Craig Eric Sheffer (born April 23, 1960) is an American film and television actor.
Sheffer was born in York, Pennsylvania to a mother who worked in a nursing home and a father who worked as a prison guard and screenwriter. His brother is writer Hogan Sheffer.
Sheffer was first seen on a nationwide basis on the television circuit. He played Ian Hayden on the ABC daytime soap opera One Life to Live, and was cast as the teenage son of Michael Goodwin and Leigh Taylor-Young on the 1983 prime time serial The Hamptons. His earliest starring assignment in films was as the best friend of troubled teenager Emilio Estevez in That Was Then... This Is Now (1985). He also played Heisman candidate QB Joe Kane in "The Program", the role he is probably most famous for.
Among Sheffer's more recent films are A River Runs Through It (in which he played author Norman Maclean) (1992), Fire in the Sky (1993), Bliss (1997), and Sleep With Me (1994) (top-billed, as the apex of a romantic triangle which included Eric Stoltz and Meg Tilly). He played the leading role in Clive Barker's Nightbreed (1990), and 10 years later played the leading role in Clive Barker's brainchild franchise Hellraiser: Inferno.
Craig Sheffer is known to TV audiences for his portrayal of Keith Scott, the nice-guy older brother of the wealthy and nefarious auto dealer Dan Scott, on the CW Network series One Tree Hill. Sheffer is no longer a series regular, as his character was killed by his brother Dan but he has come back as a ghost and a "guardian angel" for his character's nephews.
Most recently, Craig directed the feature film, American Crude. The film's release date and story details have not been released.
Graduate of York Suburban High School, York, Pennsylvania
Brother of writer Hogan Sheffer.
His hobbies are: photography, writing, and being outdoors.
In 1975 at the age 15, began competing in regional and state high school drama competitions.
In 1980 he moved to NYC at the urging of his girlfriend. But shortly after arriving he broke up with his girlfriend, lost his job and spent several weeks homeless - which included sleeping under the marble staircase in Grand Central Station. He later got back on his feet and found an agent and began getting acting jobs in commercials.
In 1985 he suffered what he described as "a nervous breakdown", and was unable to leave his home for several months.
In 1990 he claimed that he was previously diagnosed with cancer which subsequently went into remission after filming River Runs Through It, A (1992).
He went to East Stroudsburg State University in East Stroudsburg, PA, to play football. He was at college for two years before he dropped out to pursue acting.
He has a daughter (with Gabrielle Anwar) Willow Anwar. She lives in Los Angeles and he goes back there as often as he can to spend time with her.
His mom's name is Anna.
He was diagnosed with cancer shortly after filming Nightbreed (1990) in England. He decided to take time off to himself after the diagnosis and traveled around Europe and India. He finally returned to the US only two weeks before beginning filming on Blue Desert (1991).
Is very interested in music and enjoys writing songs and playing the guitar.
