Anthony E. Zuiker

Show Creator & Writer

View Full Interview

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 ...

Anthony E. Zuiker

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

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

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

Anthony E. Zuiker on CSI: NY starring Gary Sinise

07:11

Topics

Characters & Catchphrases

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

Anthony E. Zuiker on being nominated for an Emmy for CSI: Crime Scene Investigation

01:21

Pop Culture

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

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

Anthony E. Zuiker on creating CSI: Crime Scene Investigation

29:33

People

David Caruso

View Person Page

Anthony E. Zuiker on CSI: Miami starring David Caruso

05:42

Gary Sinise

View Person Page

Anthony E. Zuiker on CSI: NY starring Gary Sinise

07:11

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

Leslie Moonves

View Interview Page

Anthony E. Zuiker on Leslie Moonves, who put CSI: Crime Scene Investigation on the CBS schedule

01:53