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Crist Ballas, a longtime BBI staffer, is in the hospital with a heart condition related to COVID-19.
Crist did hair and make-up for numerous MST3K episodes from seasons 2 to 7. He was also a prop builder for MYSTERY SCIENCE THEATER 3000: THE MOVIE and appeared in a gorilla suit in episode 211- FIRST SPACESHIP ON VENUS. A GoFundMe page has been set to assist in paying what his friends and family fear is going to be a substantial hospital bill. You can read more about his condition and make a donation here.  LOS ANGELES — Larry King, the suspenders-clad known for his interviews with world leaders, movie stars and more, died at a hospital here on Jan. 23. He was 87.
A longtime nationally syndicated radio host, from 1985 through 2010 he was a nightly fixture on CNN, where he won many honors, including two Peabody awards. MSTies will remember he was mentioned in a host segment in episode 1011- HORRORS OF SPIDER ISLAND, which parodied his syndicated newspaper column.  Actor, voice actor, puppeteer and stand-up comedian Jim MacGeorge died Jan. 16. He was 92.
His puppeteering was mainly for the “Beany and Cecil” children’s TV show, “Time for Beany.” It originally starred Daws Butler and Stan Freberg and when they quit, MacGeorge took over their roles and many other characters. He was also heard in dozens of other cartoon shows including “Kwicky Koala,” “Yogi’s Space Race,” “The Flintstones,” “Duck Tales,” “The Bionic Six” and many others. He also worked for a time as a writer for Jay Ward, mainly on “Fractured Flickers” and the “Super Chicken” cartoons. MSTies will recognize him as Mac the cop in the movie in episode 404- TEENAGERS FROM OUTER SPACE. This blog has an appreciation. Thanks to Duane and Tim for the heads up.  Music producer Phil Spector, known for his “Wall of Sound” style, and who later was convicted of murder, died Jan. 16. He was 81.
California state prison officials said he died of natural causes at a prison hospital. Spector was convicted of murdering actress Lana Clarkson in 2003. After a trial in 2009, he was sentenced to 19 years to life. Clarkson played Amathea in the movie in episode 1111- WIZARDS OF THE LOST KINGDOM II. The Hollywood Reporter has a story. Thanks to Tim for the heads up. |
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All content posted on Satellite News is copyright © 2026 by Chris Cornell and Brian Henry, except where otherwise noted. This Date in MSTory is written and compiled by Steve Finley, Chris Cornell and Brian Henry. Copyright © 2026 All rights reserved. Please do not reproduce This Date in MSTory items in any form without express written permission from the authors. Items of MST3K news may be duplicated or reposted, as long as Satellite News is cited as the source. The views and opinions expressed herein are not necessarily those of Satellite of Love, LLC. No warranty is expressed or implied that the information given herein is completely accurate, and in fact this information can and will change at any time. So there. Mystery Science Theater 3000, its characters and situations are copyrights and trademarks of Satellite of Love, LLC. Banner image created by Larry Lee Moniz. |
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