Professor Bobo
Encyclopedia
Professor Bobo is a fictional character who appeared in the final three seasons of Mystery Science Theater 3000
, a comedy television series that mocks B-movie
s. Played by Kevin Murphy (who also voiced and operated robot Tom Servo
on the show), Bobo is a sapient, speaking gorilla from the year 2525, an homage to the film Planet of the Apes
.
Professor Bobo is a curious mixture of eminent scientist, descended from a long line of supposedly respected apes, and of sensory-driven primate, often regressing to more primitive desires and actions. In the first three shows of Season 8, he leads an ape laboratory directed by the "Lawgiver" (Planet of the Apes
) to continue the movie-watching "experiments" on Mike Nelson and his robots, again trapped in the Satellite of Love
. In subsequent shows, Bobo travels with the Lawgiver, who turns out to be Pearl Forrester
(inheriting the mad scientist role from her son, Dr. Clayton Forrester
). Bobo ultimately becomes one of her henchmen after his planet is destroyed when Mike Nelson helps the apes and their new mutant friends activate an atomic bomb (a reference to PotA sequel Beneath the Planet of the Apes
).
Despite his title of "Professor", Bobo demonstrated remarkably little intelligence after leaving Earth of 2525. He was revealed to be illiterate (which may apply only to English and not the ape language), and in episode #820: Space Mutiny
, he inadvertently obstructed Pearl's attempts to free the "Mads" from captivity in Nero
nian Rome
, and starts the Great Fire of Rome
by knocking over a lamp in his haste to steal a wheel of cheese
. In the final episode (#1013 Danger: Diabolik
), he boasted of his new "job" at a zoo
, possibly unaware of his future role as a specimen
.
During his first appearance on the show, Bobo introduces himself as "Professor Bobo, son of Koko
and heir to the lineage of Godo, Mogo and Chim-Chim" a reference to Aragorn
from Lord of the Rings, of which Kevin Murphy is a longtime fan.
Mystery Science Theater 3000
Mystery Science Theater 3000 is an American cult television comedy series created by Joel Hodgson and produced by Best Brains, Inc., that ran from 1988 to 1999....
, a comedy television series that mocks B-movie
B-movie
A B movie is a low-budget commercial motion picture that is not definitively an arthouse or pornographic film. In its original usage, during the Golden Age of Hollywood, the term more precisely identified a film intended for distribution as the less-publicized, bottom half of a double feature....
s. Played by Kevin Murphy (who also voiced and operated robot Tom Servo
Tom Servo
Tom Servo is a fictional character from the American science fiction comedy television show Mystery Science Theater 3000 . Tom is one of two wise-cracking, robotic main characters of the show, built by Joel Robinson to act as a companion and help stave off space madness as Joel was forced to watch...
on the show), Bobo is a sapient, speaking gorilla from the year 2525, an homage to the film Planet of the Apes
Planet of the Apes (1968 film)
Planet of the Apes is a 1968 American science fiction film directed by Franklin J. Schaffner, based on the 1963 French novel La Planète des singes by Pierre Boulle. The film stars Charlton Heston, Roddy McDowall, Kim Hunter, Maurice Evans, James Whitmore, James Daly and Linda Harrison...
.
Professor Bobo is a curious mixture of eminent scientist, descended from a long line of supposedly respected apes, and of sensory-driven primate, often regressing to more primitive desires and actions. In the first three shows of Season 8, he leads an ape laboratory directed by the "Lawgiver" (Planet of the Apes
Planet of the Apes (1968 film)
Planet of the Apes is a 1968 American science fiction film directed by Franklin J. Schaffner, based on the 1963 French novel La Planète des singes by Pierre Boulle. The film stars Charlton Heston, Roddy McDowall, Kim Hunter, Maurice Evans, James Whitmore, James Daly and Linda Harrison...
) to continue the movie-watching "experiments" on Mike Nelson and his robots, again trapped in the Satellite of Love
Satellite of Love (MST3K)
The Satellite of Love is the fictional main setting of the comedy television series Mystery Science Theater 3000. It is a giant bone-shaped spacecraft that Joel Robinson and his friends — robots Crow, Tom Servo, Gypsy, Cambot, and the noncorporeal Magic Voice — live in...
. In subsequent shows, Bobo travels with the Lawgiver, who turns out to be Pearl Forrester
Pearl Forrester
Pearl Forrester is a character on the Mystery Science Theater 3000 television series, played by Mary Jo Pehl. Forrester was the mother of Dr. Clayton Forrester...
(inheriting the mad scientist role from her son, Dr. Clayton Forrester
Doctor Clayton Forrester (MST3K)
Dr. Clayton Deborah Susan Forrester is a fictional character on the television series Mystery Science Theater 3000 . Named for the hero of the 1953 film The War of the Worlds, Dr. Forrester was the chief mad scientist on the show from its inception in 1988 through the seventh season in 1996, and...
). Bobo ultimately becomes one of her henchmen after his planet is destroyed when Mike Nelson helps the apes and their new mutant friends activate an atomic bomb (a reference to PotA sequel Beneath the Planet of the Apes
Beneath the Planet of the Apes
Beneath the Planet of the Apes is a 1970 American science fiction film directed by Ted Post and written by Paul Dehn. It is the second of five films in the original Planet of the Apes series produced by Arthur P. Jacobs...
).
Despite his title of "Professor", Bobo demonstrated remarkably little intelligence after leaving Earth of 2525. He was revealed to be illiterate (which may apply only to English and not the ape language), and in episode #820: Space Mutiny
Space Mutiny
Space Mutiny is a 1988 South African science-fiction action film about a mutiny aboard the spaceship known as the Southern Sun.- Plot :...
, he inadvertently obstructed Pearl's attempts to free the "Mads" from captivity in Nero
Nero
Nero , was Roman Emperor from 54 to 68, and the last in the Julio-Claudian dynasty. Nero was adopted by his great-uncle Claudius to become his heir and successor, and succeeded to the throne in 54 following Claudius' death....
nian Rome
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
, and starts the Great Fire of Rome
Great Fire of Rome
The Great Fire of Rome was an urban fire that occurred beginning July 19, AD 64.-Background:According to Tacitus, the fire spread quickly and burned for six days. Only four of the fourteen districts of Rome escaped the fire; three districts were completely destroyed and the other seven suffered...
by knocking over a lamp in his haste to steal a wheel of cheese
Cheese
Cheese is a generic term for a diverse group of milk-based food products. Cheese is produced throughout the world in wide-ranging flavors, textures, and forms....
. In the final episode (#1013 Danger: Diabolik
Danger: Diabolik
Danger: Diabolik is a 1968 feature film from Italian filmmaker Mario Bava based on the Italian comic character Diabolik.- About the film :...
), he boasted of his new "job" at a zoo
Zoo
A zoological garden, zoological park, menagerie, or zoo is a facility in which animals are confined within enclosures, displayed to the public, and in which they may also be bred....
, possibly unaware of his future role as a specimen
Specimen
A specimen is a portion/quantity of material for use in testing, examination, or study.BiologyA laboratory specimen is an individual animal, part of an animal, a plant, part of a plant, or a microorganism, used as a representative to study the properties of the whole population of that species or...
.
During his first appearance on the show, Bobo introduces himself as "Professor Bobo, son of Koko
Koko (gorilla)
Koko is a female western lowland gorilla who, according to Francine "Penny" Patterson, is able to understand more than 1,000 signs based on American Sign Language, and understand approximately 2,000 words of spoken English....
and heir to the lineage of Godo, Mogo and Chim-Chim" a reference to Aragorn
Aragorn
Aragorn II is a fictional character from J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium, one of the main protagonists of The Lord of the Rings. He is first introduced by the name Strider, which the hobbits continue to call him...
from Lord of the Rings, of which Kevin Murphy is a longtime fan.