In the large picture above, you see a blaster as it appeared in the movie Forbidden Planet. Next to it are pictures of a blaster that belongs to Dan and Mary Lozinski, who I met in 1997 at TorontoTrek in (you guessed it) Toronto. Click the small pictures to see larger versions.

I asked them if the blaster was actually used in the movie. Dan told me in an email, "As to the blaster, I think it is a replica. I purchased it at the L.A. WorldCon about '82. The dealer I bought it from worked for the MGM studios prop department and said he cast it from the original mold. This may or may not be true, but I have as yet to see any other replicas out there. It has a bulb in it, and it flashes when you pull the trigger.
No it's not for sale."

Comparing the replica to the original in the picture of Leslie Nielson, I notice a slight difference. The silver band around the middle of the gun is placed slightly differently. But this may simply be a different choice in assembling and painting the parts cast from the mold. For me, it's fun to believe Dan and Mary have the same blaster wielded by Commander John J. Adams and Robbie the Robot.
- Bob Fahey, 1998

Addendum on Dec. 31, 1999 - I have learned there is a strong probability Dan and Mary's blaster replica was made by Richard A. Coyle. Check out his site, RACProps.com, which has a great collection of pictures of FP props and tips on how to build your own replicas.

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