In September 1988, Joel Hodgson enlisted Twin City-area comedians Trace Beaulieu and Josh Weinstein to help him shoot a pilot for the show. The robots and the set, in their crudest format, were built overnight by Hodgson. The next morning, shooting commenced on the 30-minute pilot. Joel watched the movie by himself, with Trace playing Crow T. Robot and Josh playing Gypsum (an early version of Gypsy) during the host segments. Camera work was by Kevin Murphy, who also created the first "doorway sequence" and theater seat design.
Once the show moved to The Comedy Channel, its format was changed: instead of ad-lib riffs in the theater, each show was carefully scripted ahead of time. Writer/performer Weinstein did not care for this new format, and subsequently left after the first season. Murphy replaced him as the voice of Tom Servo and Frank Conniff came on as Weinstein's replacement in Deep 13. At the same time, Michael J. Nelson was promoted to head writer.
When Joel Hodgson decided to leave the show halfway through season five, Nelson took on the role of host from 1993 until the end of the series. Debates (sometimes heated) raged in fan forums about who was the better host for quite some time, but in more recent years a consensus has developed among the fanbase that acknowledges that each performer had his merits. Also distressing to fans was the departure of Frank Conniff, who left after completion of the show's sixth season. Trace Beaulieu later left the series as well, between seasons seven and eight, also to many fans' dismay.
When The Sci-Fi Channel picked up the show, Mary Jo Pehl took over the lead "Mad" role as Dr. Forrester's mother, Pearl Forrester, who had been featured as a regular in season seven. Her sidekicks were the idiotic, Planet of the Apes-inspired Professor Bobo (Murphy) and the highly evolved, supposedly omnipotent Observer (AKA Brain Guy), played by writer Bill Corbett. Corbett also took over Crow's voice and puppetry. In the middle of the the eighth season, Jim Mallon handed over the voice and puppetry work for Gypsy to BBI staffer Patrick Brantseg.
Writing Staff
Name | Years on series | Job(s) | Notable on-screen roles |
---|---|---|---|
Joel Hodgson | 1988-1993 | Creator, Executive Producer, Writer, Music, Set Decoration | Joel Robinson |
Jim Mallon | 1988-1999 | Executive Producer, Writer | Gypsy (Seasons 1-8) |
Trace Beaulieu | 1988-1996 | Writer, Director, Set Decoration, Art Director | Dr. Clayton Forrester, Crow T. Robot (Seasons K-7) |
Josh Weinstein | 1988-1991 | Writer, Music | Dr. Laurence Erhardt, Gypsy/Gypsum (KTMA), Tom Servo (Seasons K-1) |
Kevin Murphy | 1988-1999 | Producer, Writer, Director, Set Decoration | Tom Servo, Professor Bobo, Santa Claus, Kitten with a Whip, others |
Michael J. Nelson | 1989-1999 | Head Writer, Director, Composer | Mike Nelson, Jack Perkins, Torgo, Observer, and many others |
Frank Conniff | 1990-1995 | Writer, Script Supervisor | TV's Frank, Gooch |
Christopher Wurst | 1991 | Writer, Intern | |
Bridget Jones Nelson | 1991-1999 | Writer, Music | Nuveena, Mr. B Natural, Flavia, Lisa Loeb, others |
Paul Chaplin | 1991-1999 | Writer | Pitch, Observer, Ortega, Huggy Bear, Sandy |
John Carney | 1992 | Writer | |
Mary Jo Pehl | 1992-1999 | Writer | Pearl Forrester, Jan in the Pan, others |
David Sussman | 1992-1994 | Writer | |
Ken Fournelle | 1989-1995 | Production/Post-Production Staff, Lighting Technician, Cinematographer | |
Colleen Henjum | 1992-1995 | Writer | |
Timothy Scott | 1991-1994 | Writer, Sound Editor, Technical Supervisor, Lighting Tech | Miracle Growth Baby |
Mike Dodge | 1994-1995 | Writer | |
Bill Corbett | 1995-1999 | Writer, Music | Crow T. Robot (Seasons 8-10), Brain Guy, Krankor |
Brian Funk | ? | Writer | |
Mike Gandolfi | ? | Writer |
Other Staff
Name | Years on series | Job(s) | Notable on-screen roles |
---|---|---|---|
Faye Burkholder | 1989-1991 | Make-Up Artist, Writer, Hair Stylist, Songs | Studio assistant, Sexy Gypsy (voice) |
Patrick Brantseg | 1992-1999 | Art Direction, Set Decoration, Props Assistant | Gypsy (Seasons 8-10), Mike's Socksy, Rooster |
Beth "Beez" McKeever | 1996-1999 | Toolmaster | Steffi |
Dave (Gruber) Allen | 1996 | MST3K: The Movie Trailer Theme | |
Julie Walker | 1993-1996 | Info Club Poobah | |
Barb Tebben | 1995-1999 | Info Club Poobah, Assistant | Delta Knight Breakfast Extra |
Jef Maynard | Toolmaster | Roadie, Timmy | |
Bradley J. Keely | Sound, Lighting Tech, Production Coordinator, Technical Supervisor | Exotic Dancer | |
Jeff Stonehouse | 1996-1999 | Director of Photography, Lighting Technician | None |
Andrea "Action" Jackson Ducane | 1992-1999 | Make-Up Artist and Hair Stylist | Pancake Breakfast Extra (Season 9) |
Jill Roozenboom | 1997 | Production Manager | |
Helena Espinosa | 1996 | Temporary Props Assistant and Toolmaster | Preview Audience Member (Season 7) |
Robert Lane | 1996 | Puppet Builder on MST3K: The Movie | |
Dean Trisko | 1996 | Temporary Prop Builder/Prop Assistant |
Season 11
- Written by Harold Buchholz, Paul Chaplin, Storm DiCostanzo, Tammy Golden, Dan Harmon, Joel Hodgson, Elliott Kalan, Lesley Kinzel, Matt Oswalt, Jonah Ray, Mary Robinson, Justin Roiland, Paul Sabourin, Baron Vaughn & Hampton Yount
- Executive Producers - Joel Hodgson, Elliott Kalan, Harold Buchholz, Bob Emmer, Garson Foos, Richard Foos, Jonathan Stern, Tom Gates, Dan Lanigan, John T. Lyons, Amelia Kane Shannon, Greg & Meredith Tally, Impact Environmental, Larry Tanz
- Co-Executive Producers - David McIntosh & Aaron Meyerson
- Producer - Ivan Askwith & David Soldinger
- Co-Producer - Jonah Ray
- Crow puppeteers - Grant Baciocco, Carla Rudy & Hampton Yount
- Tom Servo puppeteers - Russ Walko, Erik Kuska & Baron Vaughn
- Gypsy puppeteer - Tim Blaney
- Line producer - Franny Baldwin
- Unit Production Manager - Melanie J. Elin
- First Assistant Director - Cassandra B. Laymon
- Second Assistant Director - Tyler Stratton
- Director of Photography - Frank Barrera
- Editors - David Egan & Harry Moroz
- Production Designer - Justin Lieb
- Costume Designer - Samantha Kuester
- Post Producer - Trish Hadley
- Associate Producers - Jordan Fields, Lesley Kinzel, Matt McGinnis, Michael Ribas, Ryan Ritchey, Seth Robinson, Paul Sabourin, Aaron Somers & Sharyl Volpe
- First Assistant Camera - Francis Capone & Harrison Reynolds
- Camera Operators - Francisco Bulgarelli & Steven LT Smith
- Second Assistant Cameras - Drew Ganyer & Ryan Grzelak
- Digital Loader - Kathleen Corcoran
- Still Photographer - Darren Michaels
- Gaffer - Jeff Chassler
- Best Boy Electric - Yoni Klein
- Key Grip - James O'Connor
- Best Boy Grip - Nathan Poniatowski
- Art Director - Ryan Martin
- Set Decorator - Mike Maltz
- Prop Master - Caroline Louis
- Art Department Coordinator - Amy Smith
- Art Production Assistant - Destiny Grant
- Robot Costumes - Beez McKeever
- Sound Mixer - Anthony Enns
- Boom Operator - Lee Ascher
- Script Supervisor - Elena Antzon
- Set Medic - George Hale
- Make-Up Department Head - Hugo Villaseñor
- Key Make-Up - Kelsey Berk, Lynn Chin, Molly Craytor, Sarah Hall, Tara Lang, Katie Middleton
- Hair Department Head - Analyn Cruz
- Key Hair Stylist - Petrina Ada
- Second Second Assistant Director - Mike Tsucalas
- Additional Second Assistant Director - Andrew Kent
- Production Office Coordinator - Jack Brungardt
- Accountant - Mike Howard
- Payroll Accountant - Michael J. Regina
- Assistant Accountant - Thomas Efaw
- Video Playback - Anthony Perkins
- VTR Assist - Chris Kessler
- Teleprompter Operator - Jarrett Sullivan
- Craft Services - Omar Ramos
- Catering - Cafe on Location
- Transportation Captain - Matt Ballard
- Driver - Raizel Goldberger
- Post Production Coordinator - Samantha Tinsley
- Assistant Editors - Alan Mackulin & Kenneth Rich
- Post Production Assistants - Amelia Marino & Nina Rogers
- Post Sound Provided by Unbridled Sound
- Sound Supervisor - Brent Kiser
- Re-Recording Mixer - Elliot Thompson
- Sound Editors - Timothy Preston & Elliot Thompson
- Post Sound Coordinator - Anya Scemama
- Colorist - Luke Cahill
- Visual Effects by Midnight Kids Studios
- Visual Effects Supervisor - Sevan Najarian
- Visual Effects Artists - Carlos Aldana, Brad Clapper, Dejuan McCoy & Matt Wauhkonen
Position | Name | Episode(s) |
---|---|---|
Director | Joel Hodgson | 1101 |
Director | Robert Cohen | 1101 |