Michael John Nelson (born October 11, 1964 in St. Charles, Illinois) was the head writer of the cult television series Mystery Science Theater 3000 for most of the show's 11-year run, and spent half of that time playing the on-air host, Mike Nelson. Series creator and former host Joel Hodgson reportedly chose Nelson to be his replacement because he thought Nelson was a natural leader, a gifted comedian as well as a gifted musician and also that Nelson simply looked good standing next to the show's puppets.

Biography

Nelson is an American comedian and writer who lived in the Twin Cities area of Minnesota but has recently moved to San Diego.

Since the series ended, he has worked steadily as a writer, publishing several books (as of March 2006): Mike Nelson's Movie Megacheese, Mike Nelson's Mind Over Matters and Mike Nelson's Death Rat!, the last being his first novel. His other literary works include a series of pop culture humor books, Happy Kitty Bunny Pony, Goth-Icky, and Love Sick. He also wrote for the shortlived game show Let's Bowl, which gained a cult following of its own. He has provided humorous and informative commentary tracks for DVD releases of several films, including Reefer Madness, House on Haunted Hill, and Plan 9 From Outer Space. With his MST3K co-stars Kevin Murphy and Bill Corbett, he is part of a comedy team called "The Film Crew" which has created comedy segments for NPR. DVDs are planned.

Nelson is a talented comedic actor who can portray both male and female characters, and is known for his goofy charm and classically Midwestern appearance (being tall, broad-shouldered and blond). He is married to fellow MST3K writer Bridget Jones, and the pair have two sons.

In 2006, Nelson was appointed Chief Content Producer for Legend Films. He will be responsible for building and leading the company's creative content, providing on-going commentaries and developing other premium web-based programming. "I'm very excited. Legend Films is such a great fit for me -- talented people who consistently put out a great product. Plus there are Flaming Hot Cheetos in the lunch room vending machine. That made it an easy choice to join the team," enthused Nelson.

One of the projects put together by Nelson and Legend Films was RiffTrax, a website offering the purchase of downloadable audio commentaries. The first commentary made available through the service was for Road House. According to a September 2006 podcast interview, Nelson feels Rifftrax may be the closest thing to a reunion of the Mystery Science Theater 3000 gang.

In a recent interview, he stated that he considered Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace to be "the worst movie ever made."

Appearances

Regular roles

• Mike Nelson (1993-1999)

Guest appearances

• Isaac Asimov Literary Doomsday Device (voice) - Women of the Prehistoric Planet
• Valeria - Rocketship X-M
• JC - The Sidehackers'
• Great White Hunter - Jungle Goddess
• Sorri Andropoli - Rocket Attack U.S.A.
• Hugh Beaumont - Lost Continent, The Human Duplicators
• Abe Vigoda (voice) - First Spaceship on Venus
• Mothra (voice) - Godzilla vs. the Sea Monster
• Gamera - Gamera
• Bruce the Gym Guy - Daddy-O
• Glen Manning - The Amazing Colossal Man, War of the Colossal Beast
• Jack Perkins - Fugitive Alien, Turkey Day
• Michael Feinstein - Gamera vs. Guiron
• Custodian of the Seventh Galaxy - Earth vs the Spider
• Kenny - Gamera vs. Zigra
• Radio Announcer (voice) - The Giant Gila Monster
• Morrissey - City Limits
• Holoclown - Being from Another Planet, Attack of the Giant Leeches
• Steve Reeves - Hercules Unchained
• Mike the Cop - The Indestructible Man
• Winky - Manhunt in Space
• Tony Travis (voice) - The Beatniks
• John Banner - Crash of Moons
• Larry Buchanan - Attack of the the Eye Creatures
• Torgo - Manos: The Hands of Fate, Operation Double 007, Village of the Giants, San Francisco International, Danger!! Death Ray
• Megaweapon (voice) - Warrior of the Lost World
• Baywatch characters (voices) - Swamp Diamonds
• Virtual Comedy crowd (voice) - Secret Agent Super Dragon
• Frank Sinatra (voice) - The Magic Voyage of Sinbad
• Deep 13 computer (voice) - Last of the Wild Horses
• Torgo the White - Samson vs. the Vampire Women
• Toblerone - Escape 2000
• Dr. Peanut - Revenge of the Creature, The Leech Woman, The Mole People, The Deadly Mantis
• Observer - The Thing That Couldn't Die, The Undead, Terror from the Year 5000, The She Creature, The Deadly Bees
• Buddy - Parts: The Clonus Horror, The Incredibly Strange Creatures Who Stopped Living and Became Mixed-Up Zombies
• Eddie Nelson - Time Chasers
• Lembach (voice) - The Projected Man
• Goosio (voice) - Final Justice

See also

• Mystery Science Theater 3000
• Timmy Big Hands
• RiffTrax

External links

• Michael J. Nelson's Website
• Michael J. Nelson at the Internet Movie Database
• Film Crew Website