Michael J. Nelson
Writing • Born 1964-10-11
Biography
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.
Filmography
78 credits
Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie
Movie • 1996
Mike Nelson
RiffTrax Live: Hobgoblins
Movie • 2021
Self
RiffTrax Live: Night of the Living Dead
Movie • 2013
Self
RiffTrax Live: "Manos" the Hands of Fate
Movie • 2012
Self
RiffTrax Live: Plan 9 from Outer Space
Movie • 2009
Self
Max the Hero
Movie • 2007
Stew (voice)
RiffTrax Live: Doctor Who – The Five Doctors
Movie • 2017
Self
RiffTrax Live: RAD
Movie • 2023
Self
Rifftrax Live: Starship Troopers
Movie • 2013
Self
RiffTrax Live: Godzilla
Movie • 2014
Self
RiffTrax Live: The Return of Swamp Thing
Movie • 2022
Self
RiffTrax Live: Octaman
Movie • 2019
Self
The Year of Laughing Dangerously
Movie
Joel Williams
GrimTrax
Movie • 2024
Self
RiffTrax Live: Point Break
Movie • 2024
Self
Mystery Science Theater 3000: Shorts, Volume 3
Movie • 2000
Mike Nelson
Mystery Science Theater 3000: Shorts, Volume 2
Movie • 1999
Mike Nelson
Mystery Science Theater 3000: Shorts, Volume 1
Movie • 1998
Mike Nelson
Rifftrax Live: Santa Claus Conquers the Martians
Movie • 2013
Self
RiffTrax Live: Miami Connection
Movie • 2015
RiffTrax Live: Time Chasers
Movie • 2016
Self
This Is MST3K
Movie • 1992
Self
Rifftrax Live: The Room
Movie • 2015
Self
Poopie!
Movie • 1995
Three Stooges: Greatest Routines
Movie • 1964
Michael J. Nelson
Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Motion Picture Odyssey
Movie • 2013
Himself
RiffTrax Live: Birdemic - Shock and Terror
Movie • 2012
Himself
RiffTrax Live: Sharknado
Movie • 2014
Himself
RiffTrax Live: Summer Shorts Beach Party
Movie • 2017
Self
Rifftrax Live: Carnival of Souls
Movie • 2016
Rifftrax Live: Samurai Cop
Movie • 2017
Self
RiffTrax Live: Sharknado 2
Movie • 2015
Self
The Last Dance: RAW
Movie • 1999
Himself / Mike Nelson
RiffTrax Live: Space Mutiny
Movie • 2018
Self
RiffTrax Live: Mothra
Movie • 2016
Self
RiffTrax Live: Santa Claus
Movie • 2014
Self
RiffTrax Live: Star Raiders
Movie • 2019
Self
RiffTrax Live: Santa and the Ice Cream Bunny
Movie • 2015
RiffTrax Live: House on Haunted Hill
Movie • 2010
himself
RiffTrax Live: Giant Spider Invasion
Movie • 2019
Self
RiffTrax Live: Christmas Shorts-stravaganza!
Movie • 2009
Himself
RiffTrax Live: Night of the Shorts - SF Sketchfest 2013
Movie • 2013
Himself
Rifftrax Live: Night of the Shorts - SF Sketchfest 2015
Movie • 2015
Himself
RiffTrax Live: MST3K Reunion
Movie • 2016
Self
Rifftrax Live: Night of the Shorts - SF Sketchfest 2016
Movie • 2016
Self
Rifftrax Live: Reefer Madness
Movie • 2010
MST3K Little Gold Statue Preview Special
Movie • 1995
Mike Nelson
Poopie Parade of Values
Movie • 1995
Mike Nelson
The Rifftrax Yule Log
Movie • 2018
Self
RiffTrax: Super Zeroes
Movie • 2025
Self
RiffTrax Live: Amityville - The Evil Escapes
Movie • 2022
RiffTrax Live: Timecop
Movie • 2025
Self
Santa's Village of Madness
Movie • 2012
Self
1st Annual Mystery Science Theater 3000 Summer Blockbuster Review
Movie • 1997
Mike Nelson
Rifftrax Live: Jack the Giant Killer
Movie • 2011
The Three Stooges in Color
Movie • 2005
GrimTrax Returns
Movie • 2026
Self
Mystery Science Theater 3000: The RiffTrax Experiments
Movie
Mike Nelson
Hunks of Junk
Movie • 2026
Self
Mystery Science Theater 3000
TV • 1989
Valeria
Mystery Science Theater 3000
TV • 1989
Mike Nelson
Total Riff Off
TV • 2014
Mystery Science Theater 3000
TV • 1989
Torgo
Mystery Science Theater 3000
TV • 1989
Morrissey
Mystery Science Theater 3000
TV • 1989
Tony Travis (voice)
Mystery Science Theater 3000
TV • 1989
Officer Mike
Mystery Science Theater 3000
TV • 1989
Holo-Clown
The Adventures of Edward the Less
TV • 2001
The Noble One (voice)
Mystery Science Theater 3000
TV • 1989
Imperialistic Alien
Mystery Science Theater 3000
TV • 1989
Isaac Asimov Literary Doomsday Device (voice)
Mystery Science Theater 3000
TV • 1989
Kenny
Mystery Science Theater 3000
TV • 1989
Megaweapon (voice)
Mystery Science Theater 3000
TV • 1989
Frank Sinatra (voice)
Mystery Science Theater 3000
TV • 1989
Virtual comedy heckler (voice)
Mystery Science Theater 3000
TV • 1989
Baywatch characters (voice)
Rifftrax
TV • 2006
Mystery Science Theater 3000: The RiffTrax Experiments
TV
Mike Nelson
Mystery Science Theater 3000
TV • 1989
Buddy