robot.
Kevin Hardy of Watson began collecting antique Japanese tin toy robots a year ago. So far, he has 31 robots in his collection, most of them pu…
"A Japanese tin robot recently sold at auction for $159,000," Hardy said. "There are many other examples of these toys commanding five figure prices at auction. You won't be surprised to learn that no toy in my collection is quite that valuable, but I do have some well-preserved and desirable examples."
An antique Japanese tin toy reproduction of Robby the Robot from the 1956 sci-fi classic, 'Forbidden Planet,' walks across Kevin Hardy's dining room table in Watson. Most of the robots are mechanically animated and are in mint working condition.
Also figuring into the price range is whether or not robots are still stored in their original boxes. Most of Hardy's robots were sold in their original boxes, which he neatly stacks on a shelf in a neighboring room.
"If I left them in the boxes, I couldn't fit them all in the case," he said. "So, I display them separately."
Hardy removes a few robots from the cabinet, where his robots stand in rows on glass shelves. Some, the previous owners said, were not in working condition, but Hardy proved them wrong.
All it took was some cleaning and a little bit of tweaking, and the robots' glass helmets began lighting up as they walked.
This antique Japanese tin toy robot is ready to launch into space in his personal space ship. It is part of Watson resident Kevin Hardy's collection of toy robots.
The ray gun robot still lifts his supersonic weapon to obliterate enemies blocking his path. Two flaps open on the chest of his fellow robot to reveal a double barrel ray gun that shoots as he spins in circles.
The ray gun robot has a human face peering from behind the plastic in his helmet, which is one of the few places plastic will be found on these toys. His entire configuration could be a precursor to the main character of the 1987 film, "RoboCop."
In fact, Hardy's collection has a few smaller, stumpy robots that are obvious ancestors to "Star Wars'" R2D2.
But pop culture references aren't the robots only appeal to collectors.
Collectors can pay anywhere from $200 to hundreds of thousands of dollars for antique Japanese tin toy robots. Value is determined according to rarity and condition. Though Kevin Hardy's collection doesn't include the rarest of robots, it is a good representative collection of the genre.
"They've long been attractive to collectors for a variety of reasons," Hardy said. "For one, they're aesthetically pleasing — in fact, many of the colorfully lithographed models are downright beautiful."
They're also conceptually and mechanically sophisticated.
"They're also emblematic of Japan's economic recovery and industrial resurgence after World War II," Hardy said. "They capture the spirit and imagination of the early Space Age and worldwide popular culture obsession with science fiction in the 1950s and early 1960s."
Which circles the conversation back to Hardy's most recognizable robot, Robby. For those who have never seen the campy sci-fi classic, "Forbidden Planet," try watching some episodes of the old "Lost in Space" series.
The robot in that series resembles Robby. Still, Robby has his own personality, and when Hardy flips a switch, the toy robot lights up, then walks.
The movie version of Robby had a personality and dry wit who adhered to a creed of not harming or killing humans — a creed that would later pop up in the 2004 film version of Isaac Asimov's "I Robot."
But Gort, well, he wasn't downloaded with such a creed. And though Gort isn't among Hardy's collection, it's still tempting to say, "Klaatu barada nikto," before walking out the front door.
Just in case.