Craig Richard Nelson

Craig Richard Nelson (September 17, 1947 – March 3, 2025) was an American actor in theater, film and television.

Life and career

Nelson was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, and grew up as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He studied acting at the University of Utah and New York University's Tisch School of the Arts. After graduation, he was cast in the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical Two Gentlemen of Verona.

A casting director saw him in that show and cast him in the film The Paper Chase as a mean-spirited law student. This led to a long career in film and television, including three Robert Altman films, A Wedding, 3 Women, and Quintet as well as a role in the coming-of-age comedy My Bodyguard. He also had a recurring role as drama teacher Mr. Spacek on the 1980s television show Square Pegs.

Nelson died in Salt Lake City, Utah on March 3, 2025, at the age of 77.

Filmography

Film

• The Paper Chase (1973) – Bell
• 3 Women (1977) – Dr. Maas
• A Wedding (1978) – Reedley Roots
• Quintet (1979) – Redstone
• My Bodyguard (1980) – Griffith
• A Small Circle of Friends (1980) – Harry Norris
• Honey, I Shrunk the Kids (1989) – Professor Fredrickson (uncredited)
• Another You (1991) – Walt

Television

• Paul Sand in Friends and Lovers (1974) – Mason Woodruff
• Fernwood 2 Night (1977) – Dr. Richard Osgood
• Maude (1977) – Guest Star
• Stick Around (1977) – Earl
• The Grass is Always Greener over the Septic Tank (1978) – Hal Watson
• Barney Miller (1978) – Arnold Moraz
• Carol Burnett & Company (1979) – Regular
• Square Pegs (1982) – Mr. Spacek
• The Golden Girls (1986) – Mr. Thurber (1 episode)
• L.A. Law (1988) – U.S. Attorney Donald Kelly (uncredited)
• Dream On (1990) – Andre
• ' (1990) – Krag
• Alien Nation (1989) – Attorney
• Get a Life (1990) – Hastings
• Home Improvement (1991) – Bjorn
• ' (1993) – Dr. Thatcher
• Murder, She Wrote (1995) – Rob Hazlitt
• ' (1998) – Vaskan arbiter