Paul Chaplin
From MST3K
Paul Chaplin, writer and actor for "Mystery Science Theater 3000," was best known for his recurring characters Ortega, an inarticulate gypsy with hygiene issues, and Pitch the Devil.
Biography
The Chicago-area native wasn't always a comedy writer. He earned a Masters Degree from the Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs and began his career as a community organizer in St. Paul, Minnesota. Eventually, finding little reward in his work, he decided to shake the job of "world savior" and pursue his notion of "always wanting to do something rowdy."
Chaplin made his first steps toward a career in comedy by performing standup at an open-mic call at the Minneapolis Comedy Gallery. Thinking that he'd get by on wit alone, Chaplin got on stage without a thing prepared and bombed miserably. Learning from past mistakes and not looking forward to a second lesson in absolute humiliation, Chaplin made his second standup appearance after writing his act first and, according to him, "killed."
While working the comedy club scene in Minneapolis, Chaplin eventually met Mary Jo Pehl and Mike Nelson. Nelson approached Chaplin about becoming a writer for MST3K during Season 3 and submitted him to a test in which he had to take home 10 minutes of the movie "Daddy-O" and give it the MST3K treatment. Chaplin passed with flying colors.
Guest appearances
- Holoclown - Being from Another Planet, Attack of the Giant Leeches
- Pitch - Santa Claus, San Francisco International, Devil Doll
- Member of The Power Steves - Girls Town
- Huggy Bear - The Sinister Urge, San Francisco International
- Tourist - Racket Girls
- Party-goer - The Beast of Yucca Flats
- Sandy - The Brute Man
- Matthew (voice) - The Brute Man
- Doug - The Incredible Melting Man
- Timmy Bobby Rusty - Escape 2000
- Ned the Nanite - Revenge of the Creature
- Deep Ape extra - Revenge of the Creature, The Leech Woman, The Mole People
- Pale Day Player - The Mole People
- Bomb-Worshipping Mutant - The Deadly Mantis
- Observer - The Thing That Couldn't Die, The Undead, Terror from the Year 5000, The She Creature, The Deadly Bees
- Scooter - Parts: The Clonus Horror, The Incredibly Strange Creatures Who Stopped Living and Became Mixed-Up Zombies
- Ortega - The Incredibly Strange Creatures Who Stopped Living and Became Mixed-Up Zombies, Agent for H.A.R.M., Overdrawn at the Memory Bank
- Earl Torgeson - Jack Frost
- Roman Day Player - Devil Doll, Invasion of the Neptune Men
- Mookie the Nanite (voice) - Overdrawn at the Memory Bank
- Stan Johnson - The Touch of Satan
- Nate the Nanite Clown - Gorgo
- Karl - The Final Sacrifice
- Electrician - Devil Fish
- Delta Knight - Quest of the Delta Knights
- Institute of Mad Scientist inspector - Girl in Gold Boots
- Barnicle Bob - Blood Waters of Dr. Z
