Creed Bratton
The former Grass Roots guitarist who plays himself on The Office.
Creed Bratton is an American actor and musician, best known for playing a fictionalized version of himself on the NBC comedy The Office (2005–2013). A former member of the rock band the Grass Roots, he earned five nominations for the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series for his work on the show. Born William Charles Schneider on February 8, 1943, in Los Angeles, he grew up in Coarsegold, California, a small town near Yosemite National Park. His character on The Office is a warehouse employee whose bizarre behavior and shifting backstory make him one of the most unpredictable figures in the Scranton branch.
Quick Facts
- Birth name
- William Charles Schneider
- Born
- 8 February 1943
- Birthplace
- Los Angeles, California, U.S.
- Occupation
- Actor; musician
- Years active
- 1967–present
- Television
- The Office
- Children
- 2
Lore & Background
Creed Bratton's real-life music career is a key part of his lore. As a member of the Grass Roots, he co-wrote songs like "Beatin' Round the Bush", "No Exit", and "Hot Bright Lights", and self-composed "Dinner for Eight" and "House of Stone". He sang lead vocals on "This Precious Time" and "Dinner for Eight". The group had top-ten hits with "Let's Live for Today" (1967) and "Midnight Confessions", which received a gold record certification. Bratton played with the group on albums including Let's Live for Today, Feelings, Golden Grass (a compilation that also earned a gold record), and Lovin' Things. He took part in ten of the group's singles, eight of which charted. In April 1969, after a disastrous appearance at the Fillmore West, Bratton was asked to leave the band due to frustration over Dunhill's refusal to let the band write its own songs and play instruments on records. On The Office, his character's past as a Grass Roots member is acknowledged: in a deleted scene from "Product Recall", a reporter recognizes him as Creed Bratton from the band; in the series finale, his character is revealed to have been a wanted fugitive living at the Dunder Mifflin office, and Bratton performs his song "All the Faces".
Reader's Guide
Creed Bratton's character on The Office is a fictionalized version of himself, a former Grass Roots member now working in the Dunder Mifflin Scranton warehouse. His defining moments include: in "Money", revealing he transfers debt to his birth name William Charles Schneider; in "A Benihana Christmas", singing karaoke to his own song "Spinnin' N Reelin'"; and in the series finale, being arrested as a wanted fugitive while performing "All the Faces". Deleted scenes add depth: in "Booze Cruise", he discusses his Grass Roots past; in "Product Recall", a reporter recognizes him and mentions writing his obituary. Bratton's real-life music career includes co-writing songs, singing lead vocals on two tracks, and playing on albums that charted, including the gold-record compilation Golden Grass. He was part of ten singles, eight of which charted, and "Midnight Confessions" earned a gold record. After leaving the Grass Roots in 1969, he released solo albums: three in 2001-2002, another in 2008 (with producer Jon Tiven), "Bounce Back" in 2010 (with producer Dave Way), a greatest-hits album "Demo" in 2011, and an audio biography Tell Me About It in 2013. He performed live at SXSW in 2010 and 2012. His acting career began in 1975, with film roles including Mask and Heart Like a Wheel. He appeared in the short film Just One of the Gynos (2008), which won best short at the Malibu International Film Festival, and the feature Labor Pains (2009). Later films include The Ghastly Love of Johnny X, I Am Ben, Terri (Sundance 2011), and Saving Lincoln (2013). In 2025, he guest-starred on Smiling Friends and will appear in Primetime.
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