Skip to main content

Creed Bratton is one of the quirkiest and most unique characters in the NBC comedy series The Office. But before he became an actor, Bratton was a musician

The Office cast member has a slew of interesting interactions with various singers, having been in the music industry since childhood. One of Bratton’s most unique encounters was on a movie set with Frank Sinatra. Find out what the crooner did to “save” Bratton’s life one fateful day. 

Creed Bratton on the set of the NBC comedy 'The Office'
Creed Bratton | Colleen Hayes/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images

Creed Bratton’s musical experience in The Grass Roots influenced his role in ‘The Office’

During a conversation with The Office co-star Brian Baumgartner on his podcast The Office Deep Dive, Bratton discussed his background in music. One of the most popular groups Bratton ever performed with is The Grass Roots. 

From 1966 to 1970, Bratton performed with the band. Together with Rick Coonce, Warren Entner, and Kenny Fukomoto, Bratton and The Grass Roots took their song “Let’s Live for Today” to the top of the charts. As a songwriter, Bratton’s musical background followed him when he became an actor on The Office

https://twitter.com/ThatEricAlper/status/1197960564657532928

“I wrote the song by myself,” Bratton said of the song Creed sings in the finale of The Office (via Reddit). “I perform it [at] all my shows!” Bratton wrote the tune the year after he left The Grass Roots. 

Frank Sinatra once warned Creed Bratton about explosives on the set of a movie 

“I always played to make money — that’s how I got through school, I played guitar,” Bratton explained on Baumgartner’s podcast. At the end of college, Bratton was touring in Europe with a group called The Young Californians. 

During his time across the pond, Bratton had an interesting interaction with Sinatra. “I still remember Frank Sinatra coming up to me, an early 20s kid, working on the set [of a movie],” Bratton explained. “I had my hand on this board, which I didn’t know was going to be exploded.” 

Bratton remembered Sinatra approaching him one day with a cigarette in his mouth. “Hey kid,” Sinatra said. “You can blow your hand up putting it on that.” That was Bratton’s only Frank Sinatra encounter during his time working on that set.

“He saved my hand,” Bratton laughed. “I could have died.” 

Creed Bratton had interesting interactions with other famous singers including Jim Morrison

The Office cast member’s interaction with Sinatra wasn’t the only famous name Bratton dropped during his conversation with Baumgartner. Bratton’s time with The Grass Roots included a tour with The Doors.

Baumgartner remembered a time on The Office set when Bratton told him: “That reminds me of snorting cocaine off a hooker’s a** at the Playboy Mansion with Jim Morrison.” Unsure of how authentic this interaction was, Baumgartner had to ask about it on the podcast. 

Related

‘The Office Deep Dive’ Podcast Theme Song Means More Than You Think

“We’ll never know,” Bratton laughed. “I certainly don’t remember anymore.” This wasn’t the first time Bratton teased the idea of doing drugs with the iconic rock group. 

In the past, Bratton mentioned his connection with The Doors during an AMA on Reddit. “Didn’t drop drugs with the band all at once, but we did hang out in the ’60s a lot,” he admitted. “[I] was friends with John and Ray.” 

Whether or not Bratton really had that interaction with the late Morrison remains a mystery. Unfortunately, fans of The Office may never get the truth from the quirky actor.