BORN TODAY
1873: MADGE CLEVELAND, who portrayed an old frump in episode 409- THE INDESTRUCTIBLE MAN.
1876: HENRY MacRAE, associate producer of the season two serial THE PHANTOM CREEPS.
1899: GEORGE MACREADY, who portrayed Prof. Dornheimer in episode 420- THE HUMAN DUPLICATORS.
1910: RON ORMOND, who portrayed the janitor in episode 514- TEEN-AGE STRANGLER.
1922: LANE BRADFORD, who portrayed Lasvon in episode 417- CRASH OF THE MOONS.
1929: SUSAN SHAW, who portrayed Hestia in episode 416- FIRE MAIDENS FROM OUTER SPACE.

DIED TODAY
1967: MALCOLM BROWN (age 64), art director for the movie in episode 615- KITTEN WITH A WHIP.
1967: GEORGE WEBBER (age 91), cinematographer for the short X MARKS THE SPOT shown in episode 210- KING DINOSAUR.
1978: EMMA ROLDAN (age 85), who appeared in episode 102- THE ROBOT VS. THE AZTEC MUMMY.
1981: LOWELL THOMAS (age 89), who was the narrator for the short THE CHICKEN OF TOMORROW shown in episode 702- THE BRUTE MAN.
2003: ANNABELLE WEENICK (age 78), dialogue director for the movie in episode 418- ATTACK OF THE THE EYE CREATURES.

EPISODES PREMIERE
1992: episode 411- THE MAGIC SWORD first shown.
1998: episode 912- THE SCREAMING SKULL (with the short ROBOT RUMPUS: A GUMBY ADVENTURE) first shown.

EVENTS
1955: MAMIE VAN DOREN, who portrayed Penny Lowe in episode 112- UNTAMED YOUTH, married musician RAY ANTHONY. Their marriage was already on the rocks four years later, when they starred together in episode 601- GIRLS TOWN, in which she played Silver Morgan and he portrayed Dick Culdane.
1979: The movie shown in episode K16- CITY ON FIRE was released in Canada where the movie was filmed.

First shown: 9/26/93
Opening: Crow is Jay Leno, complete with chin
Invention exchange: Cholester-do all, back-talk
Host segment 1: Crow and Tom debate the messy woman in the short
Host segment 2: Reports on bearded guys include Crow’s paper on Rutherford B. Hayes
Host segment 3: Crow is crushed into an ingot
End: Discussing the Lassie’s culpability, Dr. F. tries to revive Frank
Stinger: Naughty girl goes into the shower

• It was certainly a bold move, picking this movie, and westerns are always fun to riff, even westerns that do it doggie style. But I have to put this in the “good not great” category, something like the previous episode. The movie’s just a little too good (I actually got caught up in the story), while the riffing and segments are hit and miss.
• In the opening bit, I know Joel is just setting up Crow’s last punchline, but you can’t get sued for making fun of Congress. Kinda ruined the joke for me.
• I guess, being old enough to remember Johnny Carson, Jay Leno still sort of seems like “the new guy.” But the opening, which first aired nearly 15 years ago, is a little reminder of how long Jay has had the gig.
• The actual prop Frank is wearing around his neck during the invention exchange is kinda cool. “Ee-kay-gee, does it work great!”
• Then-current reference: short-lived TV show “Delta”
• The short seems to be aimed at college students. Did they really show this sort of thing in COLLEGE? Did college kids in the 1950s really need to be told to shower occasionally?
• That moment in the short where the movie moves backwards and Tom does the backward talking–do you think that’s what sparked the “Back Talk” invention?
• Segment 1 is MST3K at its best, witty, wise and fun. Love the reference to “Scoop Jackson Democrats” and “Jacob Javitz Republicans.”
• Annoying commercial: My recording is from October of 1994, and features a commercial for Harry Shearer’s terrible but thankfully short-lived show “The News Hole.” I like Harry, but not all of his projects are winners.
• Pile-On Pete was an instant sensation in the message boards following this episode. As was the line “Snausages!”
• Daddy-O notes that this movie was a rarity. In most Lassie movies, Lassie is a female character that was generally played by male dogs. But in this case, the character of Shep, a female, is actually played by a female dog. Or as he puts it: “Kinda like Victor-Victoria with fleas!”
• Segment 2 goes on a little long, but there’s some good stuff there. I like how you can hear Tom say “Rutherford B. Hays!” as Cambot is halfway down through the movie sign door.
• Callback: “Smoochers on mah property!” (Eye Creatures)
• Segment 3, well, they’re doin’ stuff to the bots again. Funny puppet, though.
• Crow says “Thank you for extruding me” (like a little kid thanking his grandma for an itchy sweater he’ll never wear) as they enter the theater…
• The ending bit in Deep 13 I love the food popping out of Frank’s mouth as Dr. F gives him CPR.
• A rarity: the stinger is from the short, rather than the movie.
• Fave riff: First thing I’m gonna do is buy me a montage!

BORN TODAY
1891: STANLEY ANDREWS, who portrayed Pete Ferguson in episode 611- LAST OF THE WILD HORSES and had a small role in episode 112- UNTAMED YOUTH.
1892: FRANK HEATH, assistant director for the movie in episode 201- ROCKETSHIP X-M.
1908: ARNY FREEMAN, who had a small role in the episode 513- THE BRAIN THAT WOULDN’T DIE.
1916: BILL COONTZ, character actor who had small movie roles in episodes 509- THE GIRL IN LOVERS LANE, 607- BLOODLUST, and 618- HIGH SCHOOL BIG SHOT.
1922: LILY GRANADO, who portrayed an Amazon in episode 502- HERCULES.
1928: KARL MICHAEL VOGLER, who portrayed Horatio in episode 1009- HAMLET.
1930: CAROLYN KEARNEY, who portrayed Jessica Burns in episode 805- THE THING THAT COULDN’T DIE.
1959: JOHN ALLEN NELSON, who portrayed Deathstalker in episode 703- DEATHSTALKER AND THE WARRIORS FROM HELL.
1963: LISA WOLF, who portrayed Rita in episode K15-Superdome.

DIED TODAY
1975: AL ZIMBALIST (age 59), producer of the movies shown in episodes 107- ROBOT MONSTER and 210- KING DINOSAUR.
1991: CHRIS ANDERS (age 54), who portrayed Schloss in episode 815- AGENT FOR H.A.R.M.
2005: WYOTT ORDUNG (age 83), screenwriter for the movie in episode 107- ROBOT MONSTER.

EPISODE PREMIERES
1993: episode 506- EEGAH! first shown.

Joining Kevin and Bill will be Josh Fruhlinger, aka The Comics Curmudgeon.

It’s due out Friday, Sept. 5.

The first trailer for the independent film “Triptosane,” which features the voice of Trace Beaulieu, is now out.

Close readers of this site may have noticed a small change in our navigation bar: three of our least-performing (make that non-performing) merchandise stores at Cafepress.com have been closed.

(If there’s anybody out there who’s been procrastinating buying a Ward E, Daddy-O or Tradin’ Post T-shirt for all these years, and you still want one, let me know and I’ll throw one back up on the main Satellite News store.)

In its place has come our latest brainstorm: The MST3K Catchphrases T-shirt Store!

The idea came to me after our recent weekend discussion thread, where we listed the many many many phrases that have been made popular by the show. It occurred to me that what MSTies would love would be shirts that proudly and boldly proclaimed a phrase that would make 90 percent of general public say “Huh?” and the other 10 percent say, “Hey! One of my own kind!”

Now, we know the economy’s tough, so with your wallet in mind, we have only used the most inexpensive T-shirt CafePress offers (it’s still 100 percent cotton; I bought one myself and I think it’s a good-quality shirt) and we are only charging two smackers over the base price. Your welcome.

So, check it out, find a phrase you like, and buy it!…um, if that’s okay.

UPDATE–Okay, I have added 48 more catchphrases, based on the suggestions and requests. The new ones are on top. If you suggested one and I didn’t include it, I decided it wasn’t quite right for this. But thanks for everybody’s suggestions.

Guest riffer: Singer Richard Cheese.

If you woke up this morning in the Los Angeles area, or you plan to be there by this evening, why not take in this month’s installment of “Cartoon Dump”?

Info here.

I ran through the list of episodes and found that I had almost no memory of the theme music for most of the movies. I guess, being mostly low-budget affairs, the themes were forgettable, But I did come up with five that jumped out at me. I’m sure you guys will remember others I’ve overlooked.
Here’s my list:
• Episode 111- MOON ZERO TWO: The credits theme is full of insane brass and wild screaming. Great stuff.
• Episode 204- CATALINA CAPER: “Never Steal Anything Wet” sung by Motown great Mary Wells. Though this is not the catchiest tune.
• Episode 321- SANTA CLAUS CONQUERS THE MARTIANS: “Hurray for Santy Claus” A song guaranteed to get a theater full of sugared-up kids even more excited.
• Episode 508- OPERATION DOUBLE 007: “The Man for Me” song by an Ennio Morricone regular Khristy. Great additional lyrics by Joel and Bots, but already a bombastic wonder.
• Episode 601- GIRLS TOWN: “Girls Town Blues” sung by Paul and Mamie. Sets the tone for the zaniness to come.
Honorable mention: “Mah, mah, mah, mah, Mitchell” from episode 512- MITCHELL. Oh Hoyt, how could you!

The Newark Star-Ledger writes about Cinematic Titanic. However, the author, who claims to be a fan, either has a bad memory or a bad fact-checker.