Robby The Robot isn’t the only famous face to appear in Randall Peltzer’s science convention sequence. While he’s phoning his wife Lynn Peltzer, played by Frances Lee McCain, the gremlins are just about to hatch from their cocoons. Neither party is privy to this information just yet, and as the couple speaks viewers are treated to a very quick cameo appearance from the film’s own executive producer, Steven Spielberg.
Shortly after the scene begins, the “Jaws” director can be seen driving through the shot as Joe Dante slowly pulls his camera backward, revealing even more unusual detail. Driving what appears to be a buggy with an American flag and a big boxy television strapped to its front, Spielberg only appears briefly, with his big moment so front and center it can be easy to miss while audiences are engrossed in Randall’s conversation and the wealth of other details. Speaking of which, look towards the right-hand side of the background and you’ll also see a man sitting in what looks to be the time machine used in George Pal’s 1960 adaptation of H.G Wells’ enduring science fiction story of the same name. This decade-hopping vehicle is noticeable thanks to its unusual shape, featuring levers, pulleys, an intricate design, and a large spherical back plate. The film’s composer Jerry Goldsmith can also be seen to the direct right of Peltzer in a plaid suit and cowboy hat.