Introduction
Eric Kyle Szmanda (/səˈmændə/; born July 24, 1975) is an American actor. He played Greg Sanders in the CBS police drama CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, a role he held from when the show began in 2000 until it ended in 2015.
Early life and education
Szmanda was born in Mukwonago, Wisconsin, to Elaine (née Enders) and Donald Szmanda, and has two brothers, Brett and Kyle. He attended Mukwonago High School and graduated at the age of nineteen from Caroll College (Wisconsin). He went onto the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in Pasadena, California after this and attended for 4 years. 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. 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 the CBS police drama CSI: Crime Scene Investigation in the first two seasons as Greg Sanders, a DNA technician and investigator, before being 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.
Filmography
- The Net (1998–1999) (TV) – Jacob "Sorcerer" Resh
- Dodge's City (1999) (TV) – Johnny Dodge
- Big Time (2000) - Avery
- Oh Baby (2000) (TV) - Brent
- Zoe, Duncan, Jack and Jane (2000) (TV) - Max
- 100 Girls (2000) – Sam/Computer Nerd
- CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (2000–2015) (TV) – Greg Sanders (335 episodes)
- FreakyLinks (2000) – Tunnel-dwelling bum
- True Vinyl (2000) – Billy Thompson
- Three Sisters (2001) (TV) - Dave
- The Division (2001) (TV) - Mark
- The 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
- Szmanda also appeared in Marilyn Manson's music video "(s)AINT".