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Weekend Discussion Thread: Most Memorable Pesky Kid

Regular poster “Fart Bargo” suggested this one, but didn’t elaborate. Since we did “Gamera” in the episode guide this week (featuring uber-pesky Kenny), it seemed an appropriate topic.

I’m going to spotlight “Child” (played by Todd Bass, in his very last acting role, according to the IMDB) in the movie in episode 512- MITCHELL. The scene in which he drives an already-irritated Mitchell to near insanity — and causes Joel to bury his head in his hands as he watches — is one of the most memorable of the series.

Which kid would you pick?

104 Replies to “Weekend Discussion Thread: Most Memorable Pesky Kid”

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  1. Flying Saucers Over Oz says:

    I’ll have to chime in another vote for Bobby, though he isn’t nearly as annoying in CRASH OF THE MOONS as he is in MANHUNT IN SPACE. His incessant chirpiness, smug self-importance, and the film-makers’ unshakable belief he’s adorable just made me want to see him face-down in a drainage ditch.
    (Sidenote: Speaking of kid-actors, anyone else notice Winky is a grown-up Scotty Beckett from the LITTLE RASCALS? Spanky’s pal, the kid with the baseball and and oversized sweater?)

    Billy from UNDERSEA KINGDOM is moderately annoying, mainly because he insists on wearing a sailor suit, but at least isn’t going overboard trying to be adorable. Still, I had to look him up on the IMDB just to assure myself he was NOT a midget playing a kid.

    And I’ll toss in a vote for Pedro, Santa’s tiny helper in SANTA CLAUS, who works furiously to try to steal his scenes, dresses like Speedy Gonzales, is a carryover from some other Mexican kiddie films (He played Tom Thumb, wearing the same outfit, in a couple other movies), and grew up to land in jail for allegedly abusing his own kids (He insists it’s a frame-up by his ex-wife).

       1 likes

  2. Johnny Ryde says:

    @Stephy The Babysitter: #45:

    If not, people have been voting for the “Little Sexual Deviant” from “Overdrawn at the Memory Bank”….My vote goes to that little girl who was ‘snacking’. So annoying.

    Interesting FYI, the child actress who played the little girl who nearly got mustard in Raul Julia’s brain is all grown up and has a livejournal: http://audrawilliams.livejournal.com/profile

       0 likes

  3. ZombiManos says:

    well…this kid hasn’t been said yet, i don’t think…but the kid from the commander cody episodes? man, his voice and attitude alone qualify him for my pick…. “diiiaaannneee!” ::shivers:::

       0 likes

  4. Leslie says:

    I don’t think Buzz, from Mr. B Natural, has been mentioned…boy does he get on my nerves. I mean, yeah I should cut him a break since he’s being tormented by “Mr” B, but, golly – so whiny and I don’t know, he just makes me slightly uncomfortable.

       1 likes

  5. Edge says:

    Eiichi Kanamura aka Itchy from Gamera vs. Gaos. Probably the worst of the Über kids.

    Another nod for Tommy from Pod People: “…so you can grow up big and strong” /Georgette

       1 likes

  6. Stacey says:

    Man this is a tough one. There are sooooo many. Billy from Undersea Kingdom when he say, “Hurry Diane.” Lupita from Santa Claus. Kenny from Gamera. The Cop and a Half kid from Mittens. Arch Hall in anything beside The Sadist. Yes, Arch Hall Jr. actually made one good movie. Ron Howard in Village of the Giant or as Opie Cunningham. I’d say it’s a three way toss up between Mikey from Teenage Strangler, the kid who hangs out with Mr. B Natural and Tommy from Pod People. Oh yeah, I thought of one, the mini angel from Angel’s Revenge. I forget her name althtough she has more guts than all the Angel’s combined. :roll:

       0 likes

  7. Magicvoice says:

    I have to go with Mikey. He’s far too involved with his brother’s life.

       0 likes

  8. Professor Gunther says:

    Sampo nailed it–and a number of other annoying kids have already been mentioned, including my second choice, Bobby from Rocky Jones. There’s something about those chubby cheeks and the way he says “elemental” (instead of “elementary,” of course) that makes me want to punch him repeatedly. I mean, REPEATEDLY.

    Sometimes we choose a Japanese episode based on the fact that it DOESN’T have kids in it–GODZILLA VERSUS THE SEA CREATURE, for example.

    An excellent thread, Fart! :smile:

       0 likes

  9. Professor Gunther says:

    Doh! I meant SEA MONSTER! Thinking about Bobby messed with my brain. :evil:

       0 likes

  10. Brad says:

    From “Manhunt in Space”:

    Crow: “Bobby gettin’ to you? You thinkin’ what I’m thinkin’?”
    Servo: “Yep, I’ve got a headache this big and it’s got BOBBY written all over it!”

    And from “Crash of the Moons”:

    Bobby (in his stupid, silly little voice): “Hey Rocky, couldn’t we build a space anchor….?”
    Servo: “NO, we’re not gonna build a space anchor!!”

       1 likes

  11. Before Sampo mentioned the kid in Mitchell I would have gone with The Littlest Sexual Deviant from Overdrawn at the Memory Bank, but man, that kid in Mitchell…I empathized with Joe Don Baker. That shouldn’t happen. Ever.

       0 likes

  12. Watch-out-for-Snakes says:

    Most annoying? That’s easy: Billy from Undersea Kingdom. “Hurry Diane!” was an early catchphrase for me in my formative MSTie days. Also, he wears a sailor suit. ‘Nuff said.

       0 likes

  13. MiqelDotCom says:

    I nominate Buz the “Icky Elf” from GIRL IN GOLD BOOTS –
    After all, he’s “Just a kid” as they mention in the movie.

       0 likes

  14. FastEddie says:

    What?
    Nobody nominated Missy Winstead?

       0 likes

  15. Droppo says:

    I have a controversial stance:

    While the Mitchell kid is annoying….I’ve always blamed Mitchell for that encounter. Mitchell is the primary antagonist and he’s the one who begins repeating everything the kid says.

    Annoying kid? Yes. But, Mitchell deserves more blame.

    So, my vote goes to Bobby.

       0 likes

  16. Cornjob says:

    Hmmmm. I think the Lord of the Flies kids from Invasion of the Neptune Men slightly edge out the competion for most irritating, with Kenny from Gamera and the kid that Jet Jaguar wanted to smash into a rock coming in as a close 2nd and 3rd. The little girl in Tormented gets an honorable mention for being a consistant pest.

       1 likes

  17. The Toblerone Effect says:

    There are enough annoying brats in the history of MST to make me wish society, as a whole, would get its tubes tied. Most annoying would be Mikey from Teenage Strangler, Bobby from Crash of the Moons and Manhunt in Space, the kid in Mitchell, Ron Howard in Village of the Giants, and one that I have yet to see mentioned: Sandy from Tormented. While I felt bad for her witnessing a great deal of death, Sandy was a royal pain in the a$$: her voice, constant questioning, and the fact that she often drops by unannounced, makes her a pint-sized Mrs. Kravitz.

       0 likes

  18. erasure242 says:

    I guess you can consider him a “kid” since someone mentioned “Tim” from Boggy Creek 2 (and he is in college)… But I would go with Troy McGreggor… with his constant “Wow” and “Rowsdower” babble…

    Or the strange kid from Santa Clause that looks like a evil puppet Doll… bobbing up and down and playing a guitar that’s 3 times the size of him. Its the same kid that tells Santa not to forget his book… His looks alone were just very annoying…

       0 likes

  19. ItsKalgansLaw says:

    I’m happy to say that “Space Mutiny” didn’t have any pesky or annoying kids, which makes it the best episode ever!

       1 likes

  20. Trilaan says:

    Definitely little Sandy from Tormented. I’ll be honest I WANTED Tom to get away with it!

       0 likes

  21. starman15317 says:

    Does Arch Hall Jr. count?

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  22. darthservo says:

    Those 2 line jumping, pesky annoying turds at the Seatle World’s Fair in CENTURY 21 CALLING! Whether it’s for shoving their way past others at an exhibit or accosting people of all nationalities, they deserve an accidental bump off the Space Needle!

       1 likes

  23. None, Turkey! says:

    #65: Agreed. I didn’t even realize that that would be such a controversial stance. Mitchell totally goads the kid, for no reason at all. Then he gets all mad at the end, as if he’s been wronged. He reveals himself (again) to be the kind of utterly depraved sleazeball that you cannot base a TV series around, even if you have John Saxon signed on.

       0 likes

  24. Titanius Anglesmith, Fancy Man of Cornwood says:

    Rats! You guys all used up my “favorites.” I’ll have to draw back to the Minneapolis days and pick the smoking kid from “City On Fire.” After the dope starts a fire that kills a fireman, nearly kills his sister and leads (somehow) to the entire city of Los Angeles going up in smoke, all he wants to talk about is how he’ll never smoke again. That’s great kid, now can you shut up and leave me alone before 6 million people get turned into pizza rolls?!!?

       0 likes

  25. PondosCP says:

    Timmy Bobby Rusty

       0 likes

  26. eric says:

    the rock and roll martian kid… *shudders*

    how hard can it be for an evil toy monkey to kill some dim-witted suburbanites?

       0 likes

  27. Pemmican says:

    Stretching the topic just a wee bit, I’ll go with Anne Pilgrim from all the way back in #101, “The Crawling Eye.” Okay, she’s a teenager, but a large portion of the plot revolves around her whininess and strange powers.

    Psychic powers include: fainting randomly when looking at nature, identifying snow globes from up to 20 feet away, and sensing danger in the presence of large eye-like aliens from Jupiter.

    I think Joel nicely sums up the opinions of the film’s other characters with, “Stop the presses! This is heavy stuff: Girl has vision!”

       0 likes

  28. Slartibartfast, maker of Fjords says:

    #51 set me to thinking. One Bobby that hasn’t been mentioned is the one from The Creeping Terror. If he hadn’t wandered off, the Allan Sherman wannabe character could have gone on happily fishing, rather than being eaten by a carpet.

    Also, Scotty Beckett played the King in “The Climax” (1944).

       0 likes

  29. fathermushroom says:

    You know what this thread points out? How terribly difficult it is to succeed with a prominent child character in a movie.

    It makes me want to tip my cap to the ones who don’t provoke this kind of unrest. There aren’t too many of them, are there?

    For my money, though, I have to run to the defense of the girl in “Tormented.” I rather liked her and thought she was good in the role.

    And, while I wouldn’t personally vote for him in this thread, I’m surprised no one’s thought of “T” from “Quest of the Delta Burkes.”

       0 likes

  30. MikeH says:

    I don’t remember her name, but teh girl who gets all mushy about Alexander Phipps in A Young Man’s Fancy. She looks 17, acts like she’s 10. Wonder if Mr. Phipps, oh never mind!!

       1 likes

  31. mr vito says:

    how about all the kids in “what to do on a date”? when i was in high school i thought it was get drunk and laid!!!!!!!!!!!!

       0 likes

  32. darthservo says:

    Let’s not forget the whiney little girl with the braces who can’t seem to walk when she wants to in GIANT GILA MONSTER. She is also the reason for that “Laugh Children Laugh” Mushroom song. UGGGH!

       1 likes

  33. Steelhawk says:

    My first choice would have to be Bobby from Manhunt in Space. That voice and smug attitude make me want to shove him out the nearest airlock…with or without a spacesuit.

    Second choice would be Johnny from the Johnny at the Fair short. Consider that the other children mentioned annoyed only us and their fellow actors, but little Johnny got on the nerves of every single person at the World’s Fair. That’s gotta be some kind of annoyance record.

       0 likes

  34. zelxi says:

    God how many “Kennys” did we endure through all those Sandy Frank trips?
    And those little seventies bratlings from ‘The Incredible Melting Man.’

       0 likes

  35. Watch-out-for-Snakes says:

    What about those two kids in Junior Rodeo Daredevils? They were messing with Old Timer Billy Slater’s horse, but he showed them something good, as he had them help put on this Junior Rodeo in which NEITHER of them got to compete. That’s cold, Old Timer. Cold.

       1 likes

  36. RaptorialTalon says:

    Did no one mention the kid in Gorgo or the “You’re all evil and I hope you all have snacks” chick in The Thing That Couldn’t Die? Wow. The latter, in particular, is a painfully whiny self-righteous bratling.

    And why would anyone list Lupita? She only has like four lines of dialogue and is one of the most adorable kids ever to appear in a MSTied film. Even the riffers recognize that, instead of going after her like they do with every other example here.

       1 likes

  37. Fart Bargo says:

    Here is my most memorable (as in disturbing) the ManBaby TV Frank created with his super baby formula. He was a real guy who showed for I forget which episodes. Seeing a grown man in diapers being feed baby food, no matter how cherubic, is very disturbing to witness. An exceptionally evil invention by TV’s Frank.

       0 likes

  38. NormalView82 says:

    I’d have to go with the “Littlest Drug Addict” from the beginning of Angle’s Revenge. Talk about pesky! He hassles the “smarties” dealer by shoving proposed payment in his face without saying a word to indicate what it is he wants. Then, when he doesn’t get his way “Lil’ Druggie” smacks the dealer over the head with a glass bottle. That punk earned his kick to the ribs. Geez!

    “The bad news bears are gonna lose the game today, aren’t they?!”

       1 likes

  39. zontar says:

    Agree with the two votes for Sandy (TORMENTED). Susan Gordon wasn’t a bad tyke actress, but her part was irrelevant

       0 likes

  40. ck says:

    Have to disagree about Susan Gordon. Her role in Tormented (1960) was
    crucial and I rather liked the interview she did with her father
    as an mst3000 extra. her movie role in Tormented rather reminded me
    of teresa Wright’s as Charlie against Joseph Cotten’s Charlie in
    Shadow of a Doubt (1943). Could the Shadow of a Doubt have been an
    influence/inspiration for Tormented?

       0 likes

  41. Happy Chef! says:

    @23, I totally agree with you on the schoolgirl member of the Seven from Angel’s Revenge. “This is a job for Girl-Woman!”

       1 likes

  42. Stoneman says:

    Hello,

    Probably no one will be reading this (late again), but I have to paraphrase what “ItsKalgansLaw” at 69 says: it has always annoyed me when any of these movies (like “Space Mutiny”, but also “The Mole People” and “Phantom Planet”) create societies or civilizations, but what DON”T you see? Annoying children running around, or at least seen in some kind of setting! Not very realistic, unless they keep their children locked up somewhere because they ARE way beyond annoying.

    Anyway, I think everything or everyone has been mentioned, but I agree that the super-perky couple from the short “Century 21 Calling…” have always bothered me. The young lady who stands on the counter and sings “Yipe Stripes” in “Teenage Strangler”, comparing it to the music of The Beatles, Stones, etc…Haw! Finally, “T” from “Quest of the Delta Knights” is totally ridiculous as a wise sage (yet able to kick the ass of adult men)- “Puss in Boots”, indeed!

    And last but not least, lets give some props to one of these children- I am speaking of Chase’s little sister (can’t remember her name) in “Giant Gila Monster”, for being able to sit through that whole annoying song he sings to her, and doing with a smile! Good job!

    Thanks for reading- see ya!

       0 likes

  43. Fart Bargo says:

    Stoneman enjoyed your comments but I am withholding my props to Missy who, you alleged, was brave enough to sit through the whimpy diddies. The evidence shown in the film that she was wearing the first iteration of an exoskelton, 1950 leg braces. She couldn’t run if her hair was on fire. Perhaps she was the template for Forrest Gump however?

       0 likes

  44. Stoneman says:

    To “Fart Bargo” at 94:

    Excellent point (I laughed out loud, attracting some curious looks at work), although something tells me that she is even more worthy of praise, having the challenge of her disability, because she still sat through that song, when she could have used her disability, like complaining of pain, or kicking Chase, claiming it was an uncontrollable reflex, spasm or something. And I like Missy (thank you for reminding me of her name) much more than Forrest Gump (“life is like a box of chocolates- you never know what you’ll get”- yeah, right, unless you get one of those boxes with the handy template on the inside of the boxtop, telling you exactly what each piece of chocolate is!).

    Good discussion thread, Mr. Fart…I mean Mr. Bargo! See ya!

       0 likes

  45. Kali says:

    “Johnny, don’t go! It’s too dangerous!”
    “I don’t care!”
    Time of the Apes. This one doesn’t need riffs. But why doesn’t Johnny care?

    Then there are the kids that run Santa’s life in Santa Claus. Mexico’s gift to nightmares everywhere.

    But I’ll go with the kid from Mitchell. “Buzz off, kid!”

    At least the kids in the Gamera films contribute to the solution. Sorta.

       0 likes

  46. Kali says:

    And we can’t complain about Susan Gordon – she’s the only thing Mr. BIG ever produced that had talent. Remember the Twilight Zone episode, “The Fugitive”?

       1 likes

  47. Charles says:

    The thing that always bugged me about Sandy from Tormented was the fact that she had that icky relationship with Tom. She hung around just with him A LOT, and talked about how he could marry her if her sister flaked out and how much she loved him. It had some creepy undertones.

    I’m amazed that only one person has mentioned T from Quest of the Delta Knights. He’s so damn self-righteous and serious, I just wanted to slap him. And speaking of creepy moments, his going into a brothel and having the red haired girl proposition him despite the fact that he looked prepubescent and all of 12 years old was pretty gross. Of course, because he’s the damn hero, she loves him inexplicably, making him more annoying.

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  48. Cornjob says:

    “But why doesn’t Johnny care?”

    “Do you care?”

       0 likes

  49. Pliskin says:

    Troy from (b) Final Sacrifice (/b) was pretty annoying to me – when I think about it. Maybe I should’ve waited for the (I) Most annoying Teens(/I) discussion topic for Troy? Was he a teen of a tween?

       0 likes

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