Craig Theodore Nelson is an American actor.
He is best known for his Emmy-winning role as Hayden Fox on the TV series Coach, Deputy
Ward Wilson in the 1980 film Stir Crazy, Steven Freeling in the 1982 film Poltergeist, the
Warden in My Name is Earl, and Mr. Incredible in the 2004 film The Incredibles.
He currently stars in the TV series Parenthood.
Early life Nelson was born in Spokane, Washington, the
son of Vera Margaret, a dancer, and businessman Armand Gilbert Nelson.
Nelson has a brown belt in karate.
In high school, Nelson was the quarterback of the football team and also played baseball.
He attended Central Washington University studying criminology as he wanted to work
for the CIA.
He dropped out and went to Yakima Valley Community College to study English literature, but he
dropped out again.
He eventually received a drama scholarship to the University of Arizona.
Nelson did summer stock theatre in Cripple Creek, Colorado.
He then moved to the west, where he worked as a security guard at a soap factory in the
day and took acting classes at night.
Career Nelson began his show business career as a
comedian.
He was an early member of The Groundlings comedy troupe.
Nelson, Barry Levinson, and Rudy De Luca formed their own comedy team and were regular performers
at The Comedy Store.
In 1973, Nelson left the comedy world, explaining "the standup comedy life was pretty unfulfilling
for me" and he settled in Mount Shasta where there was no electricity and no running water;
"it was contentment, The Waltons, he said.
Nelson had different jobs during that time including janitor, plumber, carpenter, surveyor,
and teacher.
He returned to acting five years later.
Because Craig Richard Nelson was already registered with the Screen Actors Guild, he registered
as Craig T. Nelson.
He has appeared in numerous motion pictures and had featured roles in five television
shows.
Coach ran from 1989 to 1997, with Nelson starring as college football coach Hayden Fox.
He voiced Mr. Incredible in the 2004 animated film The Incredibles.
During the early 1990s, he made a guest appearance in the music video for country singer Garth
Brooks's song "We Shall Be Free".
Nelson made a three-episode guest appearance on CSI: NY as a "nemesis" to Gary Sinise’s
Taylor.
His most recent films include 2009's The Proposal as Ryan Reynolds' skeptical father and 2010's
The Company Men as a greedy CEO.
Since 2010, he has starred in the television show Parenthood as Zeek Braverman, the family
patriarch.
Personal life Nelson discussed in an interview with Glenn
Beck that he had been on welfare and collected food stamps.
"I've been on food stamps and welfare, did anybody help me out?
No.
No."
Nelson has three children from previous marriage to Robin McCarthy: Tiffany, Chris and Noah.
Chris is a science fiction writer.
Noah is also a writer; he wrote for The District and CSI: NY.
He was married to actress Ashley Jones in 2003.
The couple divorced in 2009.
His second wife Doria Cook Nelson is a freelance writer, president of a martial arts association,
karate instructor and tai chi teacher.
Nelson is a motorsports fan and an avid racer.
He first participated in the 1991 Toyota Celebrity Long Beach Grand Prix and finished third.
In 1994, Craig founded Screaming Eagles Racing with John Christie and entered and drove a
Toyota-engined Spice SE90 in the IMSA 1994 WSC, a Lexus-engined Spice SE90 in 1995 and
a Ford-engined Riley & Scott MkIII in the 1996 and 1997 championships.
Filmography
References
External links Craig T. Nelson at the Internet Movie Database
Craig T. Nelson at the Internet Broadway Database Craig T. Nelson at Internet Off-Broadway Database