Joel Gordon Hodgson (born February 20, 1960) is an American writer, comedian and television actor. He is best known for creating Mystery Science Theater 3000 (MST3K) and starring in it as the character Joel Robinson. In 2007 MST3K was listed as "one of the top 100 television shows of all time" by Time.com. Hodgson is currently "movie riffing" with fellow cast members of MST3K under the name Cinematic Titanic, performing live and producing content for DVDs and direct download.
The cult hit is back AGAIN! Captured by mad scientists, returning host Jonah and new host Emily survive a blitz of cheesy B movies by riffing on them with their funny robot pals.
Release Date: 2022-05-06
Department: Production
Job: Executive Producer
Character: Joel Robinson/Ardy
Episode Count: 13
Vote Count: 7
Film historian and prop collector Dan Lanigan reunites iconic Disney movie props with the filmmakers, actors, and crew who created and used them in some of Disney’s most beloved films. Throughout this journey, Dan will recover lost artifacts, visit private collections, and help restore pieces from the Walt Disney Archives to their original glory.
Release Date: 2020-05-01
Character: Himself
Episode Count: 1
Vote Count: 21
This feature length documentary provides fans with an insider’s look at the creation of Season 11 and its triumphant debut on Netflix. Featuring new interviews with Joel Hodgson, Jonah Ray, Felicia Day, Patton Oswalt and many others, interwoven with previously unseen footage from all stages of MST3K’s miraculous comeback.
Release Date: 2018-04-17
Character: Self
Vote Count: 2
The cult hit returns! Captured by mad scientists, new host Jonah survives a blitz of cheesy B movies by riffing on them with his funny robot pals.
Release Date: 2017-04-14
Department: Directing
Job: Director
Character: Ardy
Episode Count: 20
Vote Count: 36
Made for television in 1978, The Astral Factor features a convicted murder who learns to use the power of his mind to move objects and make himself invisible. he escapes from prison and hunts down the women whom he believes have wronged him. He is pursued by a dogged police lieutenant.
Release Date: 2016-10-16
Department: Writing
Job: Writer
Character: Joel Hodgson
Mike, Kevin and Bill were joined on stage by their MST3K colleagues at the State Theatre in Minneapolis to bring it back to their roots in an MST3K cast reunion the likes of which have never been seen before! Joining the guys are their old cohorts Frank Conniff (TV's Frank), Trace Beaulieu (Crow, Dr. Forrestor), Mary Jo Pehl (Pearl Forrester), Bridget Nelson (Nuveena, Mr. B), as well as Mystery Science Theater 3000 creator Joel Hodgson, AND the host of the revived MST, Jonah Ray, for a hilarious night of riffing for RiffTrax's 20th Live event. Taking turns in various permutations to riff on a slew of old-timey shorts, the show culminates in a Super Riff-A-Palooza finale with all nine riffers on stage at once!
Release Date: 2016-06-28
Department: Writing
Job: Writer
Character: Self
Vote Count: 6
Meet the team of the UMP cruiser, a barely-functional starship led by an aggressively cheerful Captain with a with a barely-competent crew, including a clueless navigator, a brain damaged mechanic, a bickering couple,a man with gills raised to be an organ farm for his brother and ART, the billionaire turned robot. When their ship is drawn into a different universe, they must to learn to work together while dealing with space clouds, robot rebellions, and the occasional alien attack.
Release Date: 2015-04-14
Character: Zalian Fletcher
Episode Count: 8
Vote Count: 49
THE FRANK is a light-hearted music video featuring many of the original cast and crew of Mystery Science Theater 3000, with a special appearance by Dave (Gruber) Allen. A misguided Mad Doctor misses one of his oldest and deadest friends. Goaded by the demands of the children in the neighborhood, and assisted by his ghoulish, yet whimsical butler (Gruber), he sets out to reboot his old pal and bring him back to life - in a song. Featuring the song "Do the Frank".
Release Date: 2014-09-02
Character: Voice of "Man in Jumpsuit"
The untold history of television's most unique series, Mystery Science Theater 3000, from its UHF origins to its eventual cancellation from the SCIFI network.
Release Date: 2013-11-26
Character: Self
A young boy takes his mother's place in a group of gemstone-based beings, and must learn to control his powers.
Release Date: 2013-11-04
Character: Mayor Dewy (voice)
Episode Count: 8
Vote Count: 1215
Jerry takes his comedy pals out for coffee in a selection of his classic automobiles. Larry David sums it up best when he says, 'You've finally made a show about nothing.'
Release Date: 2012-07-19
Character: Self
Episode Count: 1
Vote Count: 149
Something is very wrong in the Southwestern desert! It starts when rogue rattlesnakes attack two young boys, and it goes downhill from there. The local authorities summon herpetologist Dr. Tom Parkinson to investigate why the snakes are being such jerks. With the help of photographer and fledgling feminist Ann Bradley, the two of them embark on a haphazard and half-assed investigation – and romance. The hunt leads them to a nearby army base and its uncooperative commanding officer, Colonel Stroud. But when marauding rattlers kill two soldiers, the medical officer on the base can no longer keep silent and reveals the terrible secret, unleashing a chain of events, which lead to all kinds of explodey 1976 action, putting an end to the deadly rattlers. Maybe...
Release Date: 2012-07-17
Department: Crew
Job: Creator
Character: Self
The bugs shall inherit the earth! Or so says Annabelle, the hottest, the sexiest, and by far the craziest psycho blonde chick to hit Japan since WWII. Deeply embittered about the whole man's-inhumanity-to-man thing, she enacts a diabolical plot to unleash a swarm of mutant insects on the world that will destroy all living creatures except creepy crawlers. Ensnared in all this madness is a philandering island-hopping bug collector and his compliant and slightly pregnant wife, a humorless doctor from the mainland, and a United States airman named Charlie, whose way of starting a conversation is to hysterically scream "Genocide!" and then go off his rocker like the dedicated military professional he is. If you want to watch a story where everybody gets their nuclear holocaust on in the grand tradition of radioactive Japanese monster movies, this is the film for you!
Release Date: 2011-12-02
Department: Crew
Job: Creator
Character: Self
Vote Count: 2
An atomic bomb test in the South Pacific creates an isolated world of terror. Strange things are happening on this remote island in the Pacific, where a Peace Corps volunteer, a researcher and his love-starved lady arrive to find that nearby atomic testing has mutated some of the plants. It that weren't bad enough, a monster terrifies the villagers in its lust for blood. The man-beast must be stopped - but how? With sarongs a-plenty, this film was a staple at drive-ins in its day. Now experience it live with Cinematic Titanic.
Release Date: 2010-06-15
Department: Writing
Job: Writer
Character: Self
Vote Count: 2
Warning: Baltimore is no longer safe. Meet Leemoid, Zagatile and Interbyce. They're the three aliens whose spaceship has crashed in a small town outside of Baltimore. Soon the town folk are turning up mutilated and dead - and even in polyester pants. Then a stranger arrives to save the day. But is he who he says he is? And what about all the polyester pants? See this film they way it was meant to be seen - on the big screen live with Cinematic Titanic.
Release Date: 2010-02-23
Department: Writing
Job: Writer
Character: Himself
Vote Count: 4
Kung Fu hits the streets! Young Larry Chin arrives from China looking for his long-lost brother and stumbles into some shady characters that'd just as soon see him go home - or get dead. He crosses paths with Stud Brown, and the two become an unlikely duo as they fight to clean up the 'hood, and make time for some lady loves they meet along the way. And hang on tight for the surprise twist ending. It's all living color kungsploitation glory, live with Cinematic Titanic.
Release Date: 2009-12-16
Department: Crew
Job: Creator
Character: Self
Vote Count: 1
The Escodero family is cursed!The mother, whom the Escodero children assumed to be dead, is actually an undead vampire who lurks in a secret basement/dungeon hidden from the rest of the house. When the kids discover this dark truth, all hell breaks loose...literally! The mother bites the son, who grows fangs and becomes consumed with blood lust. Meanwhile, all this vampire activity wreaks havoc on the daughter's romance with her handsome, dashing fiance. It all leads to a foray into the occult that ultimately proves true love can live on forever, but not before a mob of angry villagers and avenging priests take on the Devil himself in a climactic battle between good and evil. Set in nineteenth century Mexico and performed by a Filipino cast, "Blood of the Vampires" has something for everyone: blood-soaked action for the guys, tender romance for the ladies, and unleashed demonic rage for the frightened child within us all.
Release Date: 2009-03-19
Department: Crew
Job: Creator
Character: Self
Vote Count: 4
Things get a bit randy in this version of Mary Shelley's immortal classic about... immortality. Just as our resident mad scientist is about to bring his creature back to life, he is forced to use a sub-standard brain. The Cinematic Titanic crew offer more hilarious commentary as they set their sights on a Frankenstein's castle chock full of angry villagers, grave robbers, and skinny dippers.
Release Date: 2008-11-24
Department: Writing
Job: Writer
Character: Himself
Vote Count: 4
The children of Mars are in a funk, and nothing on the red planet seems to be able to cheer them up. Martian King Kimar comes up with the only reasonable solution: kidnap Santa Claus from Earth's North Pole and bring him to their planet to make toys for their joyless, listless little green kids. Meanwhile, two Earth children get wise to the plan and are abducted along with Santa to prevent them from talking to the authorities. Luckily for them, Dropo, the Jerry Lewis of the fourth planet from the sun, is there to help them. The fiendish plot doesn't go according to plan, and there's plenty of intrigue, double-crossing, mistaken identity and stock footage for kids of all ages and planets to enjoy. Poorly conceived, sloppily made, and unfailingly bizarre, "Santa Claus Conquers the Martians" is the ultimate Christmas movie-riffing classic (as fans of MST3K know) which is why Cinematic Titanic chose to revisit, re-riff, and release this holiday hamfest with all new jokes. Merry Crap-mas!
Release Date: 2008-11-20
Department: Writing
Job: Writer
Character: Himself
Vote Count: 4
The Dean family patriarch has died and left a fortune to his children and servants. The occasion soon turns grim when they discover they must all must spend an entire week at the family estate - together. It's all the same old family routine: backbiting, billiards, rumors and innuendo, canings, pantsuits and ham - until one by one, they start turning up dead.
Release Date: 2008-10-09
Department: Writing
Job: Writer
Character: Self
Cinematic Titanic is the new "show" from the original MST3K cast.
Release Date: 2008-08-07
Department: Crew
Job: Creator
Character: Self
Vote Count: 2
American spies discover the Chinese have built a weapon capable of destroying planet Earth, a "doomsday machine" if you will, and that they plan to use it within a matter of days. Will the human race survive?
Release Date: 2008-06-19
Department: Crew
Job: Creator
Character: Self
Vote Count: 3
It's a tough gig working for the Water Department, and it's also a tough gig working in Power. Dan Harmon and Ryan Ridley show you why.
Release Date: 2008-04-27
Episode Count: 1
Vote Count: 1
In the far-off land of Kalid, President Amir lies on his deathbed. If this revered head-of-state dies, the brutal dictatorship that he has so lovingly cultivated will fall into a dark age of uncertainty and chaos. And so, in this moment of crisis, his loyal staff are left with no alternative but to choose the only logical and sensible course of action—to transfer Amir's brain into a younger, healthier, and most importantly, living body. Enter Doctor Robert Trenton, a mad scientist of the traditional 'they all laughed at me and now I'll show them' school. He, along with his assistant, Dorro, a little man with a big appetite for evil, and Tracy, a conniving beauty with a heart that's harder than her leathery, over-tanned skin, concoct a deliriously diabolical plan involving murder, body-napping, skullduggery, and oozy, gooey brains.
Release Date: 2007-12-21
Department: Writing
Job: Writer
Character: Self
Vote Count: 4
Cinematic Titanic is a project by Mystery Science Theater 3000 creator and original host, Joel Hodgson. The project involves "riffing" B-movies, in a manner similar to that of MST3K. Joining Hodgson are many of the original MST3K cast, as well as some cast members who joined later in the show's run. These include Trace Beaulieu, J. Elvis Weinstein, Frank Conniff and Mary Jo Pehl. It was first performed live on December 7, 2007 and first aired on December 22, 2007. On February 16, 2013, it was announced that the touring portion of Cinematic Titanic was going on an indefinite hiatus. According to an email sent out to members of the site, due to "5 people living in 5 different cities with different lives and projects, it has become increasingly difficult to coordinate our schedules and give Cinematic Titanic the attention it requires to keep growing as a creative enterprise and a business." The final tour began on September 23, 2013.
Release Date: 2007-12-21
Department: Writing
Job: Writer
Character:
Episode Count: 11
A fond remembrance of and tribute to the uniquely American institution of the horror movie host.
Release Date: 2006-10-21
Character: Himself
Vote Count: 5
The story of a wealthy family that lost everything, and the one son who had no choice but to keep them all together.
Release Date: 2003-11-02
Character: Joel Robinson
Episode Count: 1
Vote Count: 1453
Jimmy Kimmel Live! is an American late-night talk show, created and hosted by Jimmy Kimmel and broadcast on ABC.
Release Date: 2003-01-26
Department: Writing
Job: Writer
Episode Count: 1734
Vote Count: 164
You Don't Know Jack was a short-lived game show based on the bestselling computer game series of the same name that aired on ABC in the summer of 2001. Paul Reubens, best known for his role as Pee-wee Herman on Pee-wee's Playhouse, played host Troy Stevens. Tom Gottlieb reprised his role as Cookie Masterson, who was the announcer. The show lasted only six episodes, and was replaced by The Wayne Brady Show.
Release Date: 2001-06-20
Department: Writing
Job: Writer
Episode Count: 6
Vote Count: 1
Shorts, Volume 3 is a compilation release from Rhino Entertainment featuring seven popular shorts from Mystery Science Theater 3000. It was originally released on VHS and later as a limited bonus with The Essentials DVD set if the set was ordered through a special website offer. Shorts, Volume 3 has since been re-released by Shout! Factory in The Singles Collection. The seven shorts featured are: Speech: Using Your Voice (Episode #313), Aquatic Wizards (Episode #315), Is This Love? (Episode #514), Design for Dreaming (Episode #524), The Selling Wizard (Episode #603), Out of This World (Episode #618) and Once Upon a Honeymoon (Episode #701).
Release Date: 2000-11-07
Department: Crew
Job: Creator
Character: Joel Robinson
Vote Count: 1
Shorts, Volume 2 is a compilation release featuring six popular shorts from Mystery Science Theater 3000, including Catching Trouble (Episode #315), What to Do on a Date (Episode #503), Last Clear Chance (Episode #520), A Day at the Fair (Episode #608), Keeping Clean and Neat (Episode #613) and The Days of Our Years (Episode #623).
Release Date: 1999-10-01
Character: Joel Robinson
Vote Count: 1
High school mathlete Lindsay Weir rebels and begins hanging out with a crowd of burnouts (the "freaks"), while her brother Sam Weir navigates a different part of the social universe with his nerdy friends (the "geeks").
Release Date: 1999-09-25
Character: Discotheque DJ
Episode Count: 3
Vote Count: 776
Shorts, Volume 1 is a compilation release featuring seven popular shorts from Mystery Science Theater 3000. It was originally released on VHS by Rhino Entertainment in July 1998; it was later re-released on DVD as part of the Volume 2 set from Rhino and its re-issue, Volume II from Shout! Factory. The featured shorts are: The Home Economics Story (Episode #317), Junior Rodeo Daredevils (Episode #407), Body Care and Grooming Episode #510), Cheating (Episode #515), A Date with Your Family (Episode #602), Why Study Industrial Arts? (Episode #609} and The Chicken of Tomorrow (Episode #702).
Release Date: 1998-07-01
Character: Joel Robinson
The joke's on absent-minded scientist Wayne Szalinski when his troublesome invention shrinks him, his brother and their wives so effectively that their children think they've completely disappeared. Of course, this gives the kids free rein to do anything they want, unaware that their parents are watching every move.
Release Date: 1997-03-18
Department: Writing
Job: Screenplay
Vote Count: 682
A 15 minute short that teases a strange (and difficult to describe) feature that was never made. The story involves the Frank army and a caveman rocker who saves the day. Filmed in Static-A-Matic around 1996/97
Release Date: 1997-01-01
Department: Directing
Job: Director
Character: Caveman rocker
Dr. Clayton Forrester figures he can rule the world if he deadens his subjects' brains by making them endure terrible movies. Exploiting his access to nearby satellite-dwellers Mike Nelson and his robot pals, Crow T. Robot and Tom Servo, Forrester makes them watch "This Island Earth", a cheesy 1950s spaceship film. But when Mike and friends make funny comments throughout the movie and others that follow, Forrester's plan looks increasingly flimsy.
Release Date: 1996-04-19
Department: Crew
Job: Creator
Vote Count: 213
A selection of bloopers from cult TV favorite "Mystery Science Theater 3000", taken from seasons 2 through 6.
Release Date: 1995-11-23
Vote Count: 1
A pilot for a sketch comedy show. A single stationary camera was mounted inside the center of a large rotating platform. As the platform rotated around the camera, a scene would come into view of the camera. The wheel would stop and a sketch would play out in the scene, which was often framed by some piece of appropriate artwork or prop (for the purposes of forced perspective). At the end of the scene, the wheel would rotate, carrying one scene out of the camera's view and bringing another in, and a new sketch would begin in the new scene. Some scenes were self-contained on the platform, while others were open to the studio beyond the platform (and additional action would take place in the background).
Release Date: 1995-01-01
Department: Production
Job: Producer
Character: Himself
Vote Count: 5
A cartoon superhero interacts with live guests via his television set in this parody talk show based on 1960s Hanna-Barbera cartoon character Space Ghost.
Release Date: 1994-04-15
Department: Writing
Job: Writer
Character: Self
Episode Count: 1
Vote Count: 99
A documentary about the cult television favorite Mystery Science Theater 3000.
Release Date: 1992-11-14
Character: Self
A stranded spaceship pilot captured by mad scientists survives a blitz of cheesy B movies by riffing on them with his funny robot pals.
Release Date: 1989-11-25
Department: Directing
Job: Director
Character: Joel Robinson
Episode Count: 8
Vote Count: 205
Stand-Up Confidential is a 1987 stand-up comedy special and the first starring Jerry Seinfeld with some skit inserts which were co-written by Joel Hodgson. The special aired on HBO on September 5, 1987 from Los Angeles, California.
Release Date: 1987-09-05
Department: Writing
Job: Writer
Character:
Vote Count: 5
Two young filmmakers travel the country following comedy legend Emo Philips to literally multiple shows, interviewing his fans to discover the true nature of their fixation with coleslaw enthusiast and comedian, Emo Philips.
Character: Self
John Candy presents the 1983 Young Comedians Show.
Release Date: 1983-12-16
With the destruction of planet Earth imminent, four spaceships are deployed with an impossible mission-to travel back in time and prevent the global endgame from ever occurring. The captain of the last-remaining ship must rely on the help of opinionated robots and his pilot to fight alien beings, uncover rogue adversaries, and to reach Darkstar: the portal to the past and humanity's last hope.
Character: Captin Kane Cooper
Late Night with David Letterman is a nightly hour-long comedy talk show on NBC that was created and hosted by David Letterman. It premiered in 1982 as the first incarnation of the Late Night franchise and went off the air in 1993, after Letterman left NBC and moved to Late Show on CBS. Late Night with Conan O'Brien then filled the time slot. As of March 2, 2009, the slot has been filled by Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. It will be filled by Seth Meyers in the spring of 2014, after Fallon becomes host of The Tonight Show.
Release Date: 1982-02-01
Character: Self
Episode Count: 3
Vote Count: 51
A late-night live television sketch comedy and variety show created by Lorne Michaels. The show's comedy sketches, which parody contemporary culture and politics, are performed by a large and varying cast of repertory and newer cast members. Each episode is hosted by a celebrity guest, who usually delivers an opening monologue and performs in sketches with the cast, and features performances by a musical guest.
Release Date: 1975-10-11
Character: Self - Cameo (uncredited)
Episode Count: 4
Vote Count: 443
Cinema Insomnia is a nationally syndicated American television series presented by horror host Mr. Lobo.
Character: Self
Episode Count: 1