Anthony E. Zuiker

Show Creator & Writer


The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

02:26

Tab

About
About this interview

In his two-hour interview, Anthony E. Zuiker discusses his early years growing up in Las Vegas and developing an interest in writing, which led to screenwriting assignments. He discusses the creation and development of the CSI franchise, which includes CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, CSI: Miami, and CSI: New York. He talks about the various actors on his series, including William Peterson, David Caruso, and Gary Sinise, and the challenges when actors leave his shows. He also discusses his work in digi-novels and his opinions on the business of television. Stephen J. Abramson conducted the interview on October 6, 2010 in Los Angeles, CA.

All views expressed by interviewees are theirs alone and not necessarily those of the Television Academy.

"I didn't know any rules, but to do a science show on CBS and show a guy's chest being shot out...and tell fractured storytelling, where you start at the end and have evidence inform the storytelling... is such a radical concept for the year 2000, that to this day I pinch myself that (CSI) ever got on the air."

People Talking About ...
Highlights
Anthony E. Zuiker on coming up with the title CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, and on going on a ride along with a Las Vegas CSI unit
03:20
Anthony E. Zuiker on "Who Are You" by The Who being the theme song for CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
01:25
Anthony E. Zuiker on the challenge of writing the science into CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
01:34
Anthony E. Zuiker on what viewers like about CSI: Crime Scene Investigation and on working with Carol Mendelsohn and Ann Donahue
03:11
Anthony E. Zuiker on doing a crossover with CSI: Crime Scene Investigation and CSI: Miami and on splitting duties between the shows
03:22
Anthony E. Zuiker on his production company Dare to Pass and on his involvement with publishing
06:13
Full Interview

Play Full Interview

Chapter 1

On his early life and influences; on television he watched growing up, and on writing he did as a child
On selling his first script "The Runner"; on working on various scripts for feature films
on meeting CSI: Crime Scene Investigation producer Jerry Bruckheimer; on how the idea for CSI: Crime Scene Investigation came about; on writing the pilot for the show
on coming up with the title CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, and on going on a ride along with a Las Vegas CSI unit; on working with CSI: Crime Scene Investigation producer Jerry Bruckheimer on the show; on the realism of the sets of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, and on the use of flashbacks and time shifting on the show
on the initial casting of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation; on Leslie Moonves, who put CSI: Crime Scene Investigation on the CBS schedule; on William Peterson as "Gil Grissom" on CSI: Crime Scene Investigation and on the challenge of writing

Chapter 2

On the success of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation and reaction to the show from real CSIs and the public; on getting the biological details on the inside body shots correct on CSI: Crime Scene Investigation and the process of bringing those elements together; on the demographics of the CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
On the CSI: Crime Scene Investigation writing staff, and on finding stories; on input CBS gives for CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, and on the show moving nights; on his favorite episode of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation "Blood Drops" and on episodes that were hard to do
On working with the directors of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation and on where the show shoots; on his Emmy nomination, the CSI theme song, and on how CSI: Crime Scene Investigation has changed the way we view television
On the cast of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation; on the romance between "Sara Sidle" and "Gil Grissom" on CSI: Crime Scene Investigation; on the legacy of the show
On CSI: Miami starring David Caruso; on doing a crossover with CSI: Crime Scene Investigation and CSI: Miami and on splitting duties between the shows;
On CSI: NY starring Gary Sinise; on comparing the three CSI shows
On his production company Dare to Pass; on then-current television he was watching and on the then-future of television; on his then-future
Shows

CSI: Crime Scene Investigation

View Show Page
Anthony E. Zuiker on meeting CSI: Crime Scene Investigation producer Jerry Bruckheimer
01:54
Anthony E. Zuiker on how the idea for CSI: Crime Scene Investigation came about
04:56
Anthony E. Zuiker on writing the CSI: Crime Scene Investigation pilot and on hooking up with Jerry Bruckheimer
05:05
Anthony E. Zuiker on coming up with the title CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, and on going on a ride along with a Las Vegas CSI unit
03:20
Anthony E. Zuiker on working with CSI: Crime Scene Investigation producer Jerry Bruckheimer on the show
00:57
Anthony E. Zuiker on what made CSI: Crime Scene Investigation stand out from other shows
03:10
Anthony E. Zuiker on the realism of the sets of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, and on the use of flashbacks and time shifting on the show
02:07
Anthony E. Zuiker on the initial casting of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
02:51
Anthony E. Zuiker on Les Moonves, who put CSI: Crime Scene Investigation on the CBS schedule
01:53
Anthony E. Zuiker on William Peterson as "Gil Grissom" on CSI: Crime Scene Investigation and on his duties in season one
01:46
Anthony E. Zuiker on the challenge of writing the science into CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
01:34
Anthony E. Zuiker on the success of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation and reaction to the show from real CSIs and the public
03:34
Anthony E. Zuiker on getting the biological details on the inside body shots correct on CSI: Crime Scene Investigation and the process of bringing those elements together
03:42
Anthony E. Zuiker on the demographics of the CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
03:01
Anthony E. Zuiker on the CSI: Crime Scene Investigation writing staff, and on finding stories
01:21
Anthony E. Zuiker on what viewers like about CSI: Crime Scene Investigation and on working with Carol Mendelsohn and Ann Donahue
03:11
Anthony E. Zuiker on input CBS gives for CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, and on the show moving nights
01:58
Anthony E. Zuiker on his favorite episode of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation "Blood Drops" and on episodes that were hard to do
02:16
Anthony E. Zuiker on working with the directors of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation and on where the show shoots
01:26
Anthony E. Zuiker on being nominated for an Emmy Award for CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
01:21
Anthony E. Zuiker on "Who Are You" by The Who being the theme song for CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
01:25
Anthony E. Zuiker on how CSI: Crime Scene Investigation has changed the way we view television
01:12
Anthony E. Zuiker on the cast of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
02:34
Anthony E. Zuiker on losing cast members of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
01:41
Anthony E. Zuiker on the romance between "Sara Sidle" and "Gil Grissom" on CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
01:44
Anthony E. Zuiker on the legacy of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
00:41
Anthony E. Zuiker on doing a crossover with CSI: Crime Scene Investigation and CSI: Miami and on splitting duties between the shows
03:22
Anthony E. Zuiker on comparing the three CSI shows
02:55
Anthony E. Zuiker on the CSI video game
00:19

CSI: Miami

View Show Page
Anthony E. Zuiker on CSI: Miami starring David Caruso
05:42
Anthony E. Zuiker on doing a crossover with CSI: Crime Scene Investigation and CSI: Miami and on splitting duties between the shows
03:22

CSI: NY

View Show Page
Anthony E. Zuiker on CSI: NY starring Gary Sinise
07:11
Topics

Characters & Catchphrases

View Topic
Anthony E. Zuiker on William Peterson as "Gil Grissom" on CSI: Crime Scene Investigation and on his duties in season one
01:46

Emmy Awards

View Topic
Anthony E. Zuiker on being nominated for an Emmy for CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
01:21

Pop Culture

View Topic
Anthony E. Zuiker on coming up with the title CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, and on going on a ride along with a Las Vegas CSI unit
03:20
Anthony E. Zuiker on William Peterson as "Gil Grissom" on CSI: Crime Scene Investigation and on his duties in season one
01:46
Anthony E. Zuiker on "Who Are You" by The Who being the theme song for CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
01:25

TV Theme Songs

View Topic
Anthony E. Zuiker on "Who Are You" by The Who being the theme song for CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
01:25
Professions

Writers

View Profession
Anthony E. Zuiker on what viewers like about CSI: Crime Scene Investigation and on working with Carol Mendelsohn and Ann Donahue
03:11
Anthony E. Zuiker on working with the directors of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation and on where the show shoots
01:26
Genres

Cop/Detective/Mystery Series

View Genre
Anthony E. Zuiker on creating CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
29:33
People

Jerry Bruckheimer

View Person Page
Anthony E. Zuiker on meeting CSI: Crime Scene Investigation producer Jerry Bruckheimer
01:54
Anthony E. Zuiker on writing the CSI: Crime Scene Investigation pilot and on hooking up with Jerry Bruckheimer
08:25
Anthony E. Zuiker on working with CSI: Crime Scene Investigation producer Jerry Bruckheimer on the show
04:07

David Caruso

View Person Page
Anthony E. Zuiker on CSI: Miami starring David Caruso
05:42

Leslie Moonves

View Interview Page
Anthony E. Zuiker on Leslie Moonves, who put CSI: Crime Scene Investigation on the CBS schedule
01:53

Gary Sinise

View Person Page
Anthony E. Zuiker on CSI: NY starring Gary Sinise
07:11

All Interviews

S