Tony Dyson

STAR WARS R2-D2

Without doubt R2-D2 is probably the most famous robot I have ever built and arguably one of the most famous robot in the world.

The total commission was for eight robots in three different categories, plus the master molds and an additional head.

This broke down into four remote control units, two Kenny Baker units with a seat fitted inside and two throw away units to be used in the bog scene where the monster spits out R2 onto dry land, from the middle of the swamp.

The construction consisted of a wide variety of materials, including G.R.P, epoxy resin, aluminum, carbon fiber and thermo plastic. We were given just five months to complete the project and I can honestly say it was one of the most exciting periods of my life.

In 2003, R2-D2 was selected for induction to the Robot Hall of Fame at Carnegie Mellon University

Did you know that R2 makes a brief appearance in the new Star Trek movie and in Transformers 2? Well you do know now (2009)

PHILIPS LTD

We designed, built and operated the first android in Europe. “Phil” he starred in two T.V. commercials and later toured the U.K promoting white goods.

Phil started off as “Ultra the amazing android” and the U shape in the center of his chest housed a secret sliding door (Very James Bond) Ultra was two years in the making, not the actual robot itself but the technology, which was created in our R and D department, Wow that sound impressive but it’s true, after finishing R2-D2 for Star Wars, I was so impressed with C-3PO the golden Android, I thought that turning C-3PO into a real robot would be really Cool.

Fortunately for us “Philips Company” were also very impressed with the idea and so we entered into a three year contract, which included two TV commercials and over two hundred personal appearances in stores through out the UK.

Funny it’s the small things that you remember the best, Phillips had a partnership with the people who make “Persil Soap Powder” which lead to a competition on the Persil packets, to “Name this Android” and I can see my sons in the local super market rushing down the aisles turning the Persil packets round to show a great picture of our Android on the reverse side of the packet.

For this project we were given only seven weeks to design and construct a robot look – a – like of the famous English actor comedian John Cleese, the robot was a great success in four T.V. commercials which became a cult figure. I was also honored to be nominated for an EMMY award.

John Cleese has always been a favorite comedian for me, so when John Webster of BMP advertising agency contacted me about this project I was thrilled

We have all heard of stories where a great idea was originally drawn out on a cigarette packet, well that is exactly what John Webster gave me to work from, plus only seven weeks to build it, but we accomplished it by doubling the seven into fourteen weeks by adding a night shift.

I also had a great opportunity of showing our appreciation to John Cleese for all the great fun his work gave us. When Cleese came to the studio he really loved the robot and when I heard after the shoot that Cleese had become a proud father, this gave me the perfect opportunity to build a one meter tall wooden representation of the full size robot; and this is what the Evening Standard in London wrote about it.

Following the arrival of John Cleese’s new baby BMP agency which thought up the Sony commercials featuring a robot version of Cleese, has presented him with a baby robot It hasn’t occurred to the agency to include a baby in the robot family on television yet. The gesture was made by Tony Dyson of Star Wars fame, who also constructs the Sony robots.

Fans can see a new commercial in the series which started last night showing the robot. Cleese vainly trying to swat a wasp and literally losing his head, which rolls on to the floor still talking about Sony tapes.