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.
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.
External links
IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/nm0625621
Wikipedia: https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q674380
Facebook: https://facebook.com/mikeatrifftrax
Instagram: https://instagram.com/RiffTraxMike
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Filmography (Movies)
RiffTrax: The Riffer's Cup
Character:Self
Release Date:24/11/2025
RiffTrax Live: Timecop
Character:Self
Release Date:14/08/2025
RiffTrax: Super Zeroes
Character:Self
Release Date:24/01/2025
RiffTrax Live: Point Break
Character:Self
Release Date:08/08/2024
GrimTrax
Character:Self
Release Date:19/01/2024
RiffTrax Live: RAD
Character:Self
Release Date:17/08/2023
RiffTrax Live: The Return of Swamp Thing
Character:Self
Release Date:18/08/2022
RiffTrax Live: Amityville - The Evil Escapes
Character:
Release Date:07/01/2022
RiffTrax Live: Hobgoblins
Character:Self
Release Date:17/08/2021
RiffTrax Live: Giant Spider Invasion
Character:Self
Release Date:18/10/2019
RiffTrax Live: Star Raiders
Character:Self
Release Date:06/07/2019
RiffTrax Live: Octaman
Character:Self
Release Date:18/04/2019
The Rifftrax Yule Log
Character:Self
Release Date:18/11/2018
RiffTrax Live: Space Mutiny
Character:Self
Release Date:10/08/2018
RiffTrax Live: Doctor Who – The Five Doctors
Character:Self
Release Date:17/08/2017
RiffTrax Live: Summer Shorts Beach Party
Character:Self
Release Date:15/06/2017
Rifftrax Live: Samurai Cop
Character:Self
Release Date:13/04/2017
Rifftrax Live: Carnival of Souls
Character:
Release Date:27/10/2016
RiffTrax Live: Mothra
Character:Self
Release Date:18/08/2016
RiffTrax Live: MST3K Reunion
Character:Self
Release Date:28/06/2016
RiffTrax Live: Time Chasers
Character:Self
Release Date:05/05/2016
Rifftrax Live: Night of the Shorts - SF Sketchfest 2016
Character:Self
Release Date:04/04/2016
RiffTrax Live: Santa and the Ice Cream Bunny
Character:
Release Date:03/12/2015
RiffTrax Live: Miami Connection
Character:
Release Date:01/10/2015
RiffTrax: Death Promise
Character:
Release Date:25/09/2015
RiffTrax Live: Sharknado 2
Character:Self
Release Date:15/09/2015
Rifftrax: Birdemic
Character:Self
Release Date:08/08/2015
Rifftrax Live: The Room
Character:Self
Release Date:06/05/2015
Rifftrax Live: Night of the Shorts - SF Sketchfest 2015
Character:Himself
Release Date:06/03/2015
RiffTrax Live: Santa Claus
Character:Self
Release Date:04/12/2014
Rifftrax: R.O.T.O.R.
Character:self
Release Date:03/10/2014
RiffTrax Live: Godzilla
Character:Self
Release Date:14/08/2014
RiffTrax Live: Sharknado
Character:Himself
Release Date:10/07/2014
Rifftrax Live: Santa Claus Conquers the Martians
Character:Self
Release Date:05/12/2013
RiffTrax Live: Night of the Living Dead
Character:Self
Release Date:24/10/2013
Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Motion Picture Odyssey
Character:Himself
Release Date:03/09/2013
Rifftrax Live: Starship Troopers
Character:Self
Release Date:15/08/2013
RiffTrax Live: Night of the Shorts - SF Sketchfest 2013
Character:Himself
Release Date:30/05/2013
Rifftrax: Cool as Ice
Character:self
Release Date:17/02/2013
Santa's Village of Madness
Character:Self
Release Date:21/12/2012
RiffTrax Live: Birdemic - Shock and Terror
Character:Himself
Release Date:25/10/2012
RiffTrax Live: "Manos" the Hands of Fate
Character:Self
Release Date:16/08/2012
Rifftrax: The Guy From Harlem
Character:self
Release Date:04/08/2012
Rifftrax Live: Jack the Giant Killer
Character:
Release Date:17/08/2011
Rifftrax: The Crater Lake Monster
Character:self
Release Date:25/05/2011
Rifftrax: Santa and the Ice Cream Bunny
Character:self
Release Date:16/12/2010
RiffTrax Live: House on Haunted Hill
Character:himself
Release Date:28/10/2010
Rifftrax Live: Reefer Madness
Character:
Release Date:19/08/2010
RiffTrax Live: Christmas Shorts-stravaganza!
Character:Himself
Release Date:16/12/2009
RiffTrax Live: Plan 9 from Outer Space
Character:Self
Release Date:20/08/2009
Rifftrax: Twilight
Character:self
Release Date:20/04/2009
Max the Hero
Character:Stew (voice)
Release Date:20/10/2007
The Three Stooges in Color
Character:
Release Date:26/04/2005
Mystery Science Theater 3000: Shorts, Volume 3
Character:Mike Nelson
Release Date:07/11/2000
The Last Dance: RAW
Character:Himself / Mike Nelson
Release Date:31/10/1999
Mystery Science Theater 3000: Shorts, Volume 2
Character:Mike Nelson
Release Date:01/10/1999
Mystery Science Theater 3000: Shorts, Volume 1
Character:Mike Nelson
Release Date:01/07/1998
1st Annual Mystery Science Theater 3000 Summer Blockbuster Review
Character:Mike Nelson
Release Date:02/09/1997
Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie
Character:Mike Nelson
Release Date:19/04/1996
Poopie!
Character:
Release Date:23/11/1995
Poopie Parade of Values
Character:Mike Nelson
Release Date:23/11/1995
MST3K Little Gold Statue Preview Special
Character:Mike Nelson
Release Date:22/03/1995
This Is MST3K
Character:Self
Release Date:14/11/1992
Three Stooges: Greatest Routines
Character:Michael J. Nelson
Release Date:01/12/1964
Television Appearances
Total Riff Off
Character:
The Adventures of Edward the Less
Character:The Noble One (voice)
Mystery Science Theater 3000
Character:Mike Nelson
Mystery Science Theater 3000
Character:Valeria
Mystery Science Theater 3000
Character:Torgo
Mystery Science Theater 3000
Character:Tony Travis (voice)
Mystery Science Theater 3000
Character:Officer Mike
Mystery Science Theater 3000
Character:Holo-Clown
Mystery Science Theater 3000
Character:Morrissey
Mystery Science Theater 3000
Character:Imperialistic Alien
Mystery Science Theater 3000
Character:Isaac Asimov Literary Doomsday Device (voice)
Mystery Science Theater 3000
Character:Kenny
Mystery Science Theater 3000
Character:Megaweapon (voice)
Mystery Science Theater 3000
Character:Frank Sinatra (voice)
Mystery Science Theater 3000
Character:Virtual comedy heckler (voice)
Mystery Science Theater 3000
Character:Baywatch characters (voice)
Images
