Trace Beaulieu

Trace Beaulieu is an American comedian, puppeteer, writer and actor best known for his seminal work on the cult television series Mystery Science Theater 3000 (MST3K). Born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Beaulieu briefly attended the University of Minnesota before launching his career in the late 1980s, when he joined the original KTMA version of MST3K as a writer, voice‑actor and puppeteer. For the first eight seasons he operated and voiced the iconic robot Crow T. Robot, while also portraying the sardonic mad‑scientist Dr. Clayton Forrester, the head of the Gizmonic Institute (later renamed Deep 13). His quick wit and dead‑pan delivery helped define the show’s distinctive riff‑off style, and his contributions extended beyond performance to scriptwriting and character development. After creator Joel Hodgson’s departure, Beaulieu continued with the series on Comedy Channel/Comedy Central until he left at the close of a truncated seventh season, making way for Bill Corbett as the new voice of Crow. Following his MST3K tenure, Beaulieu appeared as a semi‑regular teacher Mr. Lacovara on Freaks and Geeks and guest‑starred in an episode of The West Wing. He served as a writer for America’s Funniest Home Videos from 1998 to 2007 and headed the pilot of Animal Planet’s People Traps in 2002. In 2010 he voiced first officer Ross Perryman in the interactive movie Darkstar, and later returned to the Crow persona for cameo appearances on Arrested Development. Beaulieu also co‑created the live‑riff tour “The Mads Are Back” with former MST3K colleague Frank Conniff, adapting the show to livestream format during the COVID‑19 pandemic. His off‑screen work includes a children’s poetry book Silly Rhymes for Belligerent Children, a one‑shot comic script for Here Come the Big People, and hosting the movie‑discussion podcast Movie Sign with the Mads from 2016 to 2020. Beaulieu’s enduring influence on riff‑culture and his multifaceted career continue to resonate with fans of cult cinema and comedy alike.