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In this answer, the Robot on the Jupiter II is stated to have the name B9. This seems common knowledge among viewers and fans and is generally accepted as fact. In the Lost in Space pilot and first episode ("The Reluctant Stowaway"), the Robot is described merely as an environmental robot. No name or designation is given.

Throughout the series the Robinsons and Don West call him just "The Robot," or "Robot." (And we all know what wonderful names Doctor Smith made up for him!)

But where, in the series, is the Robot's name of B9 stated, either at all, or with any degree of authority? And if it is not stated in the series, where did the name B9 come from?

Additional: If you have clear proof the Robot was not intended to have a name, or that a name other than B9 was intended by the producers, that would be accepted.

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  • iann.net/lis/behindscenes/props/scripts/images/script_005.jpg - The script calls him "Robot".
    – Valorum
    Aug 10, 2015 at 18:41
  • I always remembered the robot as Robbie.
    – CodeMed
    Aug 10, 2015 at 19:04
  • 4
    @CodeMed: Wrong robot. Totally wrong robot.
    – Tango
    Aug 10, 2015 at 19:12
  • @Richard: Are you going to turn that into an answer?
    – Tango
    Aug 10, 2015 at 19:13
  • @Tango - It doesn't answer the question asked. At best, it's supplementary info.
    – Valorum
    Aug 10, 2015 at 19:18

2 Answers 2

6

According to dubious IMDB trivia.

The Robot was never verbally named on-screen. Irwin Allen reputedly liked Rodney as its moniker, whilst an intriguing hint can be seen in Lost in Space: The Time Merchant (1968), where the Robot's shipping crate is stamped "General Utility Non-Theorizing Environmental ROBOT" (capitals highlighted in red) suggesting that the machine's name was Gunter. It referred to itself with the above title (adding "Control" before Robot) during the second season.

In The Ghost Planet (1966) the Robot says:

Robot Model B9, designed and computerized as a mechanized electronic aid for Earth voyagers engaged in astral expeditions.

Toymakers and others took this to mean the Robot's name was "B9" (or benign).

enter image description here

Controversially, the Robot introduces itself in The Colonists (1967) as

"I am a Robot of the Class M3"

This lead to other toy makers to label him as M3 ( or YM-3)

enter image description here

And still others felt it was safer to just call him ROBOT

enter image description here

2
  • Other than Rodney and GUNTER (which I've always liked), do you have anything to indicate there was any intended "official" name from the producers?
    – Tango
    Aug 10, 2015 at 17:41
  • I felt best going with this answer because it includes more information than the other, since it includes extra information, like the name G.U.N.T.E.R. and Irwin Allen's nickname for the Robot (as well as the toys).
    – Tango
    Aug 17, 2015 at 7:45
8

The robot identified itself as such in episode S02E03 "The Ghost Planet".

When asked to identify itself by the Supreme Prototype, the robot responded with his full model and assignment:

LEADER: Identify yourself.

WILL: I'm Will Robinson.

LEADER: Silence! Only the robot. The Earth creature will remain at attention.

LEADER: Repeat. Identify yourself.

B-9: Robot, model B-9, designed and computerized as a mechanized electronic aid for Earth voyagers engaged in astral expeditions.

LEADER: Do you know who I am?

B-9: Affirmative. The supreme prototype of all cybernetic aids.

LEADER: Correction. The supreme prototype is not an aid. He does not obey commands. He ISSUES them.

As far as I know, this is the only time the name "B-9" was ever actually used on-screen. It quickly stuck with fans, however, and the robot has been known as B-9 ever since.

Note: Later in the same season, the robot identified itself as a Class M-3 robot. While this appears to conflict with the B-9 statement, it may not be a contradiction if the terms "class" and "model" refer to two different things. It should be noted that the response above (B-9) was when the robot was asked to identify itself as an individual. The "Class M-3 robot" response was to the question "What are you?" in episode S02E25 "The Colonists".


Update: After reviewing several interviews with cast & crew, it seems that the official "on-set" reference to the character was indeed simply "The Robot". Actor Jonathan Harris (Dr. Smith) refers to him as "the nameless idiot" in one interview, while Actor Bob May (The Robot) refers to him as "the B-9 robot" several times in his interview with KAOS 2000 Magazine in 2000.

2
  • I've wondered about this - I couldn't remember the episode, but he's specifying a model number, not necessarily a name. Do you have anything else that may indicate the producers intended this as an actual name?
    – Tango
    Aug 10, 2015 at 17:39
  • @Tango: I'll keep looking but AFAIK this one episode and S02E35 (where he said M-3 class) are the only two instances of any kind of name. I think this one stuck because the Cybernetic Leader specifically asked him to identify himself, and this was his response. The "Class M-3 robot" response was to the question "What are you?".
    – Omegacron
    Aug 10, 2015 at 17:45

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