Mystery Science Theater 3000

Mystery Science Theater 3000 (1988?1999), usually abbreviated MST3K, is a cult television comedy series created by Joel Hodgson featuring a man and his robot sidekicks supposedly trapped on a satellite in space and forced to make fun of particularly bad movies. Series creator Hodgson originally played the stranded man, Joel Robinson. When he left in 1995, series head writer Michael J. Nelson replaced him as new B-movie victim Mike Nelson, giving the show a somewhat different approach.

The cast

"The guys"

• Joel Robinson ? Joel Hodgson (1988?1993)
• Mike Nelson ? Michael J. Nelson (1993?1999)
• Crow T. Robot ? voice and puppetry by Trace Beaulieu (1988?1996), Bill Corbett (1997?1999)
• Tom Servo ? voice and puppetry by Josh Weinstein (1988?1989), Kevin Murphy (1990?1999)
• Gypsy ? voice and puppetry by Josh Weinstein (1988?1989), Jim Mallon (1989?1997), Patrick Brantseg (1997?1999)
• Cambot ? not a cast role, but considered part of the SOL crew
• Magic Voice ? variously voiced; but as of Season 4 was consistently (more or less) voiced by Mary Jo Pehl. Prop Mistress Beth "Beez" McKeever provided the voice for its two Sci Fi era "appearances".

"The Mads"

• Dr. Clayton Forrester ? Trace Beaulieu (1988?1996) (Full name: Dr. Clayton Deborah Susan Forrester. Named for the square-jawed hero scientist of the 1950s Hollywood movie The War of the Worlds.)
• Dr. Laurence Erhardt ? Josh Weinstein (1988?1990)
• TV's Frank ? Frank Conniff (1990?1995)
• Mrs. Pearl Forrester ? Mary Jo Pehl (1995?1999)
• Professor Bobo ? Kevin Murphy (1997?1999)
• Observer ("Brain Guy") ? Bill Corbett (1997?1999)

Recurring guest characters

• Jack Perkins (Michael J. Nelson) ? in real life the host of the A&E Network's Biography program, Perkins first appeared in MST3K simply to annoy the Mads by describing the movie as far better than it actually was. When MST3K appeared in syndication as The Mystery Science Hour, Nelson's fake "Jack Perkins" hosted the show.
• Jan-in-the-Pan (Mary Jo Pehl) ? a woman's severed head from the movie The Brain that Wouldn't Die.
• Jerry and Sylvia (various actors) ? two "mole people" from the movie The Mole People (featured much later as a Season 8 episode) who occasionally assisted the Mads and stopped by for social events. Presumably named after Sylvia and Gerry Anderson, the creative team behind ' and Supermarionation shows like Thunderbirds and Stingray, some of which were featured as KTMA-season episodes.
• "Krankor" (Bill Corbett) ? a pudgy, vain, would-be conqueror with an unfortunately chicken-like appearance and a drawn-out, braying laugh, "Krankor" (technically, "The Phantom", dictator of the planet "Krankor" in the movie Prince of Space) appeared in a host segment when MST3K riffed Prince of Space, and returned three episodes later in a host segment for Invasion of the Neptune Men, a movie with a similar plot but far, far fewer redeeming qualities.
• Ortega (Paul Chaplin) ? an unintelligible, decrepit, cigar-smoking henchman from the movie The Incredibly Strange Creatures Who Stopped Living and Became Mixed-Up Zombies, Ortega recurred probably more frequently in the three Sci Fi seasons than any other "guest character".
• Pitch (Paul Chaplin) ? a devil from the Mexican movie Santa Claus, Pitch was one of the only characters from the Comedy Central seasons to return in the Sci Fi Channel seasons.
• Torgo (Michael J. Nelson) ? a rebellious monster henchman in Manos: The Hands Of Fate, Torgo was among the most frequently returning "guest characters" of MST3K. He got his knees fixed and accompanied TV's Frank to sidekick heaven and was never seen again (episode 624 Samson vs. The Vampire Women).
• Pearl Forrester (Mary Jo Pehl) ? Dr. Forrester's horrible mother appeared once in season six (episode 607 Bloodlust). The character returned in season seven as a replacement for TV's Frank (Frank Conniff), and then became the main villain in the Sci Fi era. This is the only time a guest star was made into a regular character (not counting Professor Bobo and Observer).
• MST3K has only had two non-staffers make guest appearances on the show: Minnesota Viking Robert Smith (as "Howard" in episode 803 The Mole People) and film critic Leonard Maltin (as himself in episode 909 Gorgo). All other guest appearances were filled by a Best Brains crew member or a regular cast member in disguise.