Michael J. Nelson
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.
67 acting credits · 6 directing credits
Acting · 67
Mystery Science Theater 3000
1989
Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie
1996
RiffTrax Live: Santa and the Ice Cream Bunny
2015
Mystery Science Theater 3000: The RiffTrax Experiments
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RiffTrax Live: Summer Shorts Beach Party
2017
RiffTrax Live: Point Break
2024
Total Riff Off
2014
The Adventures of Edward the Less
2001
RiffTrax Live: Star Raiders
2019
Mystery Science Theater 3000: Shorts, Volume 2
1999
The Year of Laughing Dangerously
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Mystery Science Theater 3000: Shorts, Volume 3
2000
RiffTrax Live: RAD
2023
RiffTrax Live: "Manos" the Hands of Fate
2012
Rifftrax Live: Night of the Shorts - SF Sketchfest 2016
2016
The Last Dance: RAW
1999
RiffTrax Live: Night of the Shorts - SF Sketchfest 2013
2013
RiffTrax Live: Santa Claus
2014
Rifftrax Live: Night of the Shorts - SF Sketchfest 2015
2015
Poopie!
1995
Rifftrax Live: Reefer Madness
2010
RiffTrax Live: Space Mutiny
2018
Rifftrax Live: Starship Troopers
2013
Rifftrax Live: Santa Claus Conquers the Martians
2013
RiffTrax Live: MST3K Reunion
2016
This Is MST3K
1992
Mystery Science Theater 3000: Shorts, Volume 1
1998
RiffTrax Live: House on Haunted Hill
2010
RiffTrax Live: Birdemic - Shock and Terror
2012
GrimTrax
2024
RiffTrax Live: Christmas Shorts-stravaganza!
2009
RiffTrax Live: Plan 9 from Outer Space
2009
RiffTrax Live: The Return of Swamp Thing
2022
RiffTrax Live: Octaman
2019
Rifftrax Live: Samurai Cop
2017
Three Stooges: Greatest Routines
1964
RiffTrax Live: Doctor Who – The Five Doctors
2017
RiffTrax Live: Sharknado 2
2015
1st Annual Mystery Science Theater 3000 Summer Blockbuster Review
1997
The Rifftrax Yule Log
2018
RiffTrax Live: Miami Connection
2015
Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Motion Picture Odyssey
2013
RiffTrax: Super Zeroes
2025
Rifftrax Live: Carnival of Souls
2016
RiffTrax Live: Timecop
2025
Rifftrax Live: The Room
2015
RiffTrax Live: Amityville - The Evil Escapes
2022
MST3K Little Gold Statue Preview Special
1995
RiffTrax Live: Godzilla
2014
RiffTrax Live: Giant Spider Invasion
2019
Poopie Parade of Values
1995
Santa's Village of Madness
2012
RiffTrax Live: Hobgoblins
2021
GrimTrax Returns
2026
RiffTrax Live: Mothra
2016
RiffTrax Live: Night of the Living Dead
2013
The Film Crew: Killers from Space
2007
RiffTrax Live: Sharknado
2014
Max the Hero
2007
RiffTrax Live: Time Chasers
2016
Hunks of Junk
2026
The Three Stooges in Color
2005
The Film Crew: The Giant of Marathon
2007
Rifftrax Live: Jack the Giant Killer
2011
The Film Crew: Wild Women of Wongo
2007
RiffTrax: Pressure Point
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The Film Crew: Hollywood After Dark
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