Patricia Neal and Klaatu

You know Patricia Neal died recently.  She was one of the most beautiful actresses I've ever seen, and that purr of a voice!  Elegant yet earthy. Plus she could act up a storm.  Most newspapers and magazine articles have focused on her classy films, Breakfast at Tiffany's, The Subject was Roses, Hud.  OK, maybe Hud isn't classy, but it's the one that snagged her an Oscar so it always comes up.  Not all of the articles mention The Day the Earth Stood Still, an iconic SF movie. She uttered one of the most famous lines in movie history:  "Klaatu barada nikto".  For years I thought  the robot's name was Klaatu.  It looks like a Klaatu.  But Klaatu is the alien that controls the robot.  Klaatu says clean up your room.  No wait!  It was  actually ... no one knows! There is no official translation. It's rumored that the author of the script, one Edmund H. North, said "Klaatu barada nikto" means 'There's hope for earth, if the scientists can be reached'.  Patricia Neal  said a mouthful.  She was a fascinating woman, if you get a chance we have a biography you can read:

Patricia Neal : an unquiet life