Eric Kyle Szmanda (; born July 24, 1975) is an American actor. He is best known for having played Greg Sanders in the CBS police drama CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, a role he held from the show's beginning in 2000 until it ended in 2015.
Early life and education Szmanda was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to Elaine (née Enders) and Donald Szmanda, and has two brothers, Brett and Robert. His great-uncle Ray Szmanda was the "Menards Guy," a local celebrity in the Midwest famous for his enthusiastic ads for Menards, a chain of hardware stores.
When Eric was very young, the family moved to Mukwonago, Wisconsin. He attended Mukwonago High School and subsequently Carroll College in Waukesha, Wisconsin. While he was in school, he began marketing internships with music conglomerate BMG and moved to Chicago, Illinois, to take a full-time job in the music business.
Szmanda attended classes for four years at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in Pasadena, California, and graduated.
Career In his first role on television, Szmanda starred in The Net, a series based on the 1995 film of the same name.
In 2000, Szmanda began a recurring role in the CBS police drama CSI: Crime Scene Investigation in the first two seasons as Greg Sanders, a DNA technician and investigator. He was subsequently added to the main cast in the third season. He remained on the show until it ended after the fifteenth season in September 2015.
Activism Szmanda supports the U.S. Campaign for Burma and traveled to Thailand to see the conditions of Burmese refugees who have fled their native country.
Szmanda showed his support for Animal Defenders International (ADI) in March 2017 along with former CSI co-star Jorja Fox. The two helped to host a benefit to raise money for the charity that aims to help and save animals all over the world from circuses and from other forms of animal cruelty. He and Fox attended the White House to help put forward a bill to stop circuses from using animals and protect them.
Filmography Film and television credits YearTitleRoleNotes1998–1999The NetJacob Resh/SorcererTelevision debutSeries regular; 13 episodes1999Dodge's CityJohnny DodgeTelevision movie2000Oh BabyBrentTwo episodes2000Zoe, Duncan, Jack & JaneMaxEpisode: "A Midsummer Night's Nightmare"2000100 GirlsSam/Computer NerdFilm debut2000FreakyLinksEliEpisode: "Subject: Edith Keeler Must Die"2000Big TimeAveryShort film2000–2015CSI: Crime Scene InvestigationGreg Sanders46 episodes; recurring role287 episodes; series regularScreen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series (2005)Nominated—Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series (2002–2004)2001Three SistersDaveEpisode: "The Faculty Party"2001The DivisionMarkEpisode: "The Parent Trap"2002The Rules of AttractionNYU Film Student2004Marilyn Manson: SaintHimselfVideo short/music video 2004True VinylBilly Thompson2005Little AthensDerek2005Snow WonderLukeTelevision movie2012Shadow of FearDetective Dominic LearyTelevision movie2015CSI: ImmortalityGreg SandersTelevision movie2018Near Extinction: Shangri-LaVargasTelevision movie2023CSI: VegasGreg Sanders
Video games YearTitleRoleNotes2003CSI: Crime Scene InvestigationGreg Sanders (voice role)2004CSI: Crime Scene Investigation - Dark MotivesLab Technician Greg Sanders (voice role)2006CSI: 3 Dimensions of MurderGreg Sanders (voice role)2007CSI: Crime Scene Investigation - Hard EvidenceGreg Sanders (voice role)2009CSI: Crime Scene Investigation - Deadly IntentGreg Sanders (voice role)2010CSI: Fatal ConspiracyGreg Sanders (voice role)
Stage YearTitleRoleNotes2015The NerdWillum CubbertTotem Pole Playhouse
References
External links Eric Szmanda Bio at CBS - CSI: Crime Scene Investigation