Chess computers in popular culture

[Robert Weck]

I have one too: The famous Novag Robot Adversary can be seen in Rod Stewart's Video "Baby Jane" from 1983 (who would expect a chess computer in a music video? ) and also in the movie "Sneakers" (with Robert Redford, Dan Akroyd and Sidney Poitier)


regards,
Robert

[JuLieN]

In the 14th episode of the 5th season of the Outer Limits program (2000), the mad scientist is playing on his PowerBook against a chess program I can't identify (it looks a bit like ChessMaster maybe?):



A closer look to the program, in another scene:


Can someone identify this mysterious program?

[Jouni]

Is New York Ripper from 1982 mentioned? Probably not! It's very infamous movie see http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0084719/. One of the leads is playing Chess Challenger and says "you are playing in fixed patterns!". Fortunately we are saved from standard check + mate thing..

[JuLieN]

Good finding by Steven!

A dramatic portrayal of an early chess computer:

I was not quite eleven years old when this episode of Mission Impossible was first broadcast in 1968, yet somehow I remember much of it. Here is the version dubbed in German: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DpI8SbbzrSE

Can you identify any of the electronic equipment props, or any of the chess game scores?

[JuLieN]

Here's a comic strips from the 60ies. It's from Gaston Lagaffe (lit. Gaston Theblunder), by the Belgian genius André Franquin:


Square 1:
Fantasio : what's this new crazy object, Gaston ?
Gaston: Fantastic, isn't it ? I bought it at the antiques fair! It's an automaton that plays chess!!

Square 2:
Fantasio: Really? Let's see about that!!
Gaston: it's really strong, the vendor said...

Square 3:
Fantasio: I played. Well, what will the champion do?
Gaston: It's said it always win!

Square 5:
Gaston: See? See??


I also saw a young genius boy play a game of chess against Robby the robot (yes, the same as in the movie), in Columbo's 6th episode of the third season : "Mind Over Mayhem". (1974)