Books by Sampo!

 

 

Support Us

Satellite News is not financially supported by Best Brains or any other entity. It is a labor of love, paid for out of our own pockets. If you value this site, we would be delighted if you showed it by making an occasional donation of any amount. Thanks.

Sampo & Erhardt

Sci-Fi Archives


Visit our archives of the MST3K pages previously hosted by the Sci-Fi Channel's SCIFI.COM.

Social Media


This Date in MSTory

BORN ON THIS DATE
1901: James Brock, who did the sound for the movie in episode 411- THE MAGIC SWORD.

1912: Ollie O’Toole, who played Dr. Walsh in the movie in episode 206- RING OF TERROR.

1920: Edward G. Simmel, producer/director of the short A DATE WITH YOUR FAMILY, seen in episode 602- INVASION U.S.A., and the season 13 short LET’S MAKE A MEAL IN 20 MINUTES.

1923: Carlo Hinterman, who played Coleman in the movie in episode 504- SECRET AGENT SUPER DRAGON.

1935: Sharon Acker, who played Dr. Bettina Cook in the movie in episode 305- STRANDED IN SPACE.

1934: Allan James, who was first assistant director for the movie in episode 1107- THE LAND THAT TIME FORGOT.

1935: Marlene Cameron, who played Sally Porter in the short A YOUNG MAN’S FANCY, seen in episode 610- THE VIOLENT YEARS.*

1943: Antonio Sabato Sr., who played Dablone (or was it Toblerone?) in the movie in episode 705- ESCAPE 2000.

DIED ON THIS DATE
1974: Douglass Dumbrille (age 84), who played Charlie Cooper in the movie in episode 611- LAST OF THE WILD HORSES.

1991: Gisa Geert (age 90), choreographer for the movie in episode 502- HERCULES.

1987: Drummer Buddy Rich (age 69), who was mentioned in a host segment in episode K18- THE MILLION EYES OF SU-MURU.

1997: Tomoyuki Tanaka (age 86), producer for the movies in episodes 212- GODZILLA VS. MEGALON and 213- GODZILLA VS. THE SEA MONSTER.

2002: Henry Slesar (age 74), who wrote the original story in the movie in episode 807- TERROR FROM THE YEAR 5000.

2004: Vanda Hudson (age 70), who played Magda von Meckin in the movie CIRCUS OF HORRORS, featured in the Great Cheesy Movie Circus Tour in 2019.

2008: Johnny Byrne (age 72), one of the screenwriters of the “Space: 1999” episodes “The Metamorph” and “Space Warp” seen in the movie in episode K10- COSMIC PRINCESS.

2013: Jesus “Jess” Franco (age 82), director of the movie in episode 323- THE CASTLE OF FU MANCHU. He also appeared as Inspector Ahmet in that movie.

2021: George Manasse (age 83), producer for the movie in episode 1012- SQUIRM.

EVENTS ON THIS DATE
1954: James H. Nicholson and Samuel Z. Arkoff found American International Pictures.

1978: The series “Sutâurufu,” a.k.a. “Star Wolf,” premiered on Japanese television. Episodes from the series would later be strung together into the movies in episodes K12- /310- FUGITIVE ALIEN and K03- /318- STAR FORCE: FUGITIVE ALIEN II.

1999: Anthony “Treach” Criss, who played Lt. Jim Rushing in the movie in episode 1202- ATLANTIC RIM, marries rapper Sandra “Pepa” Denton of the group Salt-N-Pepa.

1974: Robert Knudson (rerecording mixer for the movie in episode 1201- MAC AND MEe) won the best sound Oscar for “The Exorcist.”

EPISODE PREMIERE ON THIS DATE
1989: episode K17- TIME OF THE APES first shown.

* = If this appears next to a birthday, this person is alive, according to the IMDB. If you can supply evidence that he or she has died, and when, please let us know.
** = If this appears next to a birthday, the IMDB indicates that the person has died, but the IMDB does not have a full death date (probably just a month and year or just the year he or she died). If you can give us the exact date (with some sort of proof we can check), please let us know.
** = If this appears next to a death date, the IMDB does not have this person’s full birthday. If you can provide it (with some sort of proof we can check), please let us know.
This Date in MSTory is written and compiled by Christopher Cornell, Brian Henry and Steve Finley with assistance by Tim Brown, Gordon Lawyer and many other Satellite News commenters.



This Date in MSTory is copyright 2025. © All rights reserved. Do not reproduce This Date in MSTory items in any form without express written permission from the authors.

Shout Reissuing Vol. 17

Shout Factory is reissuing Volume XVII (17) on June 3, 2025. Out of print since 2017, it contains episodes 101- The Crawling Eye, 415- The Beatniks (with “General Hospital, segment 2”), 910- The Final Sacrifice and 1005- Blood Waters of Dr. Z.

If you order directly from Shout, you will also receive an exclusive poster featuring Steve Vance’s The Final Sacrifice artwork (available while supplies last).

Thanks to Jason for the heads up!

This Date in MSTory

BORN ON THIS DATE
1894: Jack Chefe, who played a headwaiter in the movie in episode 507- I ACCUSE MY PARENTS.

1899: Mischa Terr a.k.a. Michael Terr, score composer for the movies in episodes 210- KING DINOSAUR, 607- BLOODLUST and 613- THE SINISTER URGE and music supervisor for the movies in episodes 320- THE UNEARTHLY and 610- THE VIOLENT YEARS.

1905: Harry Grey, music supervisor for the season four serial UNDERSEA KINGDOM.

1905: Rafael Ruiz Esparza, who did the sound for the movie in episode 113- THE BLACK SCORPION.

1906: Ned Glass, who played Sidney Horner in the movie in episode 419- THE REBEL SET.

1913: Frank King, who produced the movie in episode 909- GORGO with his brothers Herman and Maurice.

1913: James Logan, who played an officer in the movie in episode 803- THE MOLE PEOPLE.

1914: Philip Yordan, producer of and screenwriter for the movie in episode 1102- CRY WILDERNESS.

1917: Sydney Newman, producer of the short JOHNNY AT THE FAIR, seen in episode 419- THE REBEL SET.

1917: Wally Veevers, special effects assistant for the movie in episode 111- MOON ZERO TWO.

1919: Aleksandra Macheret, who had a small role in the movie “Sampo,” seen in episode 422- THE DAY THE EARTH FROZE.

1925: Jack Bohrer, assistant director for the movies in episode 315- TEENAGE CAVEMAN and 317- VIKING WOMEN VS. THE SEA SERPENT, as well as production manager for the movie in episode 406- ATTACK OF THE GIANT LEECHES and 701- NIGHT OF THE BLOOD BEAST.

1927: Bob Arbogast, who provided the voices during the seance scene in the movie in episode 515- THE WILD WILD WORLD OF BATWOMAN.

1927: Roberto G. Rivera, who played Dr. Kur in, and was production manager for, the movie in episode 1301- SANTO IN THE TREASURE OF DRACULA.*

1929: Jonathan Haze, who played Pvt. Manuel Ortiz in the movie in episode 311- IT CONQUERED THE WORLD, a caveteen in the movie in episode 315- TEENAGE CAVEMAN, Ottar in the movie in episode 317- VIKING WOMEN AND THE SEA SERPENT, a pickpocket in the movie in episode 503- SWAMP DIAMONDS, Jake Hays in the movie in episode 511- GUNSLINGER and a radioactively contaminated man in THE DAY THE WORLD ENDED (riffed by fans in Sci-fi Channel’s “MST3K: The Home Game”).

1930: Betsy Jones-Moreland, who played Thyra in the movie in episode 317- VIKING WOMEN AND THE SEA SERPENT.

1932: Debbie Reynolds, who was mentioned in a host segment in episode 418- ATTACK OF THE THE EYE CREATURES.

1933: Brianne Murphy, production manager for the movie in episode 607- BLOODLUST and script supervisor for the movie in episode 815- AGENT FOR H.A.R.M.

1941: Singer-songwriter Tom Shipley of the band Brewer & Shipley, mentioned in a host segment in episode 1007- TRACK OF THE MOON BEAST.*

1959: Rob Bottin, who wore the title creature costume in the movie in episode 704- THE INCREDIBLE MELTING MAN, as well as being an assistant makeup artist.*

1960: Jennifer Runyon, who played Alicia Clayton in the movie in episode 324- MASTER NINJA II.*

1960: Benjamin Svetkey, then an Entertainment Weekly staff writer when he appeared in the 1992 Comedy Central special “This Is MST3K.”*

DIED ON THIS DATE
1988: Gene Lindsey (age 51; HIV), who played the polar bear in the movie in episode 321- SANTA CLAUS CONQUERS THE MARTIANS.

2003: Guidarino Guidi (age 73), casting director for the movie in episode 1013- DIABOLIK. He also appeared in that movie as Frank.**

2006: Wade Popwell (age 58), who wore the monster suit in the movie “Zaat,” seen in episode 1005- BLOOD WATERS OF DR. Z.

2007: Vaughn Wilkins (age 94), a camera operator for the movie in episode 203- JUNGLE GODDESS.

2008: Floyd Simmons (age 84) who played an Army sergeant in the movie in episode 804- THE DEADLY MANTIS.

2010: John Forsythe (age 92), who played Sen. David Stratton in the movie in episode 615- KITTEN WITH A WHIP. He also appeared, uncredited, in the movie in episode 401- SPACE TRAVELLERS as “Olympus/President.”

2011: Dennis Maitland (age 80), who was a sound mixer for the movie in episode 321- SANTA CLAUS CONQUERS THE MARTIANS.

2016: Michael J. Valentine (age 63), who played a cabbie in the movie in episode 821- TIME CHASERS.

2018: Steven Bochco (age 74), who co-created the TV show “Gemini Man,” two episodes of which were featured in episode 814- RIDING WITH DEATH.

EPISODE PREMIERE ON THIS DATE
2022: Episode 1302- ROBOT WARS has an early premiere for Kickstarter backers at the Gizmoplex.

EVENTS ON THIS DATE
1956: The General Motors short film on the Motorama, DESIGN FOR DREAMING, is copyrighted. The short was seen in episode 524- 12 TO THE MOON.

1956: The movie in episode 503- SWAMP DIAMONDS has its premiere.

1963: ABC-TV premieres the soap opera GENERAL HOSPITAL, early episodes of which would be used as shorts during MST3K’s fourth season.

1993: Receiving a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame was John Beradino, who played Dr. Steve Hardy in the “General Hospital” shorts used in season 4.

1996: “The MST3K Amazing Colossal Episode Guide” arrives in bookstores.

1996: A full-page advertisement appears in Variety — conceived, created and paid for by fans — urging other networks to consider picking up the recently-cancelled MYSTERY SCIENCE THEATER 3000.

1997: David Carradine, who played Dark One in the movie in episode 1111- WIZARDS OF THE LOST KINGDOM II, given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

2003: Michael J. Nelson’s book “Death Rat” hits bookstores.

2005: The book “Happy Kitty Bunny Pony: A Saccharine Mouthful of Super Cute,” featuring commentary by Michael J. Nelson, hits bookstores.

* = If this appears next to a birthday, this person is alive, according to the IMDB. If you can supply evidence that he or she has died, and when, please let us know.
** = If this appears next to a birthday, the IMDB indicates that the person has died, but the IMDB does not have a full death date (probably just a month and year or just the year he or she died). If you can give us the exact date (with some sort of proof we can check), please let us know.
** = If this appears next to a death date, the IMDB does not have this person’s full birthday. If you can provide it (with some sort of proof we can check), please let us know.
This Date in MSTory is written and compiled by Christopher Cornell, Brian Henry and Steve Finley with assistance by Tim Brown, Gordon Lawyer and many other Satellite News commenters.



This Date in MSTory is copyright 2025. © All rights reserved. Do not reproduce This Date in MSTory items in any form without express written permission from the authors.

Reminder – Trace in Chicago

On Sunday, April 6, 2025, Trace Beaulieu will be joining radio station WDCB in a special live broadcast celebrating the 55th Anniversary of its “Those Were The Days” program. Also in attendance will be Rich Koz and Bill Leff (aka Svengoolie and Nostalgiaferatoo). If you plan to be in the Chicago area and would like to attend, you can get tickets here.

Now Available from RiffTrax…

Download it here