film director/producer Roger Corman, nicknamed “King of the Bs” and “The Pope of Pop Culture,” whose career in Hollywood spanned eight decades, died May 11. He was 98.

Corman movies blended with MST3K’s tone perfectly, and episodes featuring his movies were among the best.

Corman produced and/or directed the movies in episodes 311- IT CONQUERED THE WORLD, 315- TEENAGE CAVEMAN, 317- VIKING WOMEN AND THE SEA SERPENT, 406- ATTACK OF THE GIANT LEECHES, 503- SWAMP DIAMONDS, 511- GUNSLINGER, 618- HIGH SCHOOL BIG SHOT, 701- NIGHT OF THE BLOOD BEAST, 703- DEATHSTALKER AND THE WARRIORS FROM HELL, in 1104- AVALANCHE, 1203- LORDS OF THE DEEP, 806- THE UNDEAD, THE DAY THE WORLD ENDED (riffed by fans in Sci-fi Channel’s “MST3K: The Home Game”) and DEATHSTALKER II, featured in the 30th Anniversary Tour in 2018. He also appeared in an uncredited role as a corporate executive in the movie in 1203- episode LORDS OF THE DEEP.

The New York Times has a look back.

Thanks to Tim for the heads up.

We rarely note the passing of a famously riffed character, but we’re making an exception here to note the passing of actor Bernard Hill, perhaps best known as King Theoden in the Lord of the Rings movie trilogy, and who is known to MSTies as the actor played the captain in captain in “Titanic.”

He was 79.