MYSTERY SCIENCE THEATRE 3000

JOEL HODGSON - "JOEL ROBINSON"
MICHAEL J. NELSON - "MIKE NELSON"
JONAH RAY - "JONAH HESTON"
EMILY MARSH - "EMILY CONNOR

"Mystery Science Theater 3000" was a hosted horror / science fiction movie show with Joel Hodgson as host "Joel Robinson", and with many assistants over the show's long run. The show's first run was from 24 November 1988 until May 1989 on KTMA, in Minneapolis. From 1989, the show firstly ran on the Comedy Channel, and in 1990, the second season appearing on the Comedy Network (later changed name to "Comedy Central" after the "Comedy Channel" merged with "HA!"); with the show cancelled in 1996. The Sci-Fi Channel picked up the show in 1997 until 12 September 1999. After sucessful campaigns, the show was picked up by Netflix for two seasons in 2017 until 2018. Further campaigning lead to the creation of "The Gizmoplex", an online platform; where new and old episodes were screened in 2022. The premise of the show: A trapped human host is subjected to an endless stream of cheesy movies at the whim of their mad scientist overlords. To survive, the host and their robot pals riff the movies they are forced to watch, making MST3K a communal celebration of laughing in the face of life's absurdities. There were many specials and dvd releases; including an animated series in 2007 with Crow T. Robot, Gypsy and Tom Servo. The main characters and the actors who played them, were:

CHARACTER	ACTOR
ARDY	JOEL HODGSON
BRAIN GUY	BILL CORBETT
CAMBOT	KEVIN MURPHY
CROW T. ROBOT	BILL CORBETT HAMPTON YOUNT KELSEY ANN BRADY NATE BEGLE PAUL CHAPLIN TRACE BEAULIEU
CLAYTON FORRESTER	TRACE BEAULIEU
DR. KABAHL	BARON VAUGHN
DR. LAURENCE ERHARDT	J. ELVIS WEINSTEIN
EMILY CONNOR	EMILY MARSH
GYPSY	J. ELVIS WEINSTEIN JIM MALLON PATRICK BRANTSEG REBECCA HANSON
JOEL ROBINSON / JOEL	JOEL HODGSON
JONAH HESTON	JONAH RAY
KINGA FORRESTER	FELICIA DAY
MAGIC VOICE	ALEXANDRA CARR MARY JO PEHL SHARYL VOLPE
MAX (TV'S SON OF TV'S FRANK)	PATTON OSWALT
MIKE NELSON	MICHAEL J. NELSON
NED THE NANITE	PAUL CHAPLIN
OBSERVER	BILL CORBETT PAUL CHAPLIN
PEARL FORRESTER	MARY JO PEHL
PROFESSOR BOBO	KEVIN MURPHY
SYNTHIA	REBECCA HANSON
TOM SERVO	BARON VAUGHN CONOR MCGIFFIN J. ELVIS WEINSTEIN JAMES MOORE KEVIN MURPHY
TV'S FRANK / FRANK	FRANK CONNIFF

Portrait of "Joel Robinson" by Bradley Beard.
"Joel Robinson" - biography (taken from Bradley Beard's Facebook page)

He first conceived of MST3K. Tonight I present Joel Robinson, host of Mystery Science Theatre 3000 which premiered on KTMA-TV Channel 23 in Minneapolis, MN on November 24, 1988. The show ran on KTMA until May 1989, at which it was cancelled due to the station's financial failings. The show was one of the first programs to be picked up by the fledgling Comedy Channel, which retooled the show and aired it for 6 more seasons. After a fan-based write-in campaign, the show was picked up by the Sci-fi Channel where it ran for the final 3 seasons. Joel Robinson was played by Joel Hodgson, the mastermind behind MST3K. Hodgson left the show halfway through Season Five due in part to his dislike of being in front of the camera. Hodgson was replaced by series writer Mike Nelson for the duration of the series. To be continued... In 2015, Joel Hodgson - "Joel Robinson" for "MST3K", was inducted into "The Official Horror Host Hall of Fame".

Portrait of "Mike Nelson" by Bradley Beard.
"Mike Nelson" - biography (taken from Bradley Beard's Facebook page)

Tonight I present Michael J. Nelson as Mike Nelson from Mystery Science Theatre 3000. Mike was head writer for the majority of MST3K's eleven year run. He actually joined the show as a character in Episode 512 Mitchell as a temp worker hired to assist the "Mads", Dr. Forrester and TV's Frank. When Joel Robinson escapes at the end of the episode, the Mads knock Mike unconscious, send him up to the Satellite of Love, and use him as their new guinea pig for their nefarious experiments; the rest is history. The series ran for a total of eleven years consisting of 197 episodes. In 2007, MST3K had the honor of being listed as one of Time Magazine's "100 Best TV Shows of All-Time". The show won a Peabody in 1997, was nominated for two Emmy's, and a CableACE Award. When the series' final episode, Danger: Diabolik was broadcast on August 8, 1999, it marked the end of an era. MST3K left a legendary legacy of greatness.

Portrait of "Crow T. Robot" by Bradley Beard.
"Crow T. Robot" - biography (taken from Bradley Beard's Facebook page)

He has ping pong balls for eyes. Tonight I present Crow T. Robot, host of Mystery Science Theatre 3000 which originally began on KTMA-TV Channel 23 in Minneapolis and became a phenomenon on the Comedy Channel. Crow was originally voiced by Trace Beaulieu in Seasons 1 through 7, Bill Corbett in Seasons 8 through 10, and Paul Chaplin in the webisodes. The show's premise is that janitor Joel Robinson is launched into space aboard the bone-shaped Satellite of Love and is forced by two evil scientists to continually watch bad B-movies in order to discover how long it takes to drive a person insane... in a nutshell. Joel ends up building four robots in order to help him keep his sanity while watching the movies; Crow T. Robot, Tom Servo, Gypsy, and Cambot. It's rumored that Crow T. Robot was built the night before the first episode was filmed by MST3K creator and star Joel Hodgson. To be continued... again.

Portrait of "Tom Servo" by Bradley Beard.
"Tom Servo" - biography (taken from Bradley Beard's Facebook page)

He has a carousel executive snack dispenser for his head. Tonight I present Tom Servo, host of Mystery Science Theatre 3000 which originally began on KTMA-TV Channel 23 in Minneapolis and ended its stellar fun on the Sci-fi Channel. Tom was originally voiced by Josh Weinstein in Season 1, Kevin Murphy in Seasons 2 through 10, and James Moore in the webisodes. Tom's appearance evolved during the show's run; in episode 1, he was named "Beeper" and was completely silver with a fishbowl for a head. In addition to Crow T. Robot, Tom is also joined by Gypsy and Cambot. Gypsy was usually was only seen during the hosting segments and didn't join the others in the theatre. Cambot had the most important function, it's through his eye that we, the audience, are able to view the movie. MST3K had an incredible cast of colorful human characters but it seems that it was the robots who stole the show. To be continued... In 2021, Bill Corbett - "Crow T. Robot" and Kevin Murphy - "Tom Servo", from "Mystery Science Theatre 3000", were inducted into "The Official Horror Host Hall of Fame".

Portrait of "Dr. Clayton Forrester" by Bradley Beard.
"Dr. Clayton Forrester" - biography (taken from Bradley Beard's Facebook page)

He fought the Martians in the 1953 version of War of the Worlds... or did he? Tonight I present Trace Beaulieu as Dr. Clayton Forrester from Mystery Science Theatre 3000. The character was actually named after the hero from the 1953 Paramount classic War of the Worlds. Beaulieu played the character for 7 seasons. He began his "mad" scheme at the Gizmonic Institute with the assistance of Dr. Laurence Erhardt, played by Josh Weinstein who departed MST3K after the first Comedy Channel season. Joining Dr. Forrester in Season 2 was TV's Frank played by Frank Conniff, who was oddly enough discovered by Forrester while working at Arby's. Forrester's last appearance was in episode #706 where he announced that his funding had been cut. In a parody of 2001: A Space Odyssey, Forrester is shown reaching for a monolithic video tape entitled, "The Worst Film Ever Made". Who remembers Forrester's final words uttered on the series? "Oh, poopie". To be continued... In 2015, Trace Beaulieu - "Crow" & "Dr. Forrester" for "MST3K", was inducted into "The Official Horror Host Hall of Fame".

Portrait of "Professor Bobo" by Bradley Beard.
"Professor Bobo" - biography (taken from Bradley Beard's Facebook page)

"It's a Madhouse!" Tonight I present Kevin Murphy as Professor Bobo from Mystery Science Theatre 3000; he appeared in the last three seasons of the show. Bobo is a sentient, speaking ape from the year 2525; an homage to the 1968 20th Century Fox classic Planet of the Apes. He's descended from a line of respected apes; "son of Koko and heir to the lineage of Godo, Bogo, and Chimchim." Even with his respected bloodline, Bobo can still be driven by his primal desires and primitive actions. While traveling back in time, he caused the Great Fire of ancient Rome when he knocked over an oil lamp while grabbing for a cheese wheel. I offer you one word of advice, if you're ever on the witness stand being cross examined by Bobo, don't lie about your pie because he has eaten every kind of pie this universe has to offer and he can't be fooled. A parting thought from the mouth of Bobo, "Panties, panties, panties, panties, panties, panties... panties!"

Portrait of "Dr. Laurence Erhardt" by Bradley Beard.
"Dr. Laurence Erhardt" - biography (taken from Bradley Beard's Facebook page)

"Enjoy!" Tonight I present Josh "J. Elvis" Weinstein as Dr. Laurence Erhardt from Mystery Science Theatre 3000. Erhardt was Dr. Forrester's first assistant. Weinstein played Erhardt as well as Tom Servo for the KTMA-TV season and the first Comedy Channel season. Dr. Erhardt is a "mad" who went mad while working at the zoo; he said that they promised him students but all he got were monkeys, monkeys, MONKEYS! After Weinstein's departure from the show, when Joel questions as to what happened to Dr. Erhardt, TV's Frank held up a milk carton and stated "He's missing." Weinstein's departure has been credited to "creative differences", it's rumored that he disliked the direction of the show being scripted during the first Comedy Channel season as opposed to the KTMA season where it was ad-libbed. To be continued... stay tuned. In 2015, Josh J Elvis Weinstein - "Tom Servo & Dr. Erhardt" for "MST3K", was inducted into "The Official Horror Host Hall of Fame".

Portrait of "TV's Frank" by Bradley Beard.
"TV's Frank" - biography (taken from Bradley Beard's Facebook page)

"Push the button, Frank!" Tonight I present Frank Conniff as TV's Frank from Mystery Science Theatre 3000. Frank was Dr. Forrester's second assistant, he was discovered by Forrester while working at Arby's. Little is known about his past other than the fact that he attended Harriet Tubman High School. Frank was frequently the guinea pig for Forrester's experimental research which often resulted in his death, a condition from which he always mysteriously returned unscathed. He also had the odd habit of referring Forrester as "Steve". He first appeared in Season 2 and ended his tenure with Season 6 where he was allowed into Second Banana Heaven; a place where sidekicks can exist peacefully without fear of their master's reprisal. Dr. Forrester was so distraught when Frank left him that he lamented his loss in the song "Who Will I Kill?"

Portrait of "Brain Guy" by Bradley Beard.
"Brain Guy" - biography (taken from Bradley Beard's Facebook page)

He is said to have "B.O." Tonight I present Bill Corbett as Brain Guy from Mystery Science Theatre 3000, he appeared in the last three seasons of the show. He is also known as Observer, however, everyone in his alien race shares the same name... I suppose to avoid confusion. The race "evolved" beyond bodies into brains that are carried around in Petri dishes by a host body. The Observers once tested the MST3K cast to see if any of them was worthy of becoming one of their kind, Tom Servo actually score higher than Brain Guy. He decided to join the "mads" after Mike Nelson accidentally destroyed his world. Brain Guy is a talented crooner who you can be quite sure leaves the ladies swooning when he sings Observer classics like "When I Held Your Brain In My Arms". Admittedly, Brain Guy is aware that he "reeks".

Portrait of "Pearl Forrester" by Bradley Beard.
"Pearl Forrester" - biography (taken from Bradley Beard's Facebook page)

"Look Nelson, move on, I am." Tonight I present Mary Jo Pehl as Pearl Forrester from Mystery Science Theatre 3000. Pearl's first appearance on the show was Episode #607 Bloodlust. Pearl was introduced as Dr. Clayton Forrester's mother, which explained a lot about his dysfunctional personality. She immediately formed a kinship with TV's Frank, seemingly having had a clandestine relationship with him prior to her first appearance. Her overbearing ways proved to be quite trying for Dr. Forrester after she re-entered his life. When Clayton Forrester died at the end of Season 7, he was transformed into an infant and Pearl relished the thought of having another chance to raise him. At the beginning of Season 8, she is revered as "Lawgiver" by a band of sentient apes. During the season, she acquires two lackeys, Professor Bobo and Brain Guy, who join her until the series end. The legacy of MST3K characters concludes tomorrow. The following is a promo for the show (Netflix):

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