Craig T. Nelson | |
|---|---|
 Nelson at thePaleyfest 2013 panel forParenthood | |
| Born | Craig Theodore Nelson[1] (1944-04-04)April 4, 1944 (age 81)[1] Spokane, Washington, U.S. |
| Education | Lewis and Clark High School |
| Alma mater | University of Arizona |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1969–present |
| Spouses | |
| Children | 3 |
| Relatives | Ashley Jones (former-daughter-in-law) |
Craig Theodore Nelson[1] (born April 4, 1944)[2] is an American actor. He is known for his roles as Hayden Fox in theABC sitcomCoach (for which he won aPrimetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series), Deputy Warden Ward Wilson inStir Crazy (1980), Steve Freeling inPoltergeist (1982), Burt Nickerson inAll the Right Moves (1983), Peter Dellaplane inAction Jackson (1988), Chief Howard Hyde inTurner & Hooch (1989), Alex Cullen inThe Devil's Advocate (1997), Chief Jack Mannion in theCBS dramaThe District (2000–04), Coach Goddard inBlades of Glory, The Warden in theNBC sitcomMy Name Is Earl (2007), and the voice ofBob Parr/Mr. Incredible in the 2004 filmThe Incredibles and its2018 sequel. He also starred as Zeek Braverman in the NBC drama seriesParenthood (2010–15) and recurred asDale Ballard in theCBS sitcomsYoung Sheldon (2019–24) and its spin-offGeorgie & Mandy's First Marriage (2024–).
Craig Theodore Nelson was born on April 4, 1944,[1][3] inSpokane, Washington.[4][5][6] He is the son of Vera Margaret (née Spindler; 1906–1971), a dancer, and Armand Gilbert Nelson (1901–1965), a businessman.[1][3]
Nelson attendedLewis and Clark High School, where he played football, baseball, and basketball.[3][7]
After high school, Nelson studied atCentral Washington University.[8] After flunking out, Nelson went toYakima Valley College where he was inspired to study acting by his drama teacher, Mr. Brady.[9] From Yakima, he went on to study drama at theUniversity of Arizona on a scholarship.[3][10]
In 1969, Nelson dropped out of school and moved to Hollywood to pursue an acting career.[3] When he first moved to California, he took up a job as a security guard at a soap factory until finding work as a comedy writer.[3]
Nelson began his show business career as a comedian.[1] He was an early member ofThe Groundlings improv and sketch comedy troupe.[11] Nelson,Barry Levinson, andRudy De Luca formed their own comedy team and were regular performers atThe Comedy Store[1] and on the short-livedThe Tim Conway Comedy Hour (1970).[12] In 1973, Nelson left the comedy world, explaining "the standup comedy life was pretty unfulfilling for me"[12] and he settled inMontgomery Creek, California where there was no electricity and no running water; "it was contentment,The Waltons", he said.[10] Nelson had different jobs during that time including janitor, plumber, carpenter, surveyor, and high school teacher in Burney, CA. He returned to acting five years later.[12]
Nelson was featured as a prosecuting attorney who opposesAl Pacino in the 1979 film...And Justice for All, co-written by Levinson. He then played Capt. William Woodbridge inPrivate Benjamin (1980), Deputy Warden Ward Wilson inStir Crazy (1980), and Steve Freeling inPoltergeist (1982), returning to the role for the sequel,Poltergeist II: The Other Side (1986). In 1983, Nelson appeared inSilkwood, directed byMike Nichols and starringMeryl Streep. That same year, he played the high school football coach ofTom Cruise in the dramaAll the Right Moves and was one of the stars of directorSam Peckinpah's final film,The Osterman Weekend.[13] He appeared in many other motion picture roles including Major Reeves inThe Killing Fields (1984), Peter Dellaplane inAction Jackson (1988), Chief Howard Hyde inTurner & Hooch (1989), Ed Peters inGhosts of Mississippi (1996), and Alex Cullen inThe Devil's Advocate (1997).
Nelson's first TV series was the short-livedABC seriesCall to Glory from 1984 to 1985. He became well-known when he starred as college football coach Hayden Fox in the ABC sitcomCoach from 1989 to 1997,[14][15] and for which he won aPrimetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series. He also directed many episodes of the show. He then starred aschief ofWashington, D.C.'spolice department Jack Mannion in theCBS dramaThe District from 2000 to 2004. He went on to play the role of the Prison Warden in theNBC sitcomMy Name Is Earl in 2007.
Nelson provided the voice of Bob Parr (also known asMr. Incredible) in the animated filmThe Incredibles (2004), and returned to the role for its long awaited sequel,Incredibles 2 (2018).[16] Nelson also reprised the role again in the video gamesKinect Rush: A Disney-Pixar Adventure and in theDisney Infinity video game series, except for thevideo game andThe Incredibles: Rise of the Underminer, where he was replaced by actorRichard McGonagle.[17]
Nelson's subsequent films include 2005'sThe Family Stone asDiane Keaton's husband, 2007'sBlades of Glory as an ice skating coach, 2009'sThe Proposal asRyan Reynolds's skeptical father, 2010'sThe Company Men as a greedyCEO, and 2018'sBook Club.
Nelson made a three-episode guest appearance onCSI: NY from 2008 to 2009 as a "nemesis" ofGary Sinise's Taylor.[18] From 2010 to 2015, he starred in the NBC comedy-dramaParenthood as Ezekiel "Zeek" Braverman, the family patriarch. His production company is Family Tree Productions.[19]
From 2019 to 2024, Nelson was part of the cast ofYoung Sheldon playingDale Ballard, a local sports store owner, Missy's baseball coach, and Meemaw's boyfriend. In 2024, he continued the role on its spin-offGeorgie & Mandy's First Marriage.
Nelson has three children from his first marriage to Robin McCarthy, though they later divorced.[3] His second wife Doria Cook-Nelson is a freelance writer, president of a martial arts association, karate instructor, tai chi teacher, and a former film and television actress who had a featured role in the movie musicalMame.[3]
Nelson is a motorsports fan and an avid racer. He first participated in the 1991 Toyota CelebrityLong Beach Grand Prix[3] and finished ninth. In 1992, he founded Screaming Eagles Racing with John Christie and entered and drove a Toyota-enginedSpice SE90 in theIMSA1994 WSC, a Lexus-engined Spice SE90 in1995 and a Ford-enginedRiley & Scott Mk III in the1996 and1997 championships.[20]
During the2008 United States presidential election, he endorsedJohn McCain.[21]
In 2009, Nelson appeared onThe Glenn Beck Program to announce that he was considering no longer paying income tax.[22] In the same year, he appeared onHannity to criticize government expansion.[23]
Early in his career, Nelson struggled with alcohol and substance addiction.[24]
Nelson is also a lifelong Green Bay Packers fan. On January 5, 2025 he sang the National Anthem at Lambeau Field.[25] He would later tell reporters "Me and the Packers go way back."
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1971 | The Return of Count Yorga | Sgt. O'Connor | |
| 1973 | Scream Blacula Scream | Sarge | |
| 1974 | Flesh Gordon | The Great God Porno | Voice, uncredited |
| 1979 | ...And Justice for All | Frank Bowers | |
| 1980 | Stir Crazy | Deputy Warden Ward Wilson | |
| The Formula | Geologist #2 | ||
| Where the Buffalo Roam | Cop on Stand | ||
| Private Benjamin | Capt. William Woodbridge | ||
| 1982 | Poltergeist | Steve Freeling | |
| 1983 | Man, Woman and Child | Bernie Ackerman | |
| Silkwood | Winston | ||
| All the Right Moves | Coach Vern Nickerson | ||
| The Osterman Weekend | Bernard Osterman | ||
| 1984 | The Killing Fields | Major Reeves | |
| 1986 | Poltergeist II: The Other Side | Steve Freeling | |
| 1987 | Rachel River | Marlyn Huutula | |
| 1988 | Action Jackson | Peter Dellaplane | |
| Me and Him | Peter Aramis | ||
| 1989 | Red Riding Hood | Sir Godfrey / Percival | |
| Turner & Hooch | Chief Howard Hyde | ||
| Troop Beverly Hills | Fred Nefler | ||
| 1996 | Ghosts of Mississippi | Ed Peters | |
| I'm Not Rappaport | The Cowboy | ||
| 1997 | The Devil's Advocate | Alexander Cullen | |
| Wag the Dog | Senator John Neal | Uncredited | |
| 2000 | The Skulls | Litten Mandrake | |
| 2001 | All Over Again | Cole Twain | |
| 2004 | The Incredibles | Bob Parr / Mr. Incredible | Voice |
| 2005 | The Family Stone | Kelly Stone | |
| 2007 | Blades of Glory | Coach Darren Goddard | |
| 2009 | The Proposal | Joe Paxton | |
| 2010 | The Company Men | James Salinger | |
| 2011 | Soul Surfer | Dr. David Rovinsky | |
| 2015 | Get Hard | Martin Barrow | |
| 2016 | Gold | Kenny Wells | |
| 2018 | Book Club | Bruce Jutsum | |
| Incredibles 2 | Bob Parr / Mr. Incredible | Voice | |
| 2023 | Book Club: The Next Chapter | Bruce Jutsum | |
| 2025 | Green and Gold | Buck |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1973 | The Mary Tyler Moore Show | Charlie the mechanic | Episode: "Mary Richards and the Incredible Plant Lady" |
| 1974 | Mary Tyler Moore Show | Charlie (as Craig Nelson) | Episode: "Mary Richards and the Incredible Plant Lady" |
| 1978 | Charlie's Angels | Stone | Episode: "Angels on the Run" |
| Wonder Woman | Sam | Episode: "The Deadly Sting" | |
| 1979 | How the West Was Won | Tugger | Episode: "The Rustler" |
| Diary of a Teenage Hitchhiker | Driver | Television film | |
| 1980 | The Promise of Love | Major Landau | |
| The White Shadow | Father Phil | Episode: "A Christmas Story" | |
| 1981 | Inmates: A Love Story | Daniels | Television film |
| WKRP in Cincinnati | Charlie Bathgate | Episode: "Out to Lunch" | |
| Murder in Texas | Jack Ramsey | Television film | |
| 1981–1982 | Private Benjamin | Capt. Braddock / Col. Hogan | 3 episodes |
| 1982 | Paper Dolls | Michael Caswell | Television film |
| Chicago Story | Kenneth A. Dutton | Recurring role | |
| 1984–1985 | Call to Glory | Col. Raynor Sarnac | Main role |
| 1986 | Alex: The Life of a Child | Frank Deford | Television film |
| The Ted Kennedy Jr. Story | SenatorEdward Kennedy | ||
| 1989 | Murderers Among Us: The Simon Wiesenthal Story | Major Bill Harcourt | |
| 1989–1997 | Coach | Coach Hayden Fox | Main role |
| 1990 | Drug Wars: The Camarena Story | Harley Steinmetz | Miniseries |
| Extreme Close-Up | Philip | Television film | |
| 1991 | The Josephine Baker Story | Walter Winchell | |
| 1993 | The Switch | Russ Fine | |
| The Fire Next Time | Drew Morgan | Miniseries | |
| 1994 | Ride with the Wind | Frank Shelby | Television film |
| Probable Cause | Lieutenant Louis Whitmire | ||
| The Lies Boys Tell | Larry | ||
| 1996 | If These Walls Could Talk | Jim Harris | Television film ("1996" segment) |
| 1998 | Creature | Dr. Simon Chase | Miniseries |
| 1999 | To Serve and Protect | Tom Carr | |
| 2000 | The Huntress | Ralph Thorson | Episode: "Pilot" |
| Dirty Pictures | Simon Leis | Television film | |
| 2000–2004 | The District | Chief Jack Mannion | Main role |
| 2001 | Yes, Dear | TV Actor | Episode: "Jimmy's Jimmy", Uncredited |
| 2002 | The Agency | Chief Jack Mannion | Episode: "Doublecrossover" |
| 2007 | My Name Is Earl | Warden Jerry Hazelwood | 4 episodes |
| 2008–2009 | CSI: NY | Robert Dunbrook | 3 episodes |
| 2009 | Monk | Judge Ethan Rickover | 2 episodes |
| 2010–2015 | Parenthood | Ezekiel "Zeek" Braverman | Main role |
| 2013 | Hawaii Five-0 | Tyler Cain | Episode: "He welo 'oihana" |
| 2015 | Grace and Frankie | Guy | 5 episodes |
| 2017 | Raised by Wolves | Paul "Grampy" Kosinski | Television film |
| 2019–2024 | Young Sheldon | Dale Ballard | Recurring role |
| 2024–2025 | Pupstruction | PawPaw | Voice; 2 episodes |
| 2024-present | Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage | Dale Ballard | 3 episodes |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Kinect Rush: A Disney-Pixar Adventure | Bob Parr / Mr. Incredible | |
| 2013 | Disney Infinity | ||
| 2014 | Disney Infinity 2.0 | ||
| 2015 | Disney Infinity 3.0 | [26] |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Incredicoaster | Bob Parr / Mr. Incredible | Voice |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1983–1984 | Friends | Harold (Okie) Peterson | |
| 1998 | Ah, Wilderness! | Nat Miller |
I've never, ever been Craig Richard Nelson. Ever! My birth certificate says Craig Theodore.
