Cast & creator
Willie Nelson
Best known for The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Willie Hugh Nelson (born April 30, 1933) is an American country singer-songwriter, author, poet, actor, and activist. Nelson was one of the main figures of the Outlaw Movement, a subgenre of Country music that developed between the end of 1960s and early 1980s. The critical success of the albums Shotgun Willie, Phases and Stages, and the commercial success of Red Headed Stranger made Nelson one of the most recognized artists in country music. Nelson is also recognized for his contributions to charity, he is the president and one of the founding members of Farm Aid charity concert, and his activism for the legalization of marijuana and for the use of bio-fuels. Nelson started studying music from mail order material that his grandparents gave him. He wrote his first song at age seven and joined his first band at nine. During high school, he toured locally with the Bohemian Fiddlers as their lead singer and guitar player. After graduating from high school in 1950, he joined the Air Force. However, he was discharged due to back problems. After his return, Nelson attended Baylor University for two years but dropped out because he was succeeding in music. During this time, he worked as a disc jockey in Texas radio stations and a singer in honky tonks. Nelson moved to Vancouver, Washington, where he wrote "Family Bible" and recorded the song "Lumberjack" in 1956. In 1960, he signed a publishing contract with Pamper Music which allowed him to join Ray Price's band as a bassist. During that time, he wrote songs that would become country standards, including "Funny How Time Slips Away", "Hello Walls", "Pretty Paper", and "Crazy". In 1962, he recorded his first album, And Then I Wrote. Due to this success, Nelson signed in 1965 with RCA Victor and joined the Grand Ole Opry. Nelson is a major liberal activist and the co-chair of the advisory board of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, which is in favor of marijuana legalization. On the environmental front, Nelson owns the bio-diesel brand Willie Nelson Biodiesel, which is made from vegetable oil. He is the co-founder and president of Farm Aid, and has been contributing to the benefit concert series since the first event in 1985, organizing concerts and performing with other prominent artists. Nelson is also the Honorary Chairman of the Advisory Board of the Texas Music Project, the official music charity of the state of Texas. Description above from the Wikipedia article Willie Nelson, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia
Also known as: The Highwaymen, Willie Hugh Nelson
179
film credits
42
television credits
207
1962–2026 · acting roles
6.7
average across scored titles
Signature credits
Known for
Across film & television
Filmography (221)
Showing 221 of 221 credits
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
Self - Musical Guest
2015The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
Self - Guest/Musical Guest
2015
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Self
1962
The Simpsons
Willie Nelson (voice)
1989
Late Night with Seth Meyers
Self
2014
The Daily Show
Self
1996
Saturday Night Live
Self - Host & Musical Guest
1975Saturday Night Live
Self - Musical Guest
1975
The View
Self - Guest
1997
The Colbert Report
Self (uncredited)
2005
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
Self - Musical Guest
2003Jimmy Kimmel Live!
Self - Guest
2003
Real Time with Bill Maher
Self
2003
King of the Hill
Willie Nelson (voice)
1997
Monk
Willie Nelson
2002
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
1992
The South Bank Show
1978
Miami Vice
Texas Ranger Jake Pierson
1984
Champs-Elysées
Self (archive footage)
1982
Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman
Marshall Elias Burch
1993
Later... with Jools Holland
1992
Austin City Limits
Self
1975
Space Ghost Coast to Coast
Self
1994
CMT Crossroads
Self
2002
NWA World Championship Wrestling
Self
1985
Squidbillies
Theme Song Performance
2005
The Kennedy Center Honors
Self
1978
The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour
Self
1969
Solid Gold
Self
1980
The Muppets
Self
2015
Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me
Willie Nelson
1999
Adventures in Wonderland
The Troubadour
1992
CMA Awards
Self
1967
The Rosie O'Donnell Show
Self
1996
Zoolander 2
Willie Nelson
2016
The Dukes of Hazzard
Uncle Jesse Duke
2005
VH1 Storytellers
Self
2005
Delta
1992
Thief
David 'Okla' Bertinneau
1981
This Is Pop
Self (archive footage)
2021
Wag the Dog
Johnny Dean
1997
OBJECTified
Self
2017
Half Baked
Historian Smoker
1998Hot Country Nights
1991
Beerfest
Self (uncredited)
2006
The Greatest Night in Pop
Self (archive footage)
2024
The Country Bears
Self
2002
The Dukes of Hazzard: The Beginning
Uncle Jesse
2007
Austin City Limits: Country
Self
2001
Surfer, Dude
Farmer Bob
2008
Austin City Limits Celebrates 40 Years
Self - Performer
2014
Gone Fishin'
Billy 'Catch' Pooler
1997CMA Music Festival
Self
2004
Swing Vote
Willie Nelson
2008
Outlaw Justice
Lee Walker
1999
The Electric Horseman
Wendell
1979The Electric Horseman
Songs
1979
The Big Bounce
Joe Lurie
2004
Willie Nelson & Family
Self
2023
American Epic
Self
2017
Angels Sing
Nick
2013
Lost in London
Willie Nelson
2017
Blonde Ambition
Pap Paw
2007
Barbarosa
Barbarosa
1982
Bob Dylan: The 30th Anniversary Concert Celebration
Self
1993
Celebrating the Man in Black: The Making of Walk the Line
Self
2006
The World of Jim Henson
Self (archive footage)
1994
America | A Tribute to Heroes
Self - Performer
2001
Pure Country: Pure Heart
Himself
2017
Stagecoach
Doc Holliday
1986Stagecoach
Original Music Composer
1986Stagecoach
Executive Producer
1986
Jimmy Carter: Rock & Roll President
Self
2020
2022 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
Self (archive footage)
2022
We Are the World: The Story Behind the Song
Self
1985
Be Here to Love Me
Self - Musician
2004
The Man with the Big Hat
Self (archive footage)
2026
The Beach Boys: Nashville Sounds
Self
1996
The Last Days of Frank and Jesse James
Gen. Jo Shelby
1986
Another Pair of Aces: Three of a Kind
Billy Roy Rodriguez
1991
Beer for My Horses
Charlie
2008
Streetwise
Executive Producer
1984
Willie Nelson 90: Long Story Short
Self
2023
Elvis | Viva Las Vegas
Self
2008
Once Upon a Texas Train
John Henry Lee
1988
Dolly Parton's Mountain Magic Christmas
Self
2022
A Tribute to Johnny Cash
Self - Performer
1999
Willie Nelson: The Big Six-O
Self
1993
Joan Rivers and Friends Salute Heidi Abromowitz
Willie Nelson
1988
Coming Out of the Ice
Red Loon
1982
My Darling Vivian
Self (archive footage)
2020
Waiting for the Miracle to Come
Jimmy Riggs
2019
The Stars Salute the U.S. Olympic Team
Self - Performer
1984
The Journeyman
Samuel Hancock
2001Tootsie's Orchid Lounge: Where the Music Began
self
2005
Joke Man
Self
2023
A Colbert Christmas: The Greatest Gift of All!
Self
2008
Quincy
Self
2018
Supermensch: The Legend of Shep Gordon
Self
2013
Dolly Parton: A MusiCares Tribute
Self
2021
Where the Hell's That Gold?!!?
Cross
1988
Charley Pride: I'm Just Me
Self
2019
A Poem Is a Naked Person
Self
1974
The Highwaymen - Live American Outlaws
Self
2016
I Am Johnny Cash
Self
2015
Opry Video Classics : Legends
Self (archive footage)
2007
Emmylou Harris: From a Deeper Well
Self
20039/11 Truth: Hollywood Speaks Up
Self
2011
The Highwaymen: On the Road Again
Self
2003
Playboy Video Magazine, Volume 4
Himself
1983
Last Party 2000
Self
2001
Some Enchanted Evening: Celebrating Oscar Hammerstein II
Self
1995
Willie Nelson Presents: King of the Roadies
Self
2025Willie Nelson Presents: King of the Roadies
Executive Producer
2025
Irving Berlin's 100th Birthday Celebration
Self
1988
O Melhor do Flash Back - 92 Clipes Para Recordar
Self (archive footage)
2009
Songwriter
Doc Jenkins
1984Songwriter
Songs
1984
John Mellencamp: It's About You
Self
2012
The King of Texas
Self
2008
The King of Luck
Self
2011Ray Charles: Genius Loves Company
Self
2004
The American Epic Sessions
Self
2016
Willie Nelson & Friends: Stars & Guitars
Himself
The Highwaymen: Live at Nassau Coliseum
Self
1990The Highwaymen: Live at Nassau Coliseum
Author
1990
Outlaw Country: Live from Austin, TX
Self
2006
Willie Nelson & Friends: Outlaws & Angels
Self
2004
Opry Video Classics: Hall of Fame
Self (archive footage)
2007
The Best Democracy Money Can Buy
Self
2016
In the Hank Williams Tradition
Self
1989
Broken Bridges
self
2006
Willie and Me
Willie Nelson / Bones
2024
Heartbreakers at the BBC
Self (archive footage)
2023
Dolly Parton & Friends: Love Always Live
Self - Performer (archive footage)
2009
OK Buckaroos
2010
Loretta Lynn: Still a Mountain Girl
Self
2016
Johnny Cash: American Rebel
Self
2015
We Walk The Line: A Celebration of the Music of Johnny Cash
Self
2012
Big Dreams & Broken Hearts: The Dottie West Story
Willie Nelson
1995
Dill Scallion
Self
1999
Country at the BBC
Self (archive footage)
2011
It's Happiness: A Polka Documentary
Self
2006
Chet Atkins and Friends
1987
Country Kings at the BBC
2014
Heartbeat
Himself
1987
Red Headed Stranger
Rev. Julian Shay
1986Red Headed Stranger
Producer
1986Red Headed Stranger
Music
1986Red Headed Stranger
Original Music Composer
1986
The Country Bears Concert for America
Self
2002
WWE WrestleMania VII
Self - National Anthem
1991
Revolution: The Legacy of the Sixties
2017
Willie Nelson at the Teatro
Self
1998
Farm Aid: 20th Anniversary Concert
Self
2005
Mickey's 50
Self
1978
All About Ann: Governor Richards of the Lone Star State
Self
2014
Eric Clapton's Crossroads Guitar Festival 2007
Self
2007
The Greatest Ears in Town: The Arif Mardin Story
Self
2010This Land Is Your Land - Folk Years
2002
Honeysuckle Rose
Buck
1980Honeysuckle Rose
Original Music Composer
1980
The Art of McCartney
Self
2014
Merle Haggard: The Real Deal
Self
2008
Kris Kristofferson: His Life and Work
Self
1993Happiness Is
Self
2009
Wild Texas Wind
Willie Nelson
1991I Ride
Willie Nelson
2011
Chet Atkins: A Life in Music
Self
2000
Waylon: Renegade. Outlaw. Legend.
Self
1990
Jerry Lee Lewis: Last Man Standing, Live
Self
2007
American Revolutions: The Highwaymen
Self
2006
Kenny, Dolly & Willie: Something Inside So Strong
Self
1989
Baja Oklahoma
Self
1988
Willie Nelson / Wynton Marsalis - Live from Jazz at Lincoln Center, NYC
Chanteur
2008The Story of Darrell Royal
Self
1999
Starlight
1996
The Highwaymen: Friends Till the End
Self - Performer
2016
June
Self
2023
Hempsters: Plant the Seed
Himself
2008Willie Nelson: Down Home
Self
1997
Glen Campbell | Good Times Again
Self
2007
The Midnight Special Legendary Performances 1980
1980Willie Nelson & Family: In Concert
Himself
1983
Also Starring Austin
2018
Willie Nelson and Wynton Marsalis Play the Music of Ray Charles
Self - Vocals and Acoustic Guitar
2009
Kinky Friedman: Proud To Be An Asshole From El Paso
Self
2001
Willie Nelson & Friends: Live and Kickin'
Self
2003
Last of the Breed: Live in Concert
Himself
2007
Willie Nelson: Live from Austin TX
Self - Vocals (archive footage)
2006
Willie Nelson, Texas Style
Self
1988Willie Nelson, Texas Style
Writer
1988
Pair of Aces
Billy Roy Barker
1990
The Willie Nelson Special - With Special Guest Ray Charles
Self
2002
Anthem
Self
1997Save the Farm
2011Willie Nelson - Austin City Limits '74
Himself
Farm Aid 2001 - A Concert For America
Himself
2002Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds - Farm Aid Live
Production Artist
2014
Some Enchanted Evening With Willie Nelson
Self
1989
The Obama Deception
Self
2009Willie Nelson's 4th of July Celebration
1979
Willie Nelson: Live at Budokan
Self (archive footage)
2022
Walking After Midnight
Self
1988
Ringo Rama
Himself
2003Fighting With Anger
Will
2007
Willie Nelson Live @ SXSW
self
2014
Road to Austin
Self
2016
Honky Tonk Heaven: Legend of the Broken Spoke
Self
2016Willie Nelson - Live at Billy Bob's Texas
Self
2004
Willie Nelson & Leon Russel - Partners In Music
2005
Hells Angels Forever
Self
1983
Willie Nelson at Austin City Limits
Self
2019
Paradox
Red
2018
Willie Nelson Live at the US Festival
Himself
1983
Dust to Dust
1994
Willie Nelson American Outlaw
Self
2020
Willie Nelson: Live in Amsterdam
Himself
2001
Willie Nelson: Greatest Hits Live
Himself
1999
Willie Nelson's 90th Birthday Celebration
Self
2023
Willie Nelson: The Library of Congress Gershwin Prize For Popular Song
Self
2016