Special mentions

Special mention

Folks who did not directly contribute to the movies where their name or work appears, folks who were referenced in host segments and/or historical figures.

  • 138 07/10 Roman emperor Hadrian (age 62), who was played by Kevin Murphy in a host segment in episode 805- THE THING THAT COULDN'T DIE.
  • 1604 06/24 Edward de Vere (age 54), 17th Earl of Oxford whose image Servo used for his role model action figure in a host segment in episode 421- MONSTER A GO-GO.
  • 1616 04/23 William Shakespeare (age 52), author of the play turned into the movie in the episode 1009- HAMLET.
  • 1790 04/17 Benjamin Franklin (age 84), who offers financial advice in the short MONEY TALKS!, shown in episode 621- THE BEAST OF YUCCA FLATS.
  • 1807 12/21 John Newton (age 82), composer of the song “Amazing Grace” which was heard in the movie in episode 908- THE TOUCH OF SATAN.
  • 1827 03/26 Ludwig Van Beethoven (age 56), whose piano sonata "Moonlight" was heard in the movie in episode 624- SAMSON VS. THE VAMPIRE WOMEN.
  • 1893 01/17 President Rutherford B. Hayes (age 70), about whom Crow presented a very inaccurate report in episode: 510- THE PAINTED HILLS.
  • 1887 02/27 Aleksandr Borodin Russian classical composer, whose music was heard in episode 416- FIRE MAIDENS FROM OUTER SPACE.
  • 1899 06/03 Johann Strauss (age 73), whose "Blue Danube" waltz was heard in episode 624- SAMSON VS. THE VAMPIRE WOMEN.
  • 1905 03/24 Jules Verne (age 77), who got an amusing story credit in the movie in episode 516- ALIEN FROM L.A.
  • 1908 06/21 Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov age 64), whose music was heard in episodes 416- FIRE MAIDENS FROM OUTER SPACE and 505- THE MAGIC VOYAGE OF SINBAD.
  • 1926 01/24 Joseph Carl Breil (age 55), American composer whose music is heard in in the season four serial UNDERSEA KINGDOM.
  • 1931 10/18 Thomas Alva Edison (age 84), whose Edison Electric Institute would produce the short A YOUNG MAN'S FANCY, shown in episode 610- THE VIOLENT YEARS.
  • 1940 08/21 Lev Davidovich Bronshtein a.k.a. Leon Trotsky (age 60), about whom Gypsy prepared a report in a host segment in episode 510- THE PAINTED HILLS.
  • 1946 08/13 H.G. Wells (age 79), on whose stories the movies in episodes 523- VILLAGE OF THE GIANTS and 814- RIDING WITH DEATH were VERY loosely based
  • 1974: 10/13 Ed Sullivan (age 73), who was impersonated by Crow in a host segment in episode 308- GAMERA VS. GAOS.
  • 1982 03/29 Carl Orff (age 86), whose classic composition "Carmina Burana" also provided the melody for the Tom Servo theme song, as sung by Tom in episode 610- THE VIOLENT YEARS.
  • 1984 8/5 Richard Burton (age 58), whose performances were parodied by Crow in a host segment in episode 312- GAMERA VS. GUIRON.
  • 1984 09/17 Richard Basehart (age 70). (Shh! Don't tell Gypsy!), 
  • 1988 03/01 Joe Besser (age 80), after whom Dr. Forrester and TV's Frank named their stinky bomb as their invention exchange in episode 323- THE CASTLE OF FU MANCHU.
  • 1989 04/26 Lucille Ball (age 77), whose raspy voice was imitated by Crow in a host segment in episode 308- GAMERA VS. GAOS.
  • 1992 04/06 Isaac Asimov (age 72), after whom the Brains named a Doomsday Device featured in episode 104- WOMEN OF THE PREHISTORIC PLANET.
  • 1994 02/11 William Conrad (age 73), "Fridge Alert" spokesman, parodied by the Brains during episode 420- THE HUMAN DUPLICATORS.
  • 1994 11/12 Wilma Rudolph (age 54), after whom Gypsy fashioned her role model action figure in a host segment in episode 421- MONSTER A GO-GO.
  • 1995 09/19 Orville Redenbacher (age 88), who was parodied in a host segment in episode 212- GODZILLA VS. MEGALON.
  • 1995 10/25 Tennis pro Bobby Riggs (age 77), who was parodied by Frank Conniff in a host segment in episode 622- ANGELS' REVENGE.
  • 1997 05/04 Alvy Moore (age 75). Crow does an impression of him in episode 518- THE ATOMIC BRAIN.
  • 1998 05/14 Frank Sinatra (age 82), whose voice was imitated by Mike Nelson for the Rat Pack Chess Set invention exchange in episode 505- THE MAGIC VOYAGE OF SINBAD.
  • 1999 01/30 Ed Herlihy ((age 89), whom Tom Servo impersonates in several episodes including 211- FIRST SPACESHIP ON VENUS. Herlihy was the voice in the Kraft Foods.
  • 1999 11/29 Gene Rayburn (age 81), host of TV's "The Match Game" whom Crow imitated in a host segment in episode 502- HERCULES.
  • 2000 10/30 Steve Allen, honored in a segment in episode 408- HERCULES UNCHAINED.
  • 2002 11/03 Jonathan Harris (age 87), imitated by Crow in several host segments, including episode 210- KING DINOSAUR and 821- TIME CHASERS.
  • 2003 07/06 Buddy Ebsen (age 95), after whom the Brains named the "Buddy Ebsen Hat Distressing Corporation" in a host segment in episode 1010- IT LIVES BY NIGHT.
  • 2003 9/26 Robert Palmer (age 54), whose discovery of "accidental on-turning" was the subject of a host segment in episode 907- HOBGOBLINS.
  • 2004 01/05 Frank Edwin "Tug" McGraw Jr. (age 59), whom TV's Frank impersonated in a host segment in episode 622- ANGELS' REVENGE.
  • 2004 07/07 "Frugal Gourmet" Jeff Smith (age 65), whom Mike Nelson impersonated in a host segment in episode 608- CODE NAME: DIAMOND HEAD.
  • 2006 02/24 Don Knotts (age 81), whom Crow impersonated in the movie in episode 305- STRANDED IN SPACE.
  • 2006 06/23 Aaron Spelling (age 83), whose house cruised majestically past the Satellite of Love in episode 622- ANGELS' REVENGE.
  • 2007 07/30 Ingmar Bergman (age 89), whose supposed joke was told by Mike and the bots in a host segment in episode 617- THE SWORD AND THE DRAGON.
  • 2009 09/14 Patrick Swayze (age 57), the Best Brains favorite who was saluted in Crow's song “Let's Have A Patrick Swayze Christmas” in episode 321- SANTA CLAUS CONQUERS THE MARTIANS.
  • 2009 12/09 Gene Barry (age 90), who played Dr. Clayton Forrester in George Pal's 1953 version of "The War of the Worlds." Best Brains "borrowed" the character's name for MST3K.
  • 2011 01/27 Charlie Callas (age 86), the inspiration for the "Charlie Callas massager," one of Joel's inventions demonstrated in episode 320- THE UNEARTHLY.
  • 2011 11/04 Andy Rooney (age 92), CBS-TV newsman who was parodied by Mike and the bots in a host segment in episode 902- THE PHANTOM PLANET.