Michael J. Nelson

Writing

1964-10-11 · St. Charles, Illinois

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

Mystery Science Theater 3000: The RiffTrax Experiments

2026 · Series

Theaters

Mystery Science Theater 3000: The RiffTrax Experiments — Sting of Death

2026 · Movie

Hunks of Junk

2026 · Movie

GrimTrax Returns

2026 · Movie

RiffTrax Live: Timecop

2025 · Movie

RiffTrax: Super Zeroes

2025 · Movie

RiffTrax Live: Point Break

2024 · Movie

GrimTrax

2024 · Movie

RiffTrax Live: RAD

2023 · Movie

RiffTrax Live: The Return of Swamp Thing

2022 · Movie

RiffTrax Live: Amityville - The Evil Escapes

2022 · Movie

RiffTrax Live: Hobgoblins

2021 · Movie

RiffTrax Live: Giant Spider Invasion

2019 · Movie

RiffTrax Live: Star Raiders

2019 · Movie

RiffTrax Live: Octaman

2019 · Movie

The Rifftrax Yule Log

2018 · Movie

RiffTrax Live: Space Mutiny

2018 · Movie

RiffTrax Live: Doctor Who – The Five Doctors

2017 · Movie

RiffTrax Live: Summer Shorts Beach Party

2017 · Movie

Rifftrax Live: Samurai Cop

2017 · Movie

Rifftrax Live: Carnival of Souls

2016 · Movie

RiffTrax Live: Mothra

2016 · Movie

RiffTrax Live: MST3K Reunion

2016 · Movie

RiffTrax Live: Time Chasers

2016 · Movie

Rifftrax Live: Night of the Shorts - SF Sketchfest 2016

2016 · Movie

RiffTrax Live: Santa and the Ice Cream Bunny

2015 · Movie

RiffTrax Live: Miami Connection

2015 · Movie

RiffTrax Live: Sharknado 2

2015 · Movie

Rifftrax Live: The Room

2015 · Movie

Rifftrax Live: Night of the Shorts - SF Sketchfest 2015

2015 · Movie

RiffTrax Live: Santa Claus

2014 · Movie

RiffTrax Live: Godzilla

2014 · Movie

RiffTrax Live: Sharknado

2014 · Movie

Total Riff Off

2014 · Series

Rifftrax Live: Santa Claus Conquers the Martians

2013 · Movie

RiffTrax Live: Night of the Living Dead

2013 · Movie

Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Motion Picture Odyssey

2013 · Movie

Rifftrax Live: Starship Troopers

2013 · Movie

RiffTrax Live: Night of the Shorts - SF Sketchfest 2013

2013 · Movie

Santa's Village of Madness

2012 · Movie

RiffTrax Live: Birdemic - Shock and Terror

2012 · Movie

RiffTrax Live: "Manos" the Hands of Fate

2012 · Movie

Rifftrax Live: Jack the Giant Killer

2011 · Movie

RiffTrax Live: House on Haunted Hill

2010 · Movie

Rifftrax Live: Reefer Madness

2010 · Movie

RiffTrax Live: Christmas Shorts-stravaganza!

2009 · Movie

RiffTrax Live: Plan 9 from Outer Space

2009 · Movie

Max the Hero

2007 · Movie

The Film Crew: The Giant of Marathon

2007 · Movie

The Film Crew: Wild Women of Wongo

2007 · Movie

The Film Crew: Killers from Space

2007 · Movie

The Three Stooges in Color

2005 · Movie

The Adventures of Edward the Less

2001 · Series

Mystery Science Theater 3000: Shorts, Volume 3

2000 · Movie

The Last Dance: RAW

1999 · Movie

Mystery Science Theater 3000: Shorts, Volume 2

1999 · Movie

2nd Annual Mystery Science Theater 3000 Summer Blockbuster Review

1998 · Movie

Mystery Science Theater 3000: Shorts, Volume 1

1998 · Movie

1st Annual Mystery Science Theater 3000 Summer Blockbuster Review

1997 · Movie

Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie

1996 · Movie

Poopie Parade of Values

1995 · Movie

Poopie!

1995 · Movie

MST3K Little Gold Statue Preview Special

1995 · Movie

This Is MST3K

1992 · Movie

Mystery Science Theater 3000

1989 · Series

Three Stooges: Greatest Routines

1964 · Movie

The Year of Laughing Dangerously

Movie

RiffTrax: Pressure Point

Movie

The Film Crew: Hollywood After Dark

Movie