Karel Čapek (1890-1938) was a Czech writer and early developer of the science fiction genre. He is credited with introducing the word "robot" into popular usage in his 1920 play R.U.R., which stands for Rossum's Universal Robots. It depicts a company that manufactures synthetic workers known as robots. These robots eventually develop self-awareness, then rise up and slaughter their human masters.
In 1938, BBC Television, which launched just six years previously, aired a 35-minute adaptation of the play. Only stills from the film survive to this day, but the film is regarded as the first science fiction television program in history.
-via Pulp Librarian
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