Abstract
A brief history of theoretical nebular astrophysics, particularly in USA, is presented. The importance of observational knowledge of objects that actually exist is emphasized as a prerequisite for most theories. Herman Zanstra and Ira Bowen were the two most important theorists in opening the field. Donald Menzel and his students, especially James Baker, Leo Goldberg, and Lawrence Aller, were quite important in the further development of it. Henry Norris Russell started nebular astrophysics rolling, and several other later theorists, including Bengt Strömgren, Lyman Spitzer, Iosif Shklovsky and Michael Seaton, also made important contributions to it.
