Creed Bratton

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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".

In Their Own Story

In the episode "Money", Creed holds an allegedly fake passport on camera and says he "never goes bankrupt" because all his debt "is always transferred to William Charles Schneider" — his birth name. In a deleted scene from "Booze Cruise", he speaks about his time with the Grass Roots. In "A Benihana Christmas", he sings a karaoke rendition of his song "Spinnin' N Reelin'" during the Christmas party. In a deleted scene from "Product Recall", the reporter from the Scranton Times recognizes him as Creed Bratton from the Grass Roots and mentions that he wrote his obituary. In the series finale, his character is arrested after being a wanted fugitive living at the office, and Bratton performs "All the Faces". Outside The Office, Bratton appeared in films such as Mask and Heart Like a Wheel, and in 2008 he appeared in a short film with Kyle Gass titled Just One of the Gynos, which won an award for best short film at the 2008 Malibu International Film Festival. He appeared in the feature film Labor Pains in 2009, and later in The Ghastly Love of Johnny X, I Am Ben, and Terri, which was selected by the Sundance Film Festival 2011 for the US dramatic competition. In 2013, he starred in Saving Lincoln, a biography set during the American Civil War. In 2025, he appeared in a guest role in the animated series Smiling Friends and will appear in the A24 film Primetime.

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.

Did You Know?

• Creed Bratton was born William Charles Schneider on February 8, 1943, in Los Angeles, and grew up in Coarsegold, California.
• He was a member of the Grass Roots and co-wrote songs including 'Beatin' Round the Bush', 'No Exit', and 'Hot Bright Lights'.
• The Grass Roots' single 'Midnight Confessions' received a gold record certification, as did the compilation album Golden Grass.
• In the series finale of The Office, Bratton's character is arrested as a wanted fugitive, and Bratton performs his song 'All the Faces'.
• Bratton appeared in the 2011 Sundance Film Festival selection Terri, one of only 16 films chosen for the US dramatic competition from 1,102 submissions.