Nate
Creed Bratton is one of my favorite characters in “The Office” but how much do we really know about him? He’s a deviant, former hippie, and homeless man in the show but many of the character’s traits are a fictionalized version of the musician of the same name (yes, Creed Bratton is his real name.)
Here are just a few facts about Creed Bratton from ‘The Office.’
1. Creed Was In A Well Known Rock Band
In case you didn’t know, Creed Bratton was a member of the popular American rock group The Grass Roots. According to his website, he played lead guitar with the group on their first four albums – three of which charted and sold millions of records across the globe.
2. He’s Changed His Name Multiple Times
His birth name is William Charles Schneider but after his mother remarried, he changed his name to Chuck Ertmoed. Later, he was convinced that to pursue a career in music he needed a better name. Which led him to Creed Bratton. It worked out, didn’t it?
3. He’s Still Putting Out New Music
Although he was a member of The Grass Roots until 1970, Creed Bratton has released many solo albums since. His most recent release is from 2020!
4. He Wasn’t Supposed To Be On ‘The Office’
Creed was originally supposed to just be a background actor on The Office because the show had already been cast. After just a couple of weeks, he wrote himself a scene and shot it to give to the writers. It was so good, they wrote him into the show the next season.
5. The Character Is Based On His Real Life
As you can imagine, the character Creed wrote for himself was inspired by his real life. So it’s only fitting to keep the name. Oscar, Phyllis, and Angela are a few other characters on The Office who also use their real first names.
6. You Can Hear Some Of Creed’s Music In ‘The Office’
Creed Bratton wrote and sang his own song called “Spinnin’ N Reelin” in the episode “A Benihana Christmas.”
7. Both Creeds Are Familiar With Drugs
A character trait for Creed in The Office knows a lot about drugs and implies that he’s had experiences with illegal drugs at one point. You could imagine that the real-life Creed has also dabbled since he was the lead singer of The Grass Roots. He once told a story about performing on LSD during a concert he was playing in.
8. He Was Born Into A Musical Family
Creed Bratton’s grandparents, mother, and father are also talented musicians. This probably explains why he himself is a successful musician.
9.The Writers Almost Wrote Him Off Of ‘The Office’
The producers and writers of The Office wanted to fire a character on the show. Unfortunately, that means that the actor would have to be let go. It came down to Devon or Creed. And (SPOILER ALERT) they fired Devon.
10. Creed Has A Theater Degree
The Office / NBC[/caption]
He studied theater at College of the Sequoias and Sacramento State College before becoming well known for his music.
11. He’s Involved With Multiple Charities
Two of the charities he has been known to work with are First Book and Lidè.
First Book is a nonprofit social enterprise that provides new books, educational resources, and other essentials—including coats, snacks, and hygiene kits—to educators serving children in need.
The LIDÈ Haiti Foundation is an educational initiative in rural Haiti that uses the arts and literacy to empower at-risk adolescent girls and help them transition into school or vocational training.
12. He’s Really A Fan Of Lady Gaga
In an interview with Stereogum, Creed says he saw her play piano and thought “OK, OK, she’s the real deal” and that he “think[s] she’s great.”