Boilerplate (robot) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Boilerplate |
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Boilerplate and Teddy Roosevelt
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| Publication information | |
| First appearance | Boilerplate website, July 2000 |
| Created by | Paul Guinan |
| In-story information | |
| Species | Robot |
| Partnerships | Professor Archibald Campion |
Boilerplate is a make-believe robot from the late Victorian era and early 20th century. Artist Paul Guinan created him in 2000. Boilerplate first became famous through a fake history website. Now, he appears in books and other places.
Contents
How Boilerplate Was Created
Boilerplate first appeared on a website made by Paul Guinan in 2000. This website showed a detailed history of an amazing robot. This robot was supposedly built in the late 1800s. The site included "old photos" that looked real. In these photos, Boilerplate (who was actually a 12-inch toy model) was seen with famous people. These included Teddy Roosevelt and Pancho Villa.
An Unintentional Hoax
Guinan noticed that some people thought the website's stories were true. This made his project an accidental trick. He then decided to make the character seem even more real. He worked hard to make sure the real historical events mentioned were accurate.
In an interview from 2002, Guinan explained his feelings: "I was happy I reached my goal," he said. "I made this seem real, and people believed it. That's a success!" He added, "But as someone who loves history, I feel I must tell the true story. So I felt bad that some people were tricked. It was a mix of feelings."
Guinan also shared his thoughts: "I thought, if I got this reaction without really trying, what would happen if I really tried?"
Guinan guessed that about one-third of the website's visitors believed the fake history was real. Even comedian Chris Elliott thought the Boilerplate story was an old trick from the 1800s. He even put the character in one of his books.
Guinan later made his website bigger. It became The History of Robots in the Victorian Era. This new site showed other "robots from the turn of the century," both real and imagined.
Boilerplate's Fictional Adventures
Boilerplate was supposedly built by Professor Archibald Campion in the 1880s. He was first shown at the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago.
Heroic Deeds
Boilerplate had many exciting adventures. On a trip to the Antarctic, he saved his team members. He moved huge ice floes by himself, clearing a path for their ship.
Boilerplate was designed to "prevent the deaths of men in the conflicts of nations." He bravely charged into battles during the Spanish–American War and the Boxer Rebellion. Campion and his robot also traveled around the world with the U.S. Navy. They even made silent movies and met famous people like Mark Twain and Nikola Tesla.
Disappearance and Sightings
Boilerplate was also active in First World War. He disappeared during the rescue of Major Whittlesey's Lost Battalion. Some people think the Germans captured him to study. Supporters of this idea point out that German military technology improved greatly between the two world wars. This included guided rockets, experimental jets, and advanced tanks. After World War II, Boilerplate was seen many times, often in Chicago.
Boilerplate in Books and Movies
Boilerplate has appeared in many different types of media.
- Paul Guinan and his wife Anina Bennett wrote a book together. It's called Boilerplate: History's Mechanical Marvel. This book tells the story of Boilerplate's 25 years of adventures. It also covers how he influenced popular culture. The book was published in October 2009. Guinan and Bennett also worked on the comic book Heartbreakers. A special comic called "Heartbreakers Meet Boilerplate" (2005) also featured Boilerplate. It was even nominated for an Eisner Award.
- Boilerplate is a character in Chris Elliott's 2005 novel The Shroud of the Thwacker. This book is a funny historical thriller. Elliott mistakenly thought the Boilerplate website was an old trick from the 1800s. He used parts of the website in his book. He didn't realize it was still protected by copyright. After being told about the copyright issue, Elliott and Guinan made an agreement. Boilerplate could be used in the book. In return, Guinan would get a part of Elliott's earnings and credit in future editions.
- Boilerplate is on the cover of the 2008 EP Sad Robots by the Canadian band Stars. He also appeared on merchandise for their 2008–9 tour.
- Paramount Pictures has bought the rights to make a Boilerplate movie. It will be produced by J. J. Abrams and his company, Bad Robot.
