Craig Thomas Bio
Craig David Thomas is an American television writer and producer best known for co-creating the CBS sitcom How I Met Your Mother with his writing partner Carter Bays. A Wesleyan University alumnus, Thomas has written episodes for Oliver Beene, Quintuplets, and American Dad! and helped bring How I Met Your Mother to life in 2005. He performs with The Solids, a band behind the show’s theme song. Thomas has been nominated for multiple Primetime Emmy Awards and has contributed to the WGA’s stand against packaging. In 2025, he published his debut novel, That’s Not How It Happened, a work inspired by his experiences raising his son who has Jacobsen Syndrome. He also volunteers in medical research philanthropy with Dr. Paul Grossfeld’s lab at Rady Children’s Hospital.
Early Life and Background
Craig David Thomas was born and raised in the United States. He attended Wesleyan University and graduated in 1997. At Wesleyan, Thomas met Carter Bays, who would become his long-time writing partner and collaborator. Their shared passion for writing and comedy laid the foundation for their future creative partnership. Thomas also formed the power pop band The Solids at Wesleyan in 1996 with fellow students Patrick Butler and Nick Coleman.
After graduating from Wesleyan University in 1997, Thomas relocated to New York City to begin his professional writing career. He spent five years writing for The Late Show with David Letterman, a formative experience that helped shape his comedic voice and understanding of the entertainment industry. This late-night writing stint provided him with invaluable industry knowledge and connections.
Path to Television Writing
After his tenure with The Late Show with David Letterman, Thomas transitioned into television writing. He contributed to several sitcoms, including Oliver Beene, Quintuplets, and the animated series American Dad!. These early television writing credits allowed him to hone his craft in different comedy formats and establish himself within the television industry.
Thomas continued to develop his skills in episodic television writing while also maintaining his musical pursuits. His collaboration with Carter Bays remained a constant throughout this period, with the two friends continuing to develop original concepts and pitches for networks. Their partnership would soon yield their most significant professional achievement to date.
Craig Thomas Career
Breakthrough (2005)
In 2005, Thomas and Carter Bays achieved their breakthrough when CBS picked up their pilot How I Met Your Mother. The sitcom, which premiered on September 19, 2005, followed the format of a narrator telling his children the story of how he met their mother. The innovative storytelling structure and ensemble cast, featuring Neil Patrick Harris, Alyson Hannigan, Jason Segel, Cobie Smulders, and Josh Radnor, quickly resonated with audiences.
How I Met Your Mother ran for nine seasons, concluding in 2014 after 208 episodes. The show became a cultural phenomenon, spawning merchandise, a spinoff attempt called How I Met Your Dad, and a dedicated fanbase. Thomas served as a writer and producer throughout the series’ run. He was also instrumental in the How I Met Your Mother DVD audio commentaries, providing insights into the writing process alongside his co-creators.
Notable Works and Milestones
Beyond How I Met Your Mother, Thomas created the Fox series The Goodwin Games in 2013, though the show was short-lived. In 2014, Thomas and Bays shot a pilot for How I Met Your Dad with Emily Spivey and Greta Gerwig. CBS requested a second pilot, which the team declined, and the project was not picked up.
Music Career
Thomas has maintained a parallel career in music throughout his television writing career. He remains a member of The Solids, the power pop band he co-founded with Carter Bays in 1996 while at Wesleyan University. The band wrote the theme songs for Oliver Beene and How I Met Your Mother, with the latter becoming instantly recognizable to millions of viewers. Their song Nothing Suits Me Like a Suit earned Thomas an Emmy nomination for Best Original Song, demonstrating his versatility as both a television writer and songwriter.
Transition to Novel Writing
In November 2025, Thomas published his debut novel, That’s Not How It Happened, through HarperCollins. The book was inspired by his experience raising his young adult son who has Jacobsen Syndrome, a rare genetic disorder. Thomas’s prose has appeared in The New Yorker’s Shouts & Murmurs column five times, as well as in McSweeney’s, The Boston Globe, and The Iowa Review. This literary debut marked a significant expansion of his creative output beyond television and music.
Advocacy and Philanthropy
In addition to his creative work, Thomas has been deeply involved in medical research philanthropy. He has fundraised extensively for Dr. Paul Grossfeld’s lab at Rady Children’s Hospital of San Diego. The lab conducts research into the genetic causes of congenital heart disease, particularly Jacobsen Syndrome, the condition affecting his son. His charitable efforts have helped support critical research into this rare genetic disorder.
Craig Thomas Award Nominations
Craig Thomas has been nominated for seven Primetime Emmy Awards throughout his career. These nominations include recognition for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series for How I Met Your Mother and Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics for the song Nothing Suits Me Like a Suit. His consistent recognition by the Television Academy reflects the high quality of his work in the television industry.
Craig Thomas Awards Won
Based on available records, specific individual award wins for Craig Thomas have not been independently verified in full detail. The available sources confirm multiple nominations across his career, including Emmy recognition for How I Met Your Mother and songwriting achievements.
Craig Thomas Family
Craig Thomas is a dedicated father. He has spoken publicly about raising his son who has Jacobsen Syndrome, a rare genetic disorder caused by the loss of a portion of the 11th human chromosome. His experience navigating this journey with his son inspired his debut novel, That’s Not How It Happened, published in 2025.