Michael J. Nelson

Michael J. Nelson

b. 1964 (age 62) St. Charles, Illinois

Actor Writer

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!" Mike speaks all over the country, is a frequent guest on radio and television, and along with Bill Corbett and Kevin Murphy sells out theaters with his RiffTrax Live events.

Known For

Mystery Science Theater 3000

Mystery Science Theater 3000

Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie

Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie

2nd Annual Mystery Science Theater 3000 Summer Blockbuster Review

Cheap Seats: Without Ron Parker

Cheap Seats: Without Ron Parker

Filmography

RiffTrax Presents: The Ghost Ship

Mystery Science Theater 3000: The RiffTrax Experiments

2026 Actor Director

RiffTrax: Beyond the Ring

2026 Self Writer

RiffTrax Live: Timecop

RiffTrax Live: Timecop

2025 Self Writer

RiffTrax: Party Line

2025 Self Director Writer

RiffTrax: The Killer Likes Candy

2025 Self Director Writer

RiffTrax: Little Lost Sea Serpent

2025 Self Director Writer

RiffTrax: Space Master X-7

2025 Self Director Writer

RiffTrax: The Lord Protector

2025 Self Director Writer

RiffTrax: The Karate Kid

RiffTrax: Creature from Black Lake

2025 Self Director Writer

RiffTrax: Impulse

2025 Self Director Writer

RiffTrax: American Werewolf

2025 Self Director Writer

RiffTrax: The Banker

2025 Self Director

RiffTrax: Guns of El Chupacabra

2025 Self Director Writer

RiffTrax: Karate Tiger 2

2025 Self Director Writer

RiffTrax: Unknown Island

2025 Self Director

RiffTrax: Black Belt Angels

2025 Self Director Writer

RiffTrax: Jurassic Shark 2 - Aquapocalypse

2025 Self Director Writer

RiffTrax: The Phantom Empire

2025 Self Director Writer

RiffTrax Presents: Q Planes

RiffTrax: Mirror Mirror 2 - Raven Dance

2025 Self Director Writer

RiffTrax: The Princess and the Magic Frog

2025 Self Director Writer

RiffTrax: The Humanoid

2025 Self Director Writer

RiffTrax: Flight to Hell

2025 Self Director Writer

RiffTrax Live: Point Break

RiffTrax Live: Point Break

2024 Self Writer

RiffTrax: GrimTrax

RiffTrax: GrimTrax

2024 Self Director Writer

RiffTrax: Micro Mini Kids

2024 Self Director Writer

RiffTrax: Fight to Win

2024 Self Director Writer

RiffTrax: Xtro 3: Watch the Skies

2024 Self Director

RiffTrax Live: RAD

RiffTrax Live: RAD

2023 Self Writer

RiffTrax: In the Line of Duty 2: The Super Cops

2023 Self Writer

RiffTrax: Demon Island

2023 Self Writer

RiffTrax Live: The Return of Swamp Thing

RiffTrax Live: The Return of Swamp Thing

2022 Self Writer

Rifftrax: Winterbeast

2022 Self Writer

Rifftrax: Dune 2021

Rifftrax: Dune 2021

2022 Self Writer

RiffTrax: Fugitive Rage

2022 Self Writer

RiffTrax: Zombie Nightmare

2022 Self Writer

RiffTrax: Mikey

2022 Self Director Writer

RiffTrax: Max Havoc: Ring of Fire

2022 Self Writer

Riff Trax: Things

2022 Self Writer

RiffTrax: The Retrievers

2022 Self Writer

2022 Self Writer

Rifftrax: Rapid Assault

2022 Self Writer

RiffTrax: Day of the Assassin

2022 Self Writer

2022 Self Writer

RiffTrax: Hack-O-Lantern

2022 Self Writer

RiffTrax: A Dangerous Man

RiffTrax: Escape from the Bronx

2022 Self Writer

RiffTrax: Jurassic Shark

2022 Self Writer

RiffTrax: Universal Soldier 3 - Unfinished Business

2022 Self Writer

RiffTrax: Robot Monster

2022 Self Writer

RiffTrax Live: Amityville 4: The Evil Escapes

2021 Self Writer

Rifftrax: Yor - The Hunter from the Future

Rifftrax Live: Hobgoblins

Rifftrax Live: Hobgoblins

2021 Self Writer

Rifftrax: Gumby - The Movie

2021 Self Writer

RiffTrax: Baby Ghost

2021 Self Writer

RiffTrax: Double Dragon

2021 Self Writer

RiffTrax: Frozen Scream

RiffTrax: Max Havoc - Curse of the Dragon

RiffTrax: Maximum Revenge

RiffTrax: The Alien Dead

RiffTrax: The Minion

RiffTrax: Dancin': It's On!

RiffTrax: Fungicide

RiffTrax: Atomic Eden

Rifftrax: Father Frost

2021 Self Writer

RiffTrax: The Last Man on Earth

2021 Self Writer

RiffTrax: San Franpsycho

RiffTrax: Copper Mountain

RiffTrax: Dangerous Men

RiffTrax: Savage

2021 Self Director Writer

RiffTrax: Universal Soldier II

RiffTrax: Mirror Mirror

2021 Self Director Writer

RiffTrax: Shrunken Heads

RiffTrax: Invaders from Mars

RiffTrax: Face/Off

2021 Self Writer

RiffTrax: Universal Soldier II - Brothers in Arms

2021 Self Writer

RiffTrax: Plankton

RiffTrax: Money Plane

2021 Self Writer

Riftrax: Lycan Colony

Rifftrax: Stitches

2020 Self Writer

Rifftrax: The Most Dangerous Game

2020 Self Writer

Rifftrax: The Shape of Things to Come

RiffTrax: Suburban Sasquatch

Rifftrax: Beaks!

RiffTrax: Star Wars - The Rise of Skywalker

2020 Self Writer

RiffTrax: Ninja Warlord

Rifftrax: It's a Wonderful Life (Special RiffTrax Edit)

2020 Self Writer

RiffTrax: Hijacked: Flight 285

RiffTrax: The Return

2020 Self Writer

RiffTrax: Light Blast

RiffTrax: Vengeance of the Dead

RiffTrax: Martial Law 2 - Under Cover

RiffTrax: Jack-O

Rifftrax: Lovely but Deadly

RiffTrax: Velvet Smooth

RiffTrax: Bounty Tracker

RiffTrax: Charade

2020 Self Writer

RiffTrax: Aladdin

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