Willie Nelson
Known for Acting · 201 credits
- Born
- 1933-04-30 (age 93)
- Place of birth
- Abbott, Texas, USA
- Also known as
- The Highwaymen · Willie Hugh Nelson
Biography
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
Known For
TV Shows (36)
The Simpsons
1989
as Willie Nelson (voice)
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
1962
as Self / Self (archive footage)
The Daily Show
1996
as Self
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
2015
as Self - Musical Guest
Late Night with Seth Meyers
2014
as Self
Real Time with Bill Maher
2003
as Self
Saturday Night Live
1975
as Self - Host & Musical Guest / Self - Musical Guest
The Colbert Report
2005
as Self (uncredited)
Monk
2002
as Willie Nelson
King of the Hill
1997
as Willie Nelson (voice)
The View
1997
as Self - Guest
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
2003
as Self - Musical Guest / Self - Guest
Miami Vice
1984
as Texas Ranger Jake Pierson
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
1992
Champs-Elysées
1982
as Self (archive footage)
Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman
1993
as Marshall Elias Burch
Space Ghost Coast to Coast
1994
Austin City Limits
1975
as Self
Solid Gold
1980
as Self
The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour
1969
as Self
Adventures in Wonderland
1992
as The Troubadour
CMT Crossroads
2002
as Self
The Kennedy Center Honors
1978
as Self
The Muppets
2015
as Self
The Rosie O'Donnell Show
1996
as Self
This Is Pop
2021
as Self (archive footage)
NWA World Championship Wrestling
1985
as Self
Delta
1992
CMA Awards
1967
as Self
VH1 Storytellers
2005
as Self
OBJECTified
2017
as Self
Hot Country Nights
1991
American Epic
2017
as Self
CMA Music Festival
2004
as Self
Willie Nelson & Family
2023
as Self
Austin City Limits: Country
2001
as Self
Movies (165)
Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me
1999
as Willie Nelson
Thief
1981
as David 'Okla' Bertinneau
Beerfest
2006
as Self (uncredited)
The Dukes of Hazzard
2005
as Uncle Jesse Duke
Zoolander 2
2016
as Willie Nelson
The Greatest Night in Pop
2024
as Self (archive footage)
Half Baked
1998
as Historian Smoker
The Dukes of Hazzard: The Beginning
2007
as Uncle Jesse
America | A Tribute to Heroes
2001
as Self - Performer
Wag the Dog
1997
as Johnny Dean
Surfer, Dude
2008
as Farmer Bob
2022 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
2022
as Self (archive footage)
Gone Fishin'
1997
as Billy 'Catch' Pooler
The Big Bounce
2004
as Joe Lurie
Swing Vote
2008
as Willie Nelson
Quincy
2018
as Self
Broken Bridges
2006
as self
Starlight
1996
Outlaw Justice
1999
as Lee Walker
Lost in London
2017
as Willie Nelson
The Country Bears
2002
as Self
Stagecoach
1986
as Doc Holliday
My Darling Vivian
2020
as Self (archive footage)
Blonde Ambition
2007
as Pap Paw
Red Headed Stranger
1986
as Rev. Julian Shay
The Man with the Big Hat
2026
as Self (archive footage)
Angels Sing
2013
as Nick
Once Upon a Texas Train
1988
as John Henry Lee
Barbarosa
1982
as Barbarosa
Dolly Parton: A MusiCares Tribute
2021
as Self
The Journeyman
2001
as Samuel Hancock
Beer for My Horses
2008
as Charlie
Mickey's 50
1978
as Self
Dill Scallion
1999
as Self
Joan Rivers and Friends Salute Heidi Abromowitz
1988
as Willie Nelson
Last Party 2000
2001
as Self
Willie Nelson 90: Long Story Short
2023
as Self
Baja Oklahoma
1988
as Self
Honeysuckle Rose
1980
as Buck
We Are the World: The Story Behind the Song
1985
as Self
Dolly Parton's Mountain Magic Christmas
2022
as Self
O Melhor do Flash Back - 92 Clipes Para Recordar
2009
as Self (archive footage)
Supermensch: The Legend of Shep Gordon
2013
as Self
The Electric Horseman
1979
as Wendell
Country at the BBC
2011
as Self
Jimmy Carter: Rock & Roll President
2020
as Self
WWE WrestleMania VII
1991
as Self - National Anthem
Walking After Midnight
1988
as Self
Songwriter
1984
as Doc Jenkins
The World of Jim Henson
1994
as Self (archive footage)
All About Ann: Governor Richards of the Lone Star State
2014
as Self
The Last Days of Frank and Jesse James
1986
as Gen. Jo Shelby
The Best Democracy Money Can Buy
2016
as Self
Willie Nelson: The Big Six-O
1993
as Self
Celebrating the Man in Black: The Making of Walk the Line
2006
as Self
June
2023
as Self
Outlaw Country: Live from Austin, TX
2006
as Self
9/11 Truth: Hollywood Speaks Up
2011
as Self
Willie Nelson & Friends: Outlaws & Angels
2004
as Self
Willie and Me
2024
as Willie Nelson / Bones
Paradox
2018
as Red
Anthem
1997
as Self
Heartbeat
1987
as Himself
Joke Man
2023
as Self
Willie Nelson Presents: King of the Roadies
2025
as Self
Bob Dylan: The 30th Anniversary Concert Celebration
1993
as Self
Elvis | Viva Las Vegas
2008
as Self
Irving Berlin's 100th Birthday Celebration
1988
as Self
We Walk The Line: A Celebration of the Music of Johnny Cash
2012
as Self
Big Dreams & Broken Hearts: The Dottie West Story
1995
as Willie Nelson
Revolution: The Legacy of the Sixties
2017
Some Enchanted Evening: Celebrating Oscar Hammerstein II
1995
as Self
A Tribute to Johnny Cash
1999
as Self - Performer
Pure Country: Pure Heart
2017
as Himself
Coming Out of the Ice
1982
as Red Loon
Loretta Lynn: Still a Mountain Girl
2016
as Self
Playboy Video Magazine: Volume 4
1983
as Himself
The American Epic Sessions
2016
as Self
Pair of Aces
1990
as Billy Roy Barker
Another Pair of Aces: Three of a Kind
1991
as Billy Roy Rodriguez
Waylon: Renegade. Outlaw. Legend.
1990
as Self
Waiting for the Miracle to Come
2019
as Jimmy Riggs
The King of Luck
2011
as Self
Willie Nelson / Wynton Marsalis - Live from Jazz at Lincoln Center, NYC
2008
as Chanteur
The Midnight Special Legendary Performances 1980
1980
In the Hank Williams Tradition
1989
as Self
Where the Hell's That Gold?!!?
1988
as Cross
Also Starring Austin
2018
A Poem Is a Naked Person
1974
as Self
Kris Kristofferson: His Life and Work
1993
as Self
Eric Clapton's Crossroads Guitar Festival 2007
2007
as Self
The Beach Boys: Nashville Sounds
1996
as Self
Willie Nelson at the Teatro
1998
as Self
A Colbert Christmas: The Greatest Gift of All!
2008
as Self
Dust to Dust
1994
The Story of Darrell Royal
1999
as Self
Farm Aid 2001 - A Concert For America
2002
as Himself
The Highwaymen: On the Road Again
2003
as Self
Johnny Cash: American Rebel
2015
as Self
American Revolutions: The Highwaymen
2006
as Self
Austin City Limits Celebrates 40 Years
2014
as Self - Performer
Road to Austin
2016
I Am Johnny Cash
2015
as Self
Be Here to Love Me
2004
as Self - Musician
Opry Video Classics : Legends
2007
as Self (archive footage)
Willie Nelson & Friends: Live and Kickin'
2003
as Self
Wild Texas Wind
1991
as Willie Nelson
The Obama Deception
2009
as Self
I Ride
2011
as Willie Nelson
The Stars Salute the U.S. Olympic Team
1984
as Self - Performer
Willie Nelson and Wynton Marsalis Play the Music of Ray Charles
2009
as Self - Vocals and Acoustic Guitar
Glen Campbell | Good Times Again
2007
as Self
Dolly Parton & Friends: Love Always Live
2009
as Self - Performer (archive footage)
Save the Farm
2011
The Greatest Ears in Town: The Arif Mardin Story
2010
as Self
Ray Charles: Genius Loves Company
2004
as Self
Tootsie's Orchid Lounge: Where the Music Began
2005
as self
The Highwaymen - Live American Outlaws
2016
as Self
The Willie Nelson Special - With Special Guest Ray Charles
2002
as Self
Willie Nelson: Live at Budokan
2022
as Self (archive footage)
About Willie Nelson
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 foundin… With 201 credits spanning from 1962 to 2026, Willie Nelson has appeared in 165 films and 36 TV shows.
Fans searching for Willie Nelson movies, Willie Nelson filmography, or the latest projects starring Willie Nelson can stream many of these titles on Bowood.TV, free and in HD, with no subscription required.
Most Popular Willie Nelson Movies
- Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me (1999) — as Willie Nelson
- Thief (1981) — as David 'Okla' Bertinneau
- Beerfest (2006) — as Self (uncredited)
- The Dukes of Hazzard (2005) — as Uncle Jesse Duke
- Zoolander 2 (2016) — as Willie Nelson
Where to Watch Willie Nelson Films
Most Willie Nelson movies and series are available to stream on Bowood.TV in full HD, completely free and without signup. Browse the complete filmography above to jump directly to any title. For more films and the latest web series featuring Willie Nelson, check our movies catalogue and browse page.