Craig T. Nelson's Main TV Roles Show Character(s) Parenthood Zeek Braver… Coach Coach Hayde… The District Chief Jack … Call to Glory Col. Raynor…

Main Movie Roles 2011 - Soul Surfer 2010 - The Company Men 2009 - The Proposal 2007 - Blades of Glory 2005 - The Family Stone 2004 - The Incredibles 2000 - The Skulls 1997 - Wag the Dog 1997 - The Devil's Advocate 1996 - Ghosts of Mississippi 1989 - Troop Beverly Hills 1989 - Turner & Hooch 1988 - Action Jackson 1986 - Poltergeist II: The Other Side 1984 - The Killing Fields 1983 - Silkwood 1983 - All the Right Moves 1983 - The Osterman Weekend 1982 - Poltergeist 1980 - The Formula 1980 - Where The Buffalo Roam 1980 - Stir Crazy 1980 - Private Benjamin 1979 - ...And Justice for All. 1974 - Flesh Gordon 1973 - Scream Blacula Scream 1971 - The Return of Count Yorga

BIOGRAPHY:

Nelson was born in Spokane, Washington, the son of Vera Margaret (née Spindler), a dancer, and Armand Gilbert Nelson, a businessman who was once a drummer in Bing Crosby's high school band. Nelson has a brown belt in karate and attended the University of Arizona and Central Washington University.

Because Craig Richard Nelson was already registered with the Screen Actors Guild, he registered as Craig Theodore Nelson.

He has appeared in numerous motion pictures (most notably the Poltergeist series) and had featured roles in five television shows (Coach, Call to Glory, The District, My Name Is Earl, and Parenthood). Coach ran from 1989 to 1997, with Nelson starring as college football coach Hayden Fox.

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.

He voiced Mr. Incredible in the 2004 animated film The Incredibles.

His most recent films include 2009's The Proposal as Ryan Reynolds' skeptical father and 2010's The Company Men as a greedy CEO. He currently stars in the 2010 television show Parenthood as Zeek Braverman, the family patriarch.

Nelson is a motorsports fan and an avid racer. He first participated in the 1991 Toyota Celebrity Long Beach Grand Prix and finished third. He founded Screaming Eagles Racing in 1994 with John Christie and entered and drove a Toyota-engined Spice SE90 in the IMSA WSC in 1994, a Lexus-engined Spice SE90 in 1995 and a Ford-engined Riley & Scott MkIII in 1996 and 1997.

In May 2009, Nelson appeared on Glenn Beck, where he spoke about his dislike of the current state of government, and highlighted the importance of funding for education and teachers. He also announced he would no longer pay taxes, and went on to state: "I've been on food stamps and welfare, did anybody help me out? No. No."

Craig is also a golf enthusiast and is a member at Sherwood Country Club in Thousand Oaks, CA.

Nelson's son, Noah, was married to actress Ashley Jones in 2003. They divorced in 2009.


TRIVIA:

• Wanted to be a Hydroplane racer before he became an actor. His dad doubted this and said it would be an impossible feat, like becoming an actor.
• Father of 'Noah Nelson (I)' (qv).
• This strapping American Everyman endeared himself to movie audiences as the besieged patriarch in _Poltergeist (1982)_ (qv), his first substantial film role. A former radio performer and stand-up comic whose pals included writer-director 'Barry Levinson (I)' (qv).
• Attended University of Arizona.
• Father-in-law of 'Ashley Jones (I)' (qv), who plays Bridget Forrester on _"The Bold and the Beautiful" (1987)_ (qv).
• Attended Central Washington University.
• Is a brown belt in Tae Kwon Do.
• He had to add the "T" as a middle initial to avoid confusion with the actor, 'Craig Richard Nelson' (qv), who had registered his name first with the Screen Actors Guild.