Eric Kyle Szmanda (born July 24, 1975) is a Polish-American actor. He portrays Greg Sanders in the television crime drama CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, a role he has held since the show began in 2000 until it was ended in 2015.
Biography[]
Early life and Education[]
Szmanda was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to Don and Elaine Szmanda, and has two brothers, Brett and Rob. He attended Mukwonago High School and graduated at the age of 19 at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in Pasadena. While he was is school, he began marketing internships with music conglomerate BMG and moved to Chicago to take a full time job in the music business. His great-uncle [Ray Szmanda is the "Menard's Guy," a local celebrity in the Midwest famous for his enthusiastic ads for Menard's hardware stores.
Career[]
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation[]
In 2000, Szmanda began a recurring role in CSI: Crime Scene Investigation in its first two seasons as Greg Sanders, a crime lab analyst and investigator, before being added to the main cast since its third season. He changed his hairstyle often to make his character stand out as he spent most of his lab tech time wearing a lab coat.
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.
Personal life[]
When Szmanda first began acting, a film producer suggested that he change his last name thinking that most people would not have a clue as to how to pronounce it. One of his brothers is a High school teacher and he has visited his brother's classes on several occasions as a surprise to his students. Szmanda is also a very close friend to Burlesque dancer Dita Von Teese and was one of the sixty guests invited to attended her wedding to musician Marilyn Manson in Ireland. In January 2011, Von Teese guest-starred opposite Szmanda in CSI in season 11: episode 12 called "A Kiss Before Frying".
Gallery[]
Filmography[]
- The Net (1998–1999) – Jacob "Sorcerer" Resh
- Dodge's City (1999) (TV) – Johnny Dodge
- 100 Girls (2000) – Sam
- CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (2000–2015) Recurring Cast (Seasons 1-2) Main Cast (Season 3-16) – Greg Sanders
- FreakyLinks (2000) – Tunnel-dwelling bum
- True Vinyl (2000) – Billy Thompson
- Rules of Attraction (2002) – NYU Film Student
- Little Athens (2005) – Derek
- Snow Wonder (2005) (TV) – Luke
- Shadow of Fear (2012) (TV) - Det. Dominic Leary
- Dangerous Attraction (2012) (film)
- Szmanda also appeared in Marilyn Manson's music video "(s)AINT".