Craig Richard Nelson obit

Craig Nelson Obituary

 He was not on the list.

Craig Richard Nelson, born on September 17, 1947, passed away on March 3, 2025.

Born to C. Craig Nelson and Ruth Tomlinson Nelson, Richard graduated from Skyline High School in Salt Lake City, Utah before earning a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Utah and later a Master of Fine Arts from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts. His towering presence-both physically at 6'6" and in spirit-was felt across stage, film, and television throughout his long and accomplished bi-coastal career.

Richard's passion for acting was encouraged when, as a schoolboy working concessions at Pioneer Theater, a director asked if he could read. An actor had failed to show up for a performance downtown, and Richard stepped in without hesitation. From that moment forward, he dedicated himself to the craft, captivating audiences with his distinct voice and commanding stage presence. He was seen in everything from The Carol Burnett Show to Star Trek and everything in between.

Richard was a devoted husband to Stephen Greene, with whom he shared 33 years of love and partnership. He was a cherished brother to Carol Ann Nelson and Lorene Nelson de St. Aubin (Mark) and a beloved uncle to Olivia and Anna. His quick wit made him an engaging conversationalist among friends, while his brain-power made him an invaluable resource to those around him. As much as he loved fine dining, a well made grilled cheese was always a favorite meal.

Richard lived by the philosophy that "It's not over until it's over," embodying resilience and presence in every moment. He would want us to remember to ask before we speak: Is it true? Is it helpful? Is it inspiring? Is it necessary? Is it kind?

May we each practice loving-kindness as a tribute to our dear Richard.

His laughter, quick smile, kindness, love and wisdom will be deeply missed by all who had the privilege of knowing him.

A service of remembrance will be held for family and close friends of Richard on Friday, March 7, 2025 at 3408 Celeste Way. A 12:00 viewing will be followed by a service at 1:00pm.

 

Director

Jami Gertz, Sarah Jessica Parker, Merritt Butrick, Jon Caliri, John Femia, Amy Linker, Tracy Nelson, and Claudette Wells in Square Pegs (1982)

Square Pegs

7.3

TV Series

Director

1983

1 episode

 

Actor

The Rat Pack (1998)

The Rat Pack

6.7

TV Movie

Lewis Milestone

1998

 

Robert Beltran, Jennifer Lien, Robert Duncan McNeill, Kate Mulgrew, Robert Picardo, Jeri Ryan, Roxann Dawson, Ethan Phillips, Tim Russ, and Garrett Wang in Star Trek: Voyager (1995)

Star Trek: Voyager

7.9

TV Series

Vaskan Arbiter

1998

1 episode

 

Tim Allen, Jonathan Taylor Thomas, Patricia Richardson, Zachery Ty Bryan, Earl Hindman, and Taran Noah Smith in Home Improvement (1991)

Home Improvement

7.2

TV Series

Björn

1997

1 episode

 

Grace Under Fire (1993)

Grace Under Fire

6.4

TV Series

Dr. Springer

1997

1 episode

 

Mark Harmon in Charlie Grace (1995)

Charlie Grace

7.7

TV Series

Dr. McCann

1996

1 episode

 

The Lazarus Man (1996)

The Lazarus Man

7.4

TV Series

Judge

1996

1 episode

 

Angela Lansbury in Murder, She Wrote (1984)

Murder, She Wrote

7.2

TV Series

Felix Wesker

Rob Hazlitt

1995

2 episodes

 

Tony Shalhoub, Steven Weber, Amy Yasbeck, Crystal Bernard, and Tim Daly in Wings (1990)

Wings

7.3

TV Series

Auctioneer

1995

1 episode

 

Gene Barry and Peter Barton in Burke's Law (1994)

Burke's Law

6.5

TV Series

Clayton Franklin

1995

1 episode

 

Tommy Lee Jones and Jeff Bridges in Blown Away (1994)

Blown Away

6.2

Boston Pops Conductor (uncredited)

1994

 

Dick Van Dyke and Barry Van Dyke in Diagnosis Murder (1993)

Diagnosis Murder

6.9

TV Series

Dr. Thatcher

1994

1 episode

 

Scott Bakula and Dean Stockwell in Quantum Leap (1989)

Quantum Leap

8.2

TV Series

The Director

1992

1 episode

 

Another You (1991)

Another You

5.3

Walt

1991

 

Chris Elliott in Get a Life (1990)

Get a Life

8.1

TV Series

Hastings

1990

1 episode

 

Harry Anderson, Selma Diamond, Ellen Foley, John Larroquette, Charles Robinson, and Richard Moll in Night Court (1984)

Night Court

7.7

TV Series

Steward

Mr. Binnit

1987–1990

2 episodes

 

Tom Bosley and Tracy Nelson in Fatal Confession: A Father Dowling Mystery (1987)

Father Dowling Mysteries

6.9

TV Series

Dr. Dean Dixon

1990

1 episode

 

Dream On (1990)

Dream On

7.6

TV Series

Andre

1990

1 episode

 

Michael Dorn, Jonathan Frakes, Gates McFadden, Marina Sirtis, Brent Spiner, LeVar Burton, and Patrick Stewart in Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987)

Star Trek: The Next Generation

8.7

TV Series

Inspector Krag

1990

1 episode

 

Freddy's Nightmares (1988)

Freddy's Nightmares

6.2

TV Series

Garrett Marx

1990

1 episode

 

Neil Patrick Harris in Doogie Howser, M.D. (1989)

Doogie Howser, M.D.

6.5

TV Series

Sean Licht

1990

1 episode

 

Alien Nation (1989)

Alien Nation

6.9

TV Series

Attorney

1989

1 episode

 

Victoria Principal, Barbara Bel Geddes, Patrick Duffy, Larry Hagman, Charlene Tilton, Jim Davis, Linda Gray, and Steve Kanaly in Dallas (1978)

Dallas

7.1

TV Series

Lee Miller

1989

1 episode

 

Nick Knight (1989)

Nick Knight

6.1

TV Movie

Fenner

1989

 

Rick Moranis, Thomas Wilson Brown, Amy O'Neill, Robert Oliveri, and Jared Rushton in Honey, I Shrunk the Kids (1989)

Honey, I Shrunk the Kids

6.4

Professor Frederickson (uncredited)

1989

 

Almost Grown (1988)

Almost Grown

8.3

TV Series

Don

1989

1 episode

 

Dinah Manoff, Kristy McNichol, David Leisure, Richard Mulligan, and Park Overall in Empty Nest (1988)

Empty Nest

6.6

TV Series

The Waiter

1988

1 episode

 

Friends (1988)

Friends

5.7

The Businessman

1988

 

L.A. Law (1986)

L.A. Law

7.1

TV Series

U.S. Attorney Donald Kelly (uncredited)

1988

1 episode

 

Bates Motel (1987)

Bates Motel

3.8

TV Movie

Funeral Director (uncredited)

1987

 

Tracey Ullman in The Tracey Ullman Show (1987)

The Tracey Ullman Show

7.1

TV Series

The director

1987

1 episode

 

Nick Mancuso in Stingray (1986)

Stingray

7.4

TV Series

Al Smith

1987

1 episode

 

From the Hip (1987)

From the Hip

6.1

Witness (uncredited)

1987

 

Kevin Costner, Harvey Keitel, Charlie Sheen, Christopher Lloyd, and John Lithgow in Amazing Stories (1985)

Amazing Stories

7.4

TV Series

Dick Castel

1987

1 episode

 

Estelle Getty, Rue McClanahan, Bea Arthur, and Betty White in The Golden Girls (1985)

The Golden Girls

8.2

TV Series

Thurber

1986

1 episode

 

Tyne Daly and Sharon Gless in Cagney & Lacey (1981)

Cagney & Lacey

6.8

TV Series

Gordon

1986

1 episode

 

A Fine Mess (1986)

A Fine Mess

4.7

The Director (uncredited)

1986

 

Barry Bostwick and Cristen Kauffman in Betrayed by Innocence (1986)

Betrayed by Innocence

5.5

TV Movie

Warren Berman

1986

 

What's Happening Now! (1985)

What's Happening Now!

6.2

TV Series

Perry Peterson

1985

1 episode

 

Robin Wright, Judith Anderson, Valorie Armstrong, Melissa Reeves, Robert Alan Browne, Paul Burke, Ismael 'East' Carlo, Margarita Cordova, Nicolas Coster, Lane Davies, Richard Eden, Gina Gallego, Linda Gibboney, Andrea Howard, Ava Lazar, A Martinez, Todd McKee, John Allen Nelson, Rupert Ravens, Julie Ronnie, Kerry Sherman, Louise Sorel, Jonna Leigh Stack, Marcy Walker, and Dane Witherspoon in Santa Barbara (1984)

Santa Barbara

5.7

TV Series

Gina's Doctor

1985

2 episodes

 

Cinemax Comedy Experiment (1985)

Cinemax Comedy Experiment

4.7

TV Series

1985

1 episode

 

Michael Beck in Chiller (1985)

Chiller

4.5

TV Movie

Dr. Collier

1985

 

Do You Remember Love (1985)

Do You Remember Love

7.3

TV Movie

Richard Vogt

1985

 

Malice in Wonderland (1985)

Malice in Wonderland

6.4

TV Movie

Radio Producer (uncredited)

1985

 

Hail to the Chief (1985)

Hail to the Chief

7.2

TV Series

Dr. Greene

1985

1 episode

 

Jami Gertz, Sarah Jessica Parker, Merritt Butrick, Jon Caliri, John Femia, Amy Linker, Tracy Nelson, and Claudette Wells in Square Pegs (1982)

Square Pegs

7.3

TV Series

Mr. Spacek

1982

3 episodes

 

My Bodyguard (1980)

My Bodyguard

7.1

Griffith

1980

 

A Small Circle of Friends (1980)

A Small Circle of Friends

6.0

Harry Norris

1980

 

Carol Burnett & Company (1979)

Carol Burnett & Company

8.2

TV Series

Various

1979

 

Paul Newman in Quintet (1979)

Quintet

5.0

Redstone

1979

 

Ron Carey, Max Gail, Ron Glass, James Gregory, Steve Landesberg, Hal Linden, and Jack Soo in Barney Miller (1975)

Barney Miller

8.3

TV Series

Arnold Moraz

1978

1 episode

 

Carol Burnett and Charles Grodin in The Grass Is Always Greener Over the Septic Tank (1978)

The Grass Is Always Greener Over the Septic Tank

6.4

TV Movie

Hal Watson

1978

 

A Wedding (1978)

A Wedding

7.0

Capt. Reedley Roots

1978

 

Carol Burnett in The Carol Burnett Show (1967)

The Carol Burnett Show

8.7

TV Series

Psychiatrist

1978

1 episode

 

Prime Time (1977)

Prime Time

4.9

Bud Schuler

1977

 

Bea Arthur in Maude (1972)

Maude

7.3

TV Series

First Man

1977

1 episode

 

What's Happening!! (1976)

What's Happening!!

7.0

TV Series

Ron Michaels

1977

1 episode

 

Martin Mull and Fred Willard in Fernwood Tonight (1977)

Fernwood Tonight

8.6

TV Series

Dr. Richard Van Moot aka Dr. Richard Osgood

Dr. Richard Osgood

1977

4 episodes

 

Stick Around

5.0

TV Movie

Earl

1977

 

Sissy Spacek and Shelley Duvall in 3 Women (1977)

3 Women

7.7

Dr. Maas

1977

 

Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman (1976)

Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman

7.9

TV Series

Dr. Osgood

1976–1977

5 episodes

 

Kate Jackson, Georg Stanford Brown, Sam Melville, and Michael Ontkean in The Rookies (1972)

The Rookies

6.8

TV Series

Vinton

1976

1 episode

 

Paul Sand in Friends and Lovers (1974)

Paul Sand in Friends and Lovers

7.5

TV Series

Mason Woodruff

1974–1975

11 episodes

 

Blood Sport (1973)

Blood Sport

6.7

TV Movie

Michael Braun

1973

 

The Paper Chase (1973)

The Paper Chase

7.2

Willis Bell

1973

 

Self

Carol Burnett & Company (1979)

Carol Burnett & Company

8.2

TV Series

Self

1979

4 episodes

 

Archive Footage

The Carol Burnett Show (1967)

The Carol Burnett Show: A Reunion

8.7

TV Special

Psychiatrist (archive footage)

1993