Michael J. Nelson

Born: 1964-10-11

Michael J. Nelson is the former host and writer of the Emmy-nominated, Peabody Award-winning Mystery Science Theater 3000. Since that time, he has appeared on numerous radio and TV shows, penned a regular column for TV Guide, and authored best-selling books for both HarperCollins and Abrams. His first book, Mike Nelson's Movie Megacheese, thrilled critics, including Richard Schickel of Time Magazine, who said of Mike, "He's more fun than a barrel of Val Kilmers... Smarter than a roomful of Patrick Swayzes... and almost as hilarious as Keanu Reeves." Mike's laugh-out-loud follow-up, Mind Over Matters, prompted Kirkus Reviews to enthuse, "From someplace called Minnesota comes a Nelson funnier than Ozzie, Ricky, Lord or Half," and even dared to compare him to another legendary writer, saying of his Serious Speech to Business People, "[It] could easily precede [Robert] Benchley's immortal Treasurer's Report." And Kirkus Reviews loved his novel, Death Rat!, saying, "Fast-paced, outrageous and funny, first-novelist Nelson's mockery of media mendacity is as biting as La Dolce Vita or Network--only funnier!" Nelson speaks all over the country, is a frequent guest on radio and television, and along with fellow former MST3K writers/performers Bill Corbett and Kevin Murphy operate a podcast called RiffTrax, which, in a similar vein to MST3K, targets more mainstream films.


Placeholder

Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie

as Mike Nelson
Released: 1996-04-19

Dr. Clayton Forrester figures he can rule the world if he deadens his subjects' brains by making...

Movie page

RiffTrax Live: Sharknado

as Himself
Released: 2014-07-10

RiffTrax gives the classic riff treatment of the cult film 'Sharknado', a film about sharks - in...

Movie page

Rifftrax Live: Miami Connection

as uncredited
Released: 2015-10-01

If you put everything about the 80s in a blender, then somehow ran the resulting smoothie...

Movie page

GrimTrax

as Self
Released: 2024-01-19

For the first time ever, we’ve assembled five shorts about death, loneliness, and dismemberment...

Movie page

RiffTrax Live: MST3K Reunion

as Self
Released: 2016-06-28

Mike, Kevin and Bill were joined on stage by their MST3K colleagues at the State Theatre in...

Movie page

RiffTrax Live: Octaman

as Self
Released: 2019-04-18

Deep in the Mexican jungle, a legendary creature lurks in a radioactive swamp. Is it a man? Is...

Movie page

RiffTrax Live: Amityville 4: The Evil Escapes

as uncredited
Released: 2021-10-26

There’s still evil up there at the old Amityville house. A group of priests gathers to quell the...

Movie page

Rifftrax Live: The Return of Swamp Thing

as Self
Released: 2022-08-18

He’s back! You probably didn’t know that he was gone, but he was and now he’s back! Swamp Thing,...

Movie page

RiffTrax Live: RAD

as Self
Released: 2023-08-17

Teens! Bikes! Feathered Hair! Love and revenge! Leotards and acid-washed denim! It’s all here in...

Movie page

Rifftrax Live: Samurai Cop

as Himself
Released: 2017-04-13

The Samurai Cop is here to kick ass and chew bubblegum, and he’s already infringed on enough...

Movie page

Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Motion Picture Odyssey

as Himself
Released: 2013-09-03

A retrospective look back on the making of 'Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie'.

Movie page

Rifftrax Live: Starship Troopers

as Self
Released: 2013-08-15

Starship Troopers is the tale of young trooper Johnny Rico, played by Casper Van Dien, star of...

Movie page

The Last Dance: RAW

as Himself / Mike Nelson
Released: 1999-10-31

A documentary about the making of Danger: Diabolik, the final episode of Mystery Science Theater...

Movie page

RiffTrax Live: "Manos" the Hands of Fate

as Self
Released: 2012-08-16

For those who missed it in theaters, this is a completely new riff of “Manos” The Hands of Fate,...

Movie page

RiffTrax Live: Plan 9 from Outer Space

as Self
Released: 2009-08-20

The stars of MST3K riff the worst movie of all time in RiffTrax Live - Plan 9 From Outer Space....

Movie page

RiffTrax Live: Summer Shorts Beach Party

as Himself
Released: 2017-06-15

Join Mike, Kevin and Bill, along with guests Bridget Nelson, Mary Jo Pehl, the Mads from MST3K...

Movie page

Rifftrax live: Night of the Shorts - SF Sketchfest 2016

as Himself
Released: 2016-04-04

Mike, Kevin, and Bill were joined onstage at SF SKetchfest Live 2016 by very special guest...

Movie page

Rifftrax Live: Santa Claus Conquers the Martians

as Self
Released: 2013-12-05

The nasty Martian villain Voldar (his face is coated in green oil and he has a huge mustache,...

Movie page

RiffTrax Live: Santa Claus

as Self
Released: 2015-04-03

From the strange and ridiculously colorful world of K. Gordon Murray comes the 1959 Holiday...

Movie page

Rifftrax live: Night of the Shorts - SF Sketchfest 2015

as Himself
Released: 2015-03-06

Mike, Kevin, and Bill take on some of the funniest, most unbelievable vintage shorts we've ever...

Movie page

RiffTrax Live: House on Haunted Hill

as himself
Released: 2010-10-28

Is there any possible downside to accepting an invitation from Vincent Price to spend an evening...

Movie page

RiffTrax Live: Sharknado 2

as Himself
Released: 2015-09-15

Watch as the amazing comedians from Mystery Science Theater 3000 (1988) tear apart the...

Movie page

RiffTrax Live: Christmas Shorts-stravaganza!

as Himself
Released: 2009-12-16

What do ice-skating reindeer, pipe-smoking santas and a parade of aquatic champions have in...

Movie page

The Film Crew: Hollywood After Dark

as Himself
Released: 2007-07-10

The Film Crew gives a commentary track to Walk the Angry Beach (1968), aka Hollywood After Dark,...

Movie page

RiffTrax Live: Doctor Who – The Five Doctors

as Self
Released: 2017-08-17

Someone is taking the Doctor's past selves out of time and space, placing them in a vast...

Movie page

RiffTrax Live: Giant Spider Invasion

as Mike
Released: 2019-10-18

The Giant Spider Invasion, one of the most popular MST3K movies ever, is coming to a Theater...

Movie page

The Year of Laughing Dangerously

as Joel Williams
Released:

After being laid off, Brandi enters the world of stand up comedy. Over a year, her comedy coach...

Movie page

Mystery Science Theater 3000: Manos: The Hands of Fate

as Torgo
Released: 1993-01-30

The Mads present the satellite people a film so bad that apologies are sent, and Tom Servo goes...

Movie page

RiffTrax: The Star Wars Holiday Special

as Self (voice)
Released: 2007-12-07

Have a Happy Life Day! And nothing kicks off a memorable Life Day quite so much as watching the...

Movie page

RiffTrax Live: Night of the Shorts - SF Sketchfest 2013

as Himself
Released: 2013-05-30

Watch Mike, Bill, Kevin, and an all-star crew of hilarious guest riffers take on seven classic...

Movie page

RiffTrax Live: Hobgoblins

as Self
Released: 2021-08-17

At an abandoned old movie studio, security guards keep getting mysteriously murdered. The...

Movie page

RiffTrax Live: Godzilla

as Self
Released: 2014-08-14

Sony Pictures, Fathom Events and RiffTrax are thrilled to be back in theaters nationwide this...

Movie page

RiffTrax Live: Birdemic - Shock and Terror

as Himself
Released: 2012-10-25

Birdemic is one of our favorite bad movies of all time, and there’s no better way to watch it...

Movie page

RiffTrax Live: Santa and the Ice Cream Bunny

as uncredited
Released: 2015-12-03

Santa’s sleigh is stuck on the beach, and only one creature can help him: The Ice Cream Bunny!...

Movie page

Rifftrax Live: Mothra

as Himself
Released: 2016-08-18

It’s the story of a group of explorers who travel to a remote island, kidnap two tiny women,...

Movie page

Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Final Sacrifice

as Mike Nelson
Released: 1998-07-25

The power goes out on the SOL, to which Servo and Crow take full advantage of by looting the...

Movie page

The Film Crew: Giant of Marathon

as Mike Nelson
Released: 2007-10-09

'Sweaty men!' enthuses Bob Honcho. The Steve Reeves adventure film, The Giant of Marathon...

Movie page

Rifftrax Live: Reefer Madness

as uncredited
Released: 2010-08-19

In RiffTrax Live: Reefer Madness, Mike, Kevin and Bill deliver their trademark form of rapid...

Movie page

Rifftrax Live: Time Chasers

as Himself
Released: 2016-05-05

Mike, Kevin and Bill riff the original cut of Time Chasers. Plus, a short of "Chimp the Fireman."

Movie page

RiffTrax Live: Night of the Living Dead

as Self
Released: 2013-10-24

This classic 1968 horror film is where it all began. No, not the cronut trend, we’re talking...

Movie page

The Film Crew: Wild Women of Wongo

as Mike Nelson
Released: 2007-09-11

What if there was a primitive island tribe where all the women were gorgeous and all the men...

Movie page

The Film Crew: Killers from Space

as Mike Nelson
Released: 2007-07-10

An unwitting scientist (King of Blandness Peter Graves) is abducted by aliens and forced to help...

Movie page

Mystery Science Theater 3000: Shorts, Volume 3

as Mike Nelson
Released: 2000-11-07

Shorts, Volume 3 is a compilation release from Rhino Entertainment featuring seven popular...

Movie page

Mystery Science Theater 3000: Shorts, Volume 2

as Mike Nelson
Released: 1999-10-01

Shorts, Volume 2 is a compilation release featuring six popular shorts from Mystery Science...

Movie page

Rifftrax Live: Space Mutiny

as uncredited
Released: 2018-08-10

Blast off to the 80s with Rifftrax Live: Space Mutiny! Mike, Bill, and Kevin riffed this cult...

Movie page

Rifftrax Live: The Room

as Himself
Released: 2015-05-06

Michael J. Nelson, Kevin Murphy and Bill Corbett of RiffTrax riff Tommy Wiseau's The Room LIVE...

Movie page

RiffTrax Live: Star Raiders

as Michael J. Nelson
Released: 2019-08-09

It’s the year 2762. The galaxy is plagued with warring factions using hokey special effects to...

Movie page

Mystery Science Theater 3000: Shorts, Volume 1

as Mike Nelson
Released: 1998-07-01

Shorts, Volume 1 is a compilation release featuring seven popular shorts from Mystery Science...

Movie page

Rifftrax Live: Carnival of Souls

as uncredited
Released: 2016-10-27

Rifftrax Live: Carnival of Souls! Mike, Bill, and Kevin riffed this spooky midnight-movie cult...

Movie page

Mystery Science Theater 3000

as Gamera
First aired: 1989-11-25

A stranded spaceship pilot captured by mad scientists survives a blitz of cheesy B movies by...

TV Show page

Mystery Science Theater 3000

as Mike Nelson
First aired: 1989-11-25

A stranded spaceship pilot captured by mad scientists survives a blitz of cheesy B movies by...

TV Show page

Mystery Science Theater 3000

as Torgo
First aired: 1989-11-25

A stranded spaceship pilot captured by mad scientists survives a blitz of cheesy B movies by...

TV Show page

Mystery Science Theater 3000

as Morrissey
First aired: 1989-11-25

A stranded spaceship pilot captured by mad scientists survives a blitz of cheesy B movies by...

TV Show page

Mystery Science Theater 3000

as Clown
First aired: 1989-11-25

A stranded spaceship pilot captured by mad scientists survives a blitz of cheesy B movies by...

TV Show page

Mystery Science Theater 3000

as Tony Travis (voice)
First aired: 1989-11-25

A stranded spaceship pilot captured by mad scientists survives a blitz of cheesy B movies by...

TV Show page

Mystery Science Theater 3000

as Officer Mike
First aired: 1989-11-25

A stranded spaceship pilot captured by mad scientists survives a blitz of cheesy B movies by...

TV Show page

Mystery Science Theater 3000

as Imperialistic Alien 1
First aired: 1989-11-25

A stranded spaceship pilot captured by mad scientists survives a blitz of cheesy B movies by...

TV Show page

RiffTrax

as Michael J. Nelson
First aired: 2006-07-20

At RiffTrax, we make movies funny - and you can experience our work in a bunch of different...

TV Show page

The Film Crew

as uncredited
First aired: 2007-07-10

The Film Crew was a comedic team similar to Mystery Science Theater 3000 and was released in...

TV Show page