Craig Wasson
A versatile character actor who delivered a haunting, vulnerable performance as the lead in Brian De Palma's erotic thriller 'Body Double'.
Born 1954 (age 72)·American actor·Birthday: March 15·Baby Boomers
Biography
Craig Wasson carved a niche in 1980s cinema as an everyman thrust into extraordinary, often terrifying, circumstances. With a lean frame and an expressive face capable of conveying deep anxiety or earnest determination, he became a favorite of directors looking for grounded protagonists. His breakout came in Arthur Penn's 'Four Friends,' which earned him a Golden Globe nomination. But it was his collaboration with Brian De Palma in 'Body Double' that defined his career. As the claustrophobic, struggling actor who becomes entangled in a voyeuristic murder plot, Wasson was the perfect audience surrogate, his performance a masterclass in mounting paranoia. He later brought a different kind of vulnerability to the 'Nightmare on Elm Street' franchise, playing a sympathetic therapist in 'Dream Warriors.' While never becoming a conventional leading man, Wasson's work in these genre films left an indelible mark, capturing the unease of the decade with a unique authenticity.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Craig was born in 1954, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Craig Was Born
The biggest hits of 1954
#1 Movie
White Christmas
Best Picture
On the Waterfront
#1 TV Show
I Love Lucy
Craig's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1954Born
Brown v. Board of Education desegregates US schools
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $8,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Little Things Mean a Lot" — Kitty KallenBest Picture: On the Waterfront
1959Started school
Fidel Castro takes power in Cuba
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $12,400Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"The Battle of New Orleans" — Johnny HortonBest Picture: Ben-Hur
1967Became a teenager
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1970Could drive
First Earth Day; The Beatles break up
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $17,000Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Bridge over Troubled Water" — Simon & GarfunkelBest Picture: Patton
1972Could vote
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1975Turned 21
Fall of Saigon ends the Vietnam War
Gas: $0.57/galHome: $27,600Min wage: $2.10/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Love Will Keep Us Together" — Captain & TennilleBest Picture: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
1984Turned 30
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1994Turned 40
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
2004Turned 50
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2014Turned 60
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
2024Turned 70
AI reshapes industries; Paris Olympics
Gas: $3.31/galHome: $372,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Espresso" — Sabrina CarpenterBest Picture: Anora
2026Age 72 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Nominated for a Golden Globe Award for New Star of the Year for his role in 'Four Friends' (1981).
- Starred as the lead, Jake Scully, in Brian De Palma's cult classic psychological thriller 'Body Double' (1984).
- Played the pivotal role of Neil Gordon, a therapist who enters the dream world, in 'A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors' (1987).
- Appeared in a wide range of films, from the disaster movie 'Rollercoaster' (1977) to the political drama 'The Boys in Company C' (1978).
Did You Know?
He is also an accomplished stage actor, having performed in Broadway and off-Broadway productions.
He provided the voice for the character of Private Joe Bauers in the adult animated series 'The Adventures of Billy & Mandy.'
He studied acting at the Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts (PCPA) in California.
He had a recurring role on the television series 'Philly' as Assistant District Attorney Will Froman.
“I've always been drawn to characters who are on the edge of reality.”
