- Born
- Birth nameMichael John Nelson
- Height6′ 1″ (1.85 m)
- Michael J. Nelson is the former host and writer of the Emmy-nominated, Peabody Award-winning Mystery Science Theater 3000 (1988). 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.
Mike continues to work in all media and has just completed a commentary track to the hugely successful re-release of the classic Reefer Madness (1938) as well as Night of the Living Dead (1968), Carnival of Souls (1962) and The Little Shop of Horrors (1960). He speaks all over the country and is a frequent guest on radio and television, having recently appeared on the Starz and Encore networks and the widely syndicated Hugh Hewitt Radio Show.
MSNBC online recently named him one of the 10 sexiest movie men (along with Antonio Banderas and Tom Selleck!).
- IMDb mini biography by: RiffTrax
- SpouseBridget Jones(October 21, 1989 - present) (2 children)
- ChildrenGeorge Nelson
- He was working as a waiter at T.G.I. Friday's and doing occasional stand-up comedy when he was offered a job on Mystery Science Theater 3000 (1988) doing typing in the writing room. The writers told him to feel free to make some comments on the movies they were watching, and he so impressed them with his wit and comedic timing that they made him a staff writer (and later the head writer).
- Joel Hodgson chose him to be his replacement as the host of Mystery Science Theater 3000 (1988) because he was impressed with his leadership skills, his music skills and the fact that he looked great standing next to the show's puppets.
- Regularly writing, recording and releasing downloadable commentaries for current movies to be played in sync with them, called "Rifftrax," along with other MST3K guests.
- Provides commentary tracks for Off Color Films' colorized DVD releases. Has currently done Reefer Madness (1938), Night of the Living Dead (1968), Carnival of Souls (1962), House on Haunted Hill (1959), and Plan 9 from Outer Space (1958).
- Recently moved from Minnesota to San Diego, California.
- [His explanation of how the show Mystery Science Theater 3000 (1988) lasted so long (10 seasons)] "I think the thing is just not to get famous, which is what we've done. We're always under the radar, we're durable because we're so not successful."
- [Talking about the film Manos: The Hands of Fate (1966)]: "We [the writers] started watching it, and had never seen anything like that. We kept saying to ourselves, 'There is no way we can do this movie, it is just too bizarre.' But we finally decided, 'No, we must bring this to the world.'"
- [on dressing up as Star Trek: Voyager (1995)'s Capt. Kathryn Janeway in MST3K episode "Laserblast"]: "It is a small comfort to me that no matter how talented the make-up artist, how good the costume, how expert the lighting, I don't look anymore like a woman than Fred Gwynn does, without make-up."
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