Changes: Dr. Laurence Erhardt

Revision as of 05:11, 25 April 2019

Dr. Laurence Erhardt is a scientist at Gizmonic Institute, who worked with Dr. Clayton Forrester at the beginning of the "Mystery Science Theater" project. He went missing a short time into the experiment (between Experiment #113 and Experiment #201), with TV's Frank showing a milk carton with his picture on it. It was later revealed that he had left on a journey of discovery that had "worked out real nice" for him.

Appearance and personality

Dr. Erhardt speaks with a high, squeaky voice, has curly black hair, and thick glasses. His catchphrase was to, after soberly describing a horrible movie's plot or some other dire scenario, cheerily proclaim "Enjoy!" Another catchphrase of his, with Clayton, is to cheerily reply "Thank you!" whenever Joel or the Bots label their invention for the invention exchange as particularly evil.

History

ErhardtMissing — Dr. Erhardt's last known photo

Little is known of Erhardt's past save that he became a "mad scientist" while working at a zoo; he went mad when, in his own words: "...they promised me students, but all I got were monkeys! Monkeys! Monkeys! So I took off my wetsuit, dropped that hedge clipper, and walked out of that zoo forever!" Any additional details are left for the viewers to fill in themselves.

Eventually finding employment at Gizmonic Institute, he worked with Dr. Forrester to launch Joel Robinson into space, where the pair conducted their movie-watching experiments on him.

When Dr. Forrester took on Frank, Joel asked what happened to Dr. Erhardt. Frank simply held up a milk carton with Erhardt's picture on it saying, "He's missing". While they never appeared on screen together, Dr. Erhardt apparently knew Frank and became aware of Frank and Clayton's eventual bond as a team. Similarly, Dr. Erhardt knew and recognized both Kinga Forrester and Max when he visited Moon 13.

Erhardt2018 — Dr. Erhardt contacting Moon 13.

Years later, Dr. Erhardt visited Moon 13 in Dr. Forrester's old spaceship The Pretty Lady. He stated that he had been on a journey of self-discovery. He also revealed that he had acquired Dr. Forrester and TV Frank's physical remains from the Gizmonic Institute, and intended to fulfill Clayton's wishes of having his ashes scattered while the song "Idiot Control Now" was played.

Behind-the-scenes

Dr. Erhardt is portrayed by original cast member and writer Josh Weinstein, who was also the original voice of Tom Servo.
According to Weinstein, Dr. Erhardt's name was inspired by that of Werner Erhard, the founder of EST. This was intending as a subtle jab at some other members of the Minnesota stand-up comedy community who were members of EST.
Dr. Forrester and Dr. Erhardt first appeared outside the opening credits in episode #K06, during the show's original season on KTMA TV23.
Dr. Erhardt was referred to in Experiment #313 - Earth vs the Spider when Joel identified one of the Spider's victims as resembling Dr. Erhardt. He joked "So THAT'S what happened to him!"
The more than 28-year gap between appearances is the longest for any Mystery Science Theater 3000 character.

The Mads

edit

Principal

Dr. Clayton Forrester • Dr. Laurence Erhardt • TV's Frank • Pearl Forrester • Professor Bobo • Brain Guy • Kinga Forrester • Max

Secondary

Gerry and Sylvia • Dr. Peanut • The Observers • Synthia Forrester • Ardy • Skeleton Crew • Dr. Donna St. Phibes • Bonesy • Mega-Synthia • Dr. Kabahl • M. Waverly • Growler

Mirror Universe

Mike Nelson • Crow T. Robot • Tom Servo • Gypsy

Locations

Gizmonic Institute • Deep 13 • Deep Ape • The Widowmaker • Observer homeworld • Camping Planet • Ancient Rome • Castle Forrester • Moon 13 • Moon 1 • Deep Hurting

@@ Line 4: / Line 4: @@
 | image_size     =200px
 | actors         =[[Josh Weinstein]]
-| 1stappearance  =K07 - [[Gamera vs Zigra (KTMA)|Gamera vs Zigra]]
+| 1stappearance  =K07 - [[MST3K K07 - Gamera vs Zigra|Gamera vs Zigra]]
-| lastappearance =113 - [[The Black Scorpion]]
+| lastappearance =1206 - [[MST3K 1206 - Ator, the Fighting Eagle|Ator, the Fighting Eagle]]
 | onlyapperance  =
-| location       =[[Deep 13]]
+| location       =[[Gizmonic Institute]]<br>[[Deep 13]]<br>[[The Pretty Lady]]
 | type           =Regular
+}}'''Dr. Laurence Erhardt''' is a scientist at [[Gizmonic Institute]], who worked with [[Dr. Clayton Forrester]] at the beginning of the "Mystery Science Theater" project. He went missing a short time into the experiment (between [[MST3K 113 - The Black Scorpion|Experiment #113]] and [[MST3K 201 - Rocketship X-M|Experiment #201]]), with [[TV's Frank]] showing a milk carton with his picture on it. It was [[MST3K 1204 - The Day Time Ended|later revealed]] that he had left on a journey of discovery that had "worked out real nice" for him.
-}}
+==Appearance and personality==
-'''Dr. Laurence Erhardt''' is [[Dr. Clayton Forrester|Dr. Clayton Forrester's]] original assistant. He went missing after the show's [[Season 1|first season]], and was replaced by [[TV's Frank]]. [[Joel Robinson]] would later suggest that Erhardt was [[Earth vs. the Spider|eaten by a giant spider]]. Then writer for the show [[J. Elvis Weinstein]] portrayed the character.
+Dr. Erhardt speaks with a high, squeaky voice, has curly black hair, and thick glasses. His catchphrase was to, after soberly describing a horrible movie's plot or some other dire scenario, cheerily proclaim "Enjoy!" Another catchphrase of his, with Clayton, is to cheerily reply "Thank you!" whenever Joel or the Bots label their invention for the invention exchange as particularly evil.
-==Role==
-Dr. Erhardt is mad scientist and Dr. [[Clayton Forrester]]'s first assistant. He is a very different character from Forrester's later assistant, [[TV's Frank]]. He is more high-spirited than Frank, speaks with a high, squeaky voice, has curly black hair, and thick glasses. Erhardt is himself a "mad scientist" like Forrester, whereas Frank is neither a scientist nor, for the most part, mad. Just like Frank, however, Erhardt goes through many tortures by Dr. Forrester. His catchphrase was to, after soberly describing a horrible movie's plot or some other dire scenario, cheerily proclaim "Enjoy!"The Mads perform a commercial for their fictitious drive-in restaurant, "Clay and Lar's Flesh Barn"
+==History==
+[[File:ErhardtMissing.JPG|left|thumb|220x220px|Dr. Erhardt's last known photo]]
 Little is known of Erhardt's past save that he became a "mad scientist" while working at a zoo; he went mad when, in his own words: "...they promised me students, but all I got were monkeys! Monkeys! Monkeys! So I took off my wetsuit, dropped that hedge clipper, and walked out of that zoo forever!" Any additional details are left for the viewers to fill in themselves.
-Eventually finding employment at Gizmonic Institute, he became Dr. Forrester's assistant and worked with him to launch Joel Robinson into space, where the pair conducted their movie-watching experiments on him.
+Eventually finding employment at Gizmonic Institute, he worked with Dr. Forrester to launch [[Joel Robinson]] into space, where the pair conducted their movie-watching experiments on him.
-Dr. Erhardt was only on the show for the KTMA season and the nationally telecast Season 1. When Frank was first introduced on the show and Joel asked what happened to Dr. Erhardt, Frank simply held up a milk carton with Erhardt's picture on it saying, "He's missing". Later, in episode #313, the featured movie ("Earth vs. the Spider") includes a scene in which a policeman closely resembling Erhardt is eaten by a giant spider, and Joel and the bots speculated that this was the true fate of Erhardt (Although his condition at the final season 1 episode [http://mst3k.wikia.com/wiki/The_Black_Scorpion The Black Scorpion] could contribute to the reason why he dissapeared).
+When Dr. Forrester took on [[TV's Frank|Frank]], Joel asked what happened to Dr. Erhardt. Frank simply held up a milk carton with Erhardt's picture on it saying, "He's missing". While they never appeared on screen together, Dr. Erhardt apparently knew Frank and became aware of Frank and Clayton's eventual bond as a team. Similarly, Dr. Erhardt knew and recognized both [[Kinga Forrester]] and [[Max]] when he visited [[Moon 13]].
+[[File:Erhardt2018.JPG|thumb|220x220px|Dr. Erhardt contacting Moon 13.]]
-==Behind the Scenes==
+Years later, Dr. Erhardt visited [[Moon 13]] in Dr. Forrester's old spaceship ''[[The Pretty Lady]]''. He stated that he had been on a journey of self-discovery. He also revealed that he had acquired Dr. Forrester and TV Frank's physical remains from the [[Gizmonic Institute]], and intended to fulfill Clayton's wishes of having his ashes scattered while the song "[[Idiot Control|Idiot Control Now]]" was played.
+==Behind-the-scenes==
-Dr. Forrester and Dr. Erhardt were first shown in episode #K06, during the [[File:Clay_and_Lar's_Flesh_Barn.jpg|thumb]]show's original season on KTMA TV23. During this season, and Season 1, J. Elvis Weinstein held a dual role as both Dr. Erhardt and the voice of Tom Servo, and he also provided the voice of Gypsy during the KTMA years (replaced in season one by [[Jim Mallon]]). Weinstein, the youngest of the MST3K creators, left the show after its first nationally telecast season due to creative differences once the show began being scripted instead of being ad-libbed. His youth and relative inexperience was also said to have rubbed his older co-workers the wrong way. In an interview, he stated the show simply quit being fun for him when they moved from KTMA to The Comedy Channel because it became "a business".
+[[File:Clay_and_Lar's_Flesh_Barn.jpg|thumb]]
+*Dr. Erhardt is portrayed by original cast member and writer [[Josh Weinstein]], who was also the original voice of [[Tom Servo]].
+*According to Weinstein, Dr. Erhardt's name was inspired by that of Werner Erhard, the founder of EST. This was intending as a subtle jab at some other members of the Minnesota stand-up comedy community who were members of EST.
+*Dr. Forrester and Dr. Erhardt first appeared outside the opening credits in episode [[MST3K K06 - Gamera vs Gaos|#K06]], during the show's original season on KTMA TV23.
+*Dr. Erhardt was referred to in Experiment #313 - [[MST3K 313 - Earth vs the Spider|''Earth vs the Spider'']] when Joel identified one of the Spider's victims as resembling Dr. Erhardt. He joked "So THAT'S what happened to him!"
+*The more than 28-year gap between appearances is the longest for any ''Mystery Science Theater 3000'' character.
 {{Nav-Mads}}
+{{DEFAULTSORT:Erhardt, Laurence}}
-[[Category:Season 1|first season]]
-[[Category:MST3K Characters|Erhardt]]
+[[Category:MST3K Characters]]
 [[Category:Mads]]
+[[Category:Characters played by Josh Weinstein]]
+[[Category:Recurring characters]]
+[[Category:Gizmonic Institute employees]]