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Rare 1897 Film Features Cinema's First Robot Discovery

2/28/2026

49 10 Full Breakdown

Summary

Story summary

The Library of Congress has rediscovered the film 'Gugusse et l'Automate' by Georges Méliès, French filmmaker, dating to 1897.
The 45-second film depicts a magician named Gugusse controlling a child-sized robot that grows to adult size.
Gugusse retaliates with a hammer, reducing the robot back to its original size.
The film is believed to be the first robot depiction in cinema and was found in Michigan among Bill McFarland's films.

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Story summary

The Library of Congress has rediscovered the film 'Gugusse et l'Automate' by Georges Méliès, French filmmaker, dating to 1897.
The 45-second film depicts a magician named Gugusse controlling a child-sized robot that grows to adult size.
Gugusse retaliates with a hammer, reducing the robot back to its original size.
The film is believed to be the first robot depiction in cinema and was found in Michigan among Bill McFarland's films.