Joel Hodgson
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Born Name:
Joel Gordon Hodgson
Born Date: February 20, 1960
Born Place: Stevens Point, Wisconsin
Died Date:
Died Place:
Occupations: Writer, comedian, actor
Brief Biography: Joel Hodgson is best known as the creator and original host of the cult television series Mystery Science Theater 3000 (MST3K).
Early Life and Career:
Early Interests: Started his entertainment career as a teenager, performing magic and ventriloquism at local events.
Education: Studied theater and mass media at Bethel University in Arden Hills, Minnesota, where he added comedy to his magic act.
Stand-Up Comedy Success:
Hodgson developed an original, "absurdist" stand-up style featuring "gizmonics"—handmade props and inventions.
He won the Twin Cities Comedy Invitational in 1982.He appeared on Late Night with David Letterman and Saturday Night Live.
He performed on HBO’s "Eighth Annual Young Comedians Special" hosted by John Candy.
He briefly left stand-up in 1985 to work as a toy designer and prop builder before returning to the comedy scene in 1986, working with Jerry Seinfeld.
Mystery Science Theater 3000 (MST3K):
Creation: In 1988, Hodgson created MST3K for KTMA-TV in Minneapolis, combining his love for puppetry, prop design, and heckling bad films.
Host Role: He played Joel Robinson, a janitor trapped on a satellite by mad scientists and forced to watch cheesy movies.
Departure: He left the show in 1993, passing the hosting duties to Michael J. Nelson.
Revival: Hodgson led a highly successful 2015 Kickstarter campaign to bring back the show, which premiered on Netflix in 2017. He later helped fund a 13th season in 2021 through another campaign, hosted on the "Gizmoplex" platform.
Other Work:
Cinematic Titanic: He was part of this live movie-riffing show with former MST3K cast members.
Television/Other: He has done voice acting and is involved in specialized, independent projects. Hodgson is recognized for his unique, deadpan comedy style and his, often in-person, dedication to creating props and puppets for his projects.
Born Date: February 20, 1960
Born Place: Stevens Point, Wisconsin
Died Date:
Died Place:
Occupations: Writer, comedian, actor
Brief Biography: Joel Hodgson is best known as the creator and original host of the cult television series Mystery Science Theater 3000 (MST3K).
Early Life and Career:
Early Interests: Started his entertainment career as a teenager, performing magic and ventriloquism at local events.
Education: Studied theater and mass media at Bethel University in Arden Hills, Minnesota, where he added comedy to his magic act.
Stand-Up Comedy Success:
Hodgson developed an original, "absurdist" stand-up style featuring "gizmonics"—handmade props and inventions.
He won the Twin Cities Comedy Invitational in 1982.He appeared on Late Night with David Letterman and Saturday Night Live.
He performed on HBO’s "Eighth Annual Young Comedians Special" hosted by John Candy.
He briefly left stand-up in 1985 to work as a toy designer and prop builder before returning to the comedy scene in 1986, working with Jerry Seinfeld.
Mystery Science Theater 3000 (MST3K):
Creation: In 1988, Hodgson created MST3K for KTMA-TV in Minneapolis, combining his love for puppetry, prop design, and heckling bad films.
Host Role: He played Joel Robinson, a janitor trapped on a satellite by mad scientists and forced to watch cheesy movies.
Departure: He left the show in 1993, passing the hosting duties to Michael J. Nelson.
Revival: Hodgson led a highly successful 2015 Kickstarter campaign to bring back the show, which premiered on Netflix in 2017. He later helped fund a 13th season in 2021 through another campaign, hosted on the "Gizmoplex" platform.
Other Work:
Cinematic Titanic: He was part of this live movie-riffing show with former MST3K cast members.
Television/Other: He has done voice acting and is involved in specialized, independent projects. Hodgson is recognized for his unique, deadpan comedy style and his, often in-person, dedication to creating props and puppets for his projects.