#frankconniff

Gay CurmudgeonHermitsDaily
2026-01-27

Favorite Comedian Frank Conniff, painted on the date of his birthday, August 30. Markers and Watercolor, 2020.

iokevinsiokevins
2026-01-23

SF Sketchfest - Riffapalooza: Night of the Shorts!

Trace Beaulieu, Frank Conniff, Bill Corbett, John Hodgman, Kevin Murphy, Cole Stratton, and Janet Varney

- Great Star Theater in Chinatown, San Francisco, California πŸ’œ

Interior pre-show photo from the rear seats of the Great Star Theater. SF Sketchfest logos (alien saucer) illuminate either side of the stage in a green and yellow glow. The screen displays a rotating montage of previous acts, and currently displaysa photo of Bill Frisell and Bill Irwin from 2017. The theater seats and walls are covered in red fabric. Loosely hung strings of warm white lights illuminate the walls Promotional poster for Riffapalooza: Night of the Shorts! It shows headshots of Trace Beaulieu, Frank Conniff, Bill Corbett, John Hodgman, Kevin Murphy, Cole Stratton, and Janet Varney.
Subtitle reads "live improvised shorts riffing with mst3k & rifftrax alumni".

The headshots are arranged in a row on a stage with red curtains and a glowing green background. Silhouettes of a few people are shown seated in the front row.
Exterior evening photo of the Great Star Theater. It's a Chinese theater. It's signs are red with white Chinese characters. It's illuminated brightly. The second story has a pagodaInterior photo of a display of Chinese crafts. From left to right: a decorative dragon head with mouth open and a golden ball inside; a decorative Chinese ladder dressed in formal robes; and a cute red snake. The wall behind is red.
iokevinsiokevins
2026-01-18

Good morning πŸŒ„ πŸ’œ β˜•

8Β° C / 47Β° F and partly sunny πŸŒ₯️ with 64% humidity and 5 km/h wind in Fremont, California

Interior daytime photo of a 3-ounce Revolution Dual Spout Shot Glass, resting on a gray diatomaceous-earth coaster on an off-white desk mat on a maple desk surface. 

To the right is a partially visible copy of Frank Conniff's paperback "Twenty Five Mystery Science Theater 3000 Films That Changed My Life In No Way Whatsoever"
iokevinsiokevins
2025-07-02

Reading BILLY GILLIS: 7-Year Old Screenwriter (2022) - Frank Conniff

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Co

🎞️ 🎬 πŸ“ πŸ‘¦πŸ»

Cover art by Len Peralta

Cover art by Len Peralta for Frank Conniff's book Billy Gillis: 7-Year Old Screenwriter (2022). It shows an illustration of a 7-year-old boy standing in profile and holding a purple crayon in their right hand, which is raised above their head and completing the childlike inscription of the title & sub-title on a light-purple interior wall above him. Text "A novel by Frank Conniff" appears on the lower-left part of the wall. Strips of film seem suspended in the air, gently curving around the title & subtitle text. One strip of film lies on the floor behind Billy. Billy wears a purple sweater with a gray strip on the chest & each sleeve, as well as orange pants and red & white shoes. Billy's hair is a blond bowl cut, so we can't see his eyes.
iokevinsiokevins
2025-06-29

Read DARK APNEA (2023) - Frank Conniff

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Co

πŸ¦Έβ€β™‚οΈ 😴

Cover art by Len Peralta

Cover art by Len Peralta is an illustration of a black-cape-wearing man wearing a sleep apnea mask, crouching on a rooftop corner of what looks like an office building. They seem to also wear a gray tee shirt. Their face and short hair are black in silhouette. Their shoelaces look untied. Their eyes are solid white and look fierce. An enormous full moon illuminates the night sky behind him. The flowing black cape covers a large part of the left side. In this space appears the title, Dark Apnea (light-purple block letters) followed by "A Novel by Frank Conniff" (thin, small yellow block letters).
iokevinsiokevins
2025-05-04

Belatedly watching THE MADS ARE BACK special episode 53, A Night of Springtime Shorts (w/ Q&A guest Kevin McDonald) (April 2025) 🎬 🎭 πŸ’œ

dumb-industries.com/themadsare

Promotional poster for The Mads Are Back April 15, 2025 show, "A Night of Springtime Shorts (w/ Q&A guest Kevin McDonald)". 

The caption reads "Spring is in the air. Hold your breath." (white sans-serif block letters)

It shows a retro-style watercolor painting by artist Carmen Cerra. The background is diagonal paint brush strokes in shades of gray. The main focus is a large orange nuclear symbol. In front of it are cartoon illustrations of 4 characters from the shorts: 1) At top, a smiling boy holding a hammer above their head; 2) A man holding a folded paper with the word Plan; and 3 & 4) A smiling boy and girl in retro clothes from mid-19th century America, running together.

The text at top reads "Trace Beaulieu & Frank Conniff / From Mystery Science Theater 3000". 

Bottom text (white sans-serif block letters): The Mads Are Back / "A Night of Springtime Shorts". 

Footer text:   
In the lower-right appears the Dumb Industries logo.
iokevinsiokevins
2025-02-12
Promotional poster for The Mads Are Back February 11, 2025 show, "Bride of the Gorilla". 

The caption reads "This Valentine's Day The Mads Go Ape!" (white sans-serif block letters, with "Go Ape!" larger and bolded)

It shows a retro-style watercolor painting by artist Carmen Cerra. The background is a solid light-green color. The main focus is a gorilla body with the face of a man, who is gripping with both hands the midriff of a blonde-haired white woman wearing a white dress. At top is a large branch of what looks like a tropical tree.

The text at top reads "Trace Beaulieu & Frank Conniff / From Mystery Science Theater 3000". 

Bottom text (white sans-serif block letters): The Mads Are Back / "Bride of the Gorilla". The font is large and in light-green color, with text "Bride" in a script font, "of the" in a small font, and "Gorilla" in block letters with ragged strokes.

Footer text: Featuring a Q&A w/The Mads and Very Special Guest Rachel Lichtman. Tuesday, February 11, 2025 8PM ET $10 ET. TICKETS & DOWNLOAD PRE-ORDER AVAILABLE AT DUMB-INDUSTRIES.COM & THEMADSAREBACK.COM
ORIGINAL ARTWORK BY CARMEN CERRA

In the lower-right appears the Dumb Industries logo.
iokevinsiokevins
2024-10-30

Watching THE MADS ARE BACK episode 50, THE GIANT GILA MONSTER (October 2024) 🎬 🎭 πŸ’œ

With special Q&A guests Rich Koz (aka Svengoolie) and Jim Roche.

dumb-industries.com/themadsare

Promotional poster for The Mads Are Back October 29, 2024 show, "The Giant Gila Monster". 

The caption reads "Only hell could breed such an enormous beast. Only The Mads could destroy it!" (white sans-serif block letters)

It shows a watercolor painting by artist Carmen Cerra. The background is a vertical yellow to brown gradient. At top is the head of a giant gray gila monster with open mouth, above an old 2-seater hot-rod roadster with a man and woman passengers. 

The text at top reads "Trace Beaulieu & Frank Conniff / From Mystery Science Theater 3000". 

Bottom text (white sans-serif block letters): The Mads Are Back / "A Giant Gila Monster / A live riffing special". The font is large, white, block letters.

Footer text: Tuesday, October 29, 2024 8PM ET $10 ET. TICKETS AT DUMB-INDUSTRIES.COM & THEMADSAREBACK.COM
ORIGINAL ARTWORK BY CARMEN CERRA

In the lower-right appears the Dumb Industries logo.
iokevinsiokevins
2024-07-12

Belatedly watching THE MADS ARE BACK episode 49 A NIGHT OF SHORTS 16 (July 2024) 🎬 🎭 πŸ’œ With special Q&A guests Mary Jo Pehl, Bill Corbett, Kevin Murphy and Felicia Day.

Celebrating four years of livestreams!

dumb-industries.com/themadsare

Promotional poster for The Mads Are Back July 9, 2024 show, "A Night of Shorts 16". 

The caption reads "Shortest. Sweet 16. Ever." (white sans-serif block letters)

It shows a watercolor painting by artist Carmen Cerra. The background is black. At top is a woman with their finger to their lips, in front of a car with illuminated headlights. At center is a collage of four characters (from left): 1) A boy riding a collared dog; 2) A shaggy-haired, red-headed boy running; 3) A woman with long black hair parted down the middle, blue top, and black pleated skirt (also running); 4) What looks like a devil at a spinning wheel. 

The text at top reads "Trace Beaulieu & Frank Conniff / From Mystery Science Theater 3000". 

Bottom text (white sans-serif block letters): The Mads Are Back / "A Night of Shorts 16". The font is large, white, block letters. The number "16" is very large and comprised of illuminated purple lights.

"Celebrating four years of livestreams!" (white block letters)

Footer text (small white block letters):
With very special guests:
Bill Corbett
Felicia Day
Kevin Murphy
& Mary Jo Pehl

In the lower-right appears the Dumb Industries logo.
iokevinsiokevins
2024-06-29

Belatedly watching THE MADS ARE BACK episode 48 THE MANSTER (June 2024) 🎬 🎭 πŸ’œ With special Q&A guest writer Bonnie Burton (Star Wars Insider).

dumb-industries.com/themadsare

Promotional poster for The Mads Are Back June 11, 2024 show, "The Manster". 

The caption reads "Half-Man, Half-Monster, Full Terror!" (red, ragged sans-serif block letters)

It shows a watercolor painting by artist Carmen Cerra. The background is a crowd of geishas turned away from the viewer. They each wear the same yellow kimono known as hikizuri with an illustration of green bamboo branches with leaves on the back, and on the bottom a portion of The Great Wave off Kanagawa by artist Hokusai. They also each have the same blue obi with a white flower pattern. In the lower-right, a two-headed humanoid figure wears a robe with the dark-blue & white flower pattern, a yellow sash, and red fabric belt. One head is grotesque and the other has a crazed expression. 

The text at top reads "Trace Beaulieu & Frank Conniff / From Mystery Science Theater 3000". 

Bottom text (white sans-serif block letters): The Mads Are Back / "The Manster". The font is large, red, contorted block letters, like a retro monster movie poster.

TUESDAY, JUNE 11, 2024 8PM ET $10
ONLINE ONLY | TICKET INCLUDES DOWNLOAD
TICKETS AT DUMB-INDUSTRIES.COM  THEMADSAREBACK.COM
ORIGINAL ARTWORK BY CARMEN CERRA

In the lower-right appears the Dumb Industries logo.
iokevinsiokevins
2024-05-26

Belatedly watching THE MADS ARE BACK episode 47, THE WIZARD OF MARS (May 2024) 🎬 🎭 πŸ’œ With special Q&A guest comedian Julie Klausner.

dumb-industries.com/themadsare


Promotional poster for The Mads Are Back May 14, 2024 show, "Wizard of Mars". 

The caption reads "They're not in Kansas anymore..." (black, sans-serif block letters)

It shows a watercolor painting by artist Carmen Cerra. The background is the surface of Mars, showing a red sky under a starry sky. The primary focus is 4 characters in space suits with yellow helmets. Behind them is a stylized sand dune. Above then is a floating yellow brick road disappearing into the horizon.

The text at top reads "Trace Beaulieu & Frank Conniff / From Mystery Science Theater 3000". 

Bottom text (white sans-serif block letters): The Mads Are Back / The Wizard of Mars. The title looks vaguely like the font used in Star Wars.

FEATURING A LIVE Q&A WITH THE MADS AND VERY SPECIAL GUEST JULIE KLAUSNER
TUESDAY, MAY 14, 2024 8PMET $10
ONLINE ONLY | TICKET INCLUDES DOWNLOAD
TICKETS AT DUMB-INDUSTRIES.COM  THEMADSAREBACK.COM
ORIGINAL ARTWORK BY CARMEN CERRA

In the lower-right appears the Dumb Industries logo.
iokevinsiokevins
2024-04-16

Belatedly watching THE MADS ARE BACK episode 46, A NIGHT OF SHORTS 15 (April 2024) 🎬 🎭 πŸ’œ With special Q&A guest Steve Darnall

dumb-industries.com/themadsare



Promotional poster for The Mads Are Back April 9, 2024 show, "A Night of Shorts 15". The overall style is retro, possibly echoing design styles from the 1950's decade. 

The caption reads "Some shorts were made to be broken" (white, sans-serif block letters)

It shows a watercolor painting by artist Carmen Cerra. The background is solid grayed-green and has a medium-width off-white border. The primary focus is 3 characters (from left): 1) A child in a pink dress and shoulder-length brown hair with bangs, standing on a book labeled "Rules" while looking to their left and frowning, and with arms folded across their chest; 2) A towheaded infant wearing only a diaper clinging to the exterior of a launching rocket decorated with the American flag and leaving a cloud of smoke on the ground; and 3) A child wearing a yellow hardhat, a green button-down shirt and high-rise black trousers with a brown belt, brown shoes, and white knee pads, while holding in their right hand a small white case with a red cross, and holding in their left hand a fire extinguisher (a garden rake is also lying on the ground behind them).

The text at top reads "Trace Beaulieu & Frank Conniff / From Mystery Science Theater 3000". 

Bottom text (white sans-serif block letters): The Mads Are Back / A Night of Shorts 15. The '15' has a checkered pattern. 

In the lower-right appears the Dumb Industries logo.
iokevinsiokevins
2024-03-16

Watching THE MADS ARE BACK episode 45, THE PHANTOM FROM 10,000 LEAGUES (March 2024) 🎬 🎭 πŸ’œ With special Q&A guests Mike Nelson, Kevin Murphy & Bill Corbett from RiffTrax

dumb-industries.com/themadsare



Promotional poster for The Mads Are Back March 12, 2024 show, "The Phantom from 10,000 Leagues". It shows a watercolor painting by artist Carmen Cerra, primarily in muted green tones and shows an outdoor scene of a body of water surrounded by tall mountains. I'm the foreground is a tall creature with a dragon-like head holding an unconscious or dead man with a white shirt. 

The text at top center reads "Trace Beaulieu & Frank Conniff / From Mystery Science Theater 3000". 

The caption below this, at right, reads "Freezing Horror!" in white, wavy italic block letters, followed by "...as a living nightmare strikes from the depths of the sea!"

At bottom-left in medium chunky, wavy block letters: "The Mads Are Back: The Phantom from 10,000 Leagues"

In the lower-right appears text:
"Featuring a live Q&A with The Mads and very special guests" in white block letters, followed by the RiffTrax logo. 

Below this is text:
TUESDAY, MARCH 12, 2024
8PM ET $10Screenshot of the video call before the movie starts, showing video feeds of six people: 1) Chris Gersbeck; 2) Trace Beaulieu; 3) Frank Conniff; 4) Kevin Murphy; 5) Bill Corbett; and 6) Mike Nelson.
iokevinsiokevins
2024-02-15

Watching THE MADS ARE BACK episode 44, MUTINY IN OUTER SPACE (February 2024) 🎬 🎭 πŸ’œ With special Q&A guest Kim "Howard" Johnson who will share tales of Monty Python.

dumb-industries.com/themadsare



Promotional poster for The Mads Are Back February 13, 2024 show, "Mutiny In Outer Space." It shows a watercolor painting by artist Carmen Cerra, primarily in gray tones and showing the interior background of a space station wall with several analog clocks and rounded steel beams with circular perforations.

Three characters are shown (from left): 1) William Leslie as Maj. Gordon Towers (grim look, arms behind back); 2) James Dobson as Dr. Hoffman (intense look); and 3) Dolores Faith as Dr. Faith Montaine (white dress with black waist belt and black hair held back with hair beret). Behind them is a humanoid figure with its face replaced with a mass of fungus and mushrooms, with a single eye. Behind it several fungus strands reach down from the ceiling.

The text at top center reads "Trace Beaulieu & Frank Conniff / From Mystery Science Theater 3000". 

The caption below this, at left, reads "What happens in outer space stays in outer space."

At bottom-left in medium chunky blockletters: "The Mads Are Back: Mutiny In Outer Space"

In the lower-right appears text:
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2024
8PM ET $10
ONLINE ONLY | TICKET INCLUDES DOWNLOAD
TICKETS AT DUMB-INDUSTRIES.COM
THEMADSAREBACK.COM
ORIGINAL ARTWORK BY CARMEN CERRA

Below this in the lower-right corner is the Dumb Industries logo.
iokevinsiokevins
2024-01-16

"As a young comedian in Minnesota, Bamford got turned on to Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way by another then-unknown comic, Frank Conniff (Mystery Science Theater 3000)"

iokevinsiokevins
2024-01-14

The interview with Steve Stoliar on the Marx Brothers was lovely 🌹

One bit of color: Groucho at some point in the 1970's had a painting of The Marx Brothers as Dutch Masters in the entryway to his home, next to his golf cap on a hat tree from an appearance on the Dick Cavett show

dumb-industries.com/themadsare




A photo of The Marx Brothers as Dutch Masters, in a gold frame. The watermark is from Getty Images. It looks as though the painting is setup for auction.Black and white photo of a smiling Groucho Marx with a cigarette in his left hand being interviewed by 
Dick Cavett. Groucho wears a white turtleneck, a dark sport coat, and a striped golf cap with what looks like three golf balls on top, each decorated with hats, faces, etc.
iokevinsiokevins
2024-01-14

Watched THE MADS ARE BACK episode 43, A NIGHT OF SHORTS 14 (January 2024) 🎬 🎭 πŸ’œ With special Q&A guest Steve Stoliar

dumb-industries.com/themadsare



Promotional poster for The Mads Are Back January 9, 2024 show, "A Night of Shorts 14". 

The caption reads "Guess who's coming to dinner?"

It shows a watercolor painting by artist Carmen Cerra. The background is solid off-white. The primary focus is a group of characters around a dinner table covered with a white tablecloth. At the head of the table, a woman uses a compass (drawing tool) and a set square (triangle) to measure placement of a butter dish and plate of what looks like buttered toast. Proceeding clockwise, there are five more characters: 1) A man holding his hands behind his back and looking self-conscious; 2) A woman typing on a typewriter resting on her lap; 3) A smiling, white cartoonish gasoline drop; 4) A green sprite-faced character named Coily with arms, legs, and springy torso made from metal wire; and 5) A young woman looking indecisive, holding her hands clasped in front of her.

The text at top reads "Trace Beaulieu & Frank Conniff / From Mystery Science Theater 3000". 

In the lower-right appears the Dumb Industries logo.
iokevinsiokevins
2023-12-16

Watched THE MADS ARE BACK episode 42, THE CREEPING TERROR (December 2023) 🎬 🎭 πŸ’œ With special guest Q&A guest Kliph Nesteroff

dumb-industries.com/themadsare



Promotional poster for The Mads Are Back December 16 2023 show, "The Creeping Terror". 

The caption reads "Lock the Doors! Bolt the Windows! It's..."

It shows a watercolor painting by artist Carmen Cerra. The background is black and murky, like a theater stage curtain. The bottom torsos of seven people extend from beneath the monster/curtain, resting on brown wooden-plank flooring.

The text at top reads "Trace Beaulieu & Frank Conniff / From Mystery Science Theater 3000". 

In the lower-left appears the Dumb Industries logo.

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