List of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation characters

The following is a list of characters for the CBS television series, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.

Regular Cast

Over its 12 season run, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation has starred a number of actors whom are featured in the opening credits of the show. Amongst them William Petersen, and Marg Helgenberger.

William Petersen was first to be cast in 2000 as CSI Supervisor Dr. Gil Grissom, a socially awkward bug-expert with the LVPD's crime lab. Marg Helgenberger was cast as partner Catherine Willows, an ex-stripper and single parent who had worked her way through the ranks from a Lab Technician to Assistant Supervisor. Petersen and Helgenberger's chemistry is often praised as the core of the show.

George Eads was cast as Nick Stokes, a frat-boy CSI Level 2 from Texas, who was eager to show his worth to Grissom. Stokes became a CSI Level 3 at the end of the pilot episode, much to the relation of Grissom and his co-workers. Gary Dourdan was cast as gambling addict Warrick Brown, a CSI Level 2 with an attitude that often got him, and the team, into trouble, and later lead to the death of Holly Gribbs, despite this Brown was promoted to CSI Level 3 mid-way through the first season. Chandra West was cast as Gribbs, a rookie CSI who had just joined the grave-shift, West did not test well with audiences and so the character was killed off at the beginning of the second episode, and replaced by The West Wing star Jorja Fox, as San Francisco CSI Sara Sidle, often dubbed the moral-compass of the team. Sidle was brought in to investigate the death of Gribbs, and saw Nick's seniority over her as a formality, as she was hand-picked by Grissom to work in Vegas. Sara was promoted to CSI Level 3 inbetween the first and second seasons.

Rounding out the original cast was Paul Guilfoyle, as Detective Captain Jim Brass, the protector of CSI, often to a fault. He originally ran the crime lab but was transferred back to Homicide following the death of Gribbs on his watch.

Eric Szmanda was cast in the pilot episode as DNA Tech Greg Sanders, a frat-boy who often played loud music throughout his lab, whilst Robert David Hall joined the cast in 1x06 as Chief Medical Examiner, and double-amputee, Dr. Albert Robbins. Both became regular cast members in the first episode of season 3.

Louise Lombard was the next actor to join the cast, she first appeared half-way through season 5 as the Dayshift Supervisor, but was subsequently transferred to Grissom's team following the season 5 split, the character of Sofia Curtis would become a Detective beginning with season 6 and join the regular cast for the seventh season. Also during season 5, Szmanda's Sanders transferred to the field as a rookie Crime Scene Investigator. Lombard appeared in episode 8x01 as a guest star but then disappeared without explanation after finding Sara Sidle in the desert.

Season 7 also saw the arrival of Liev Schrieber as Mike Keppler, brought in to replace William Petersen who took a hiatus. Liev played CSI Mike Keppler, a criminalist assigned to the grave shift, eventually outed as a dirty cop, he killed a man who he believed raped his girlfriend. Mike died after confronting his girlfriends father, who he had figured out had been the real rapist. The father took Mike and a hooker as hostages, after getting the hooker out of the motel room, he was shot fatally, and with his dying breaths took out the hostage taker, saving the life of Catherine Willows who had just entered the room. He died in an ambulance, and Catherine collapsed into a recently-returned Grissom's arms.

Wallace Langham as David Hodges would join the cast in season 8, replacing Lombard in the opening credits, after recurring throughout the third, fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh seasons, Hodges is a know-it-all trace tech who whilst he rubs people up the wrong way, always gets results.

Later that season Jorja Fox would be the first original cast member to leave the show, in episode 8x07, with Sara suffering severe burn-out and leaving Vegas, and Grissom, in a cab to bury ghosts from her past.

The next major cast changes came in the ninth season, while Jorja Fox returned for several guest appearances, Gary Dourdan and William Petersen departed the cast, Dourdan's Warrick was murdered by a corrupt undersheriff, whilst Petersen's Grissom retired and left for Costa Rica, to find Sara. The two would later marry.

Grissom's Supervisor position was filled by a newly promoted Catherine Willows (Helgenberger), while Petersen was replaced by Laurence Fishburne as CSI Ray Langston, Dourdan was succeeded Lauren Lee Smith as CSI Riley Adams, who left shortly after in the season 9 finale, due to Smith's lack of chemistry with the ensemble. Adams' exit interview would cause tension throughout the team, and eventually lead to Willows to promoting Stokes to Assistant Supervisor.

Liz Vassey, who first appeared in season 6, and David Berman who first appeared in season 1 would join the regular cast as their characters, Wendy Simms and David Phillips, a DNA Tech and the Assistant Medical Examiner, during the tenth season, which also saw the return of Jorja Fox on a part-time basis. The Eleventh season featured Jorja Fox's return to the main cast, as well as the departure of Liz Vassey in the second episode, Laurence Fishburne in the season finale, and the highly publicized returns of William Petersen (11x13) and Louise Lombard (11x20), Lombard's Sofia had risen through the ranks of the LVPD and was now the Deputy Chief, while Petersen's Grissom was only seen via webcam talking to his mother Betty, and Sara.

Following the unexpected departure of Fishburne, Elisabeth Harnois (who had guest starred in 11x21) was promoted to the regular cast, playing LAPD Exile CSI Morgan Brody, the daughter of Conrad Ecklie, whilst Ted Danson was cast as the new CSI Supervisor DB Russell, replacing Helgenberger's Willows, who had been demoted following the events of Season 11. Russell's arrival at first causes tensions between Catherine and Nick, as Catherine blames Nick for both their demotions.

Marg Helgenberger will depart the cast in episode 12, and be replaced by Elisabeth Shue in episode 14.

Overview

Please Note: current cast members are listed in credit order, whilst former cast members are ordered by their final episode count

Character	Position	Actor	First Episode	Final Episode	Duration	Final Episode Count
D.B. Russell	CSI Level 3 Supervisor	Ted Danson	"73 Seconds"		12x01-
Catherine Willows	CSI Level 3 Asst. Supervisor	Marg Helgenberger	"Pilot"		01x01-
Nick Stokes	Senior CSI Level 3	George Eads	"Pilot"		01x01-
Sara Sidle	Senior CSI Level 3	Jorja Fox	"Cool Change"		01x02-08x07; 09x01-09x10; 10x01-
Greg Sanders	Junior CSI Level 3	Eric Szmanda	"Pilot"		01x01-
Dr. Al Robbins	Chf. Medical Examiner	Robert David Hall	"Who are You?"		01x06-
David Hodges	Trace Tech.	Wallace Langham	"Recipe for Murder"		03x11-
David Phillips	Asst. Medical Examiner	David Berman	"Friends & Lovers"		01x05-
Morgan Brody	Junior CSI Level 3	Elisabeth Harnois	"Cello and Goodbye"		11x21-
Jim Brass	LVPD Det. Captain	Paul Guilfoyle	"Pilot"		01x01-
Melissa Suave	CSI Level 3 Asst. Supervisor	Elisabeth Shue			12x14-
Dr. Gil Grissom	CSI Level 3 Supervisor	William Petersen	"Pilot"	"The Two Mrs. Grissoms"	01x01-09x11; 11x13	194
Warrick Brown	Senior CSI Level 3	Gary Dourdan	"Pilot"	"For Warrick"	01x01-09x01	183
Wendy Simms	DNA Tech.	Liz Vassey	"Secrets and Flies"	"Pool Shark"	06x06-11x02	078
Dr. Raymond Langston	Junior CSI Level 2	Laurence Fishburne	"19 Down"	"In a Dark, Dark House"	09x09-11x22	061
Sofia Curtis	LVPD Deputy Chief	Louise Lombard	"Formalities"	"Father of the Bride"	05x07-08x01; 11x20	052
Riley Adams	Senior CSI Level 2	Lauren Lee Smith	"Art Imitates Life"	"All In"	09x03-09x24	022
Michael Keppler	Senior CSI Level 3	Liev Schreiber	"Sweet Jane"	"Law of Gravity"	07x12-07x15	004

Recurring/Notable Cast

Please Note: current recurring/notable cast members are listed in order of first appearance, whilst former cast members are ordered by their final episode count

Law Enforcement

Character	Position	Actor	First Episode	Final Episode	Duration	Final Episode Count
Joe Metcalf	LVPD Officer	Joseph Patrick Kelly	"Pilot"		01x01-
Conrad Ecklie	Undersheriff	Marc Vann	"Blood Drops"		01x07-02x17; 05x07-
Mandy Webster	Fingerprints Tech.	Sheeri Rappaport	"Anonymous"		01x08-
Archie Johnson	A/V Tech.	Archie Kao	"Chaos Theory"		02x02-
Luis Vartann	Detective	Alex Carter	"Grissom Versus the Volcano"		04x09-06x23; 09x03-
Andy Akers	LVPD Officer	Larry Sullivan	"Compulsion"		05x17-
Henry Andrews	Supervisory Toxicology Tech. DNA Tech.	Jon Wellner	"Iced"		05x23-
Mitchell	LVPD Officer	Larry Mitchell	"Room Service"		06x02-
Bobby Dawson	Ballistics Tech.	Gerald McCullough	"Cool Change"	"Take My Life, Please!"	01x02-10x20	036
Ray O'Riley	LVPD Detective Sgt.	Skip O'Brien	"Pilot"	"Homebodies"	01x01-04x03	024
Sam Vega	LVPD Detective	Geoffrey Rivas	"Too Tough to Die"	"Crime After Crime"	01x16-09x23 12x08	020
Judy Tremont	Secretary	Victoria Prescott	"Blood Lust"	"Goodbye and Good Luck"	03x09-08x07	012
Chris Caviliere	LVPD Detective	Jose Zuniga	"Getting Off"	"Say Uncle"	04x16-09x06	012
Mia Dickerson	DNA Tech.	Aisha Tyler	"Harvest"	"Grave Danger Vol. 2"	05x03-05x25	012
Jeffrey McKeen	Former Undersheriff	Conor O'Farrell	"Grave Danger Vol. 1"	"For Warrick"	05x24-09x01	011
Cyrus Lockwood	LVPD Detective	Jeffrey D. Sams	"Primum Non Nocere"	"Inside the Box"	02x16-03x22	009
Rory Atwater	LVPD Sheriff	Xander Berkeley	"Invisible Evidence"	"Formalities"	04x07-05x07	005
Teri Miller	Consultant Specialist	Pamela Gidley	"Who Are You?"	"Snuff"	01x06-01x22; 03x08	005
Ronnie Lake	CSI	Jessica Lucas	"Go to Hell"	"Goodbye and Good Luck"	08x03-08x07	004
Frankie Reed	LVPD Detective	Katee Sackhoff	"Cold Blooded"	"All That Cremains"	11x06-11x14	003
Holly Gribbs	CSI	Chandra West	"Pilot"	"Cool Change"	01x01-01x02	002
Jack Malone	FBI Supervisory Special Agent	Anthony LaPaglia	"Who and What?"	"Who and What?"	08x06	001
Calleigh Duquesne	MDPD Detective/CSI	Emily Procter	"Cross Jurisdictions"	"Cross Jurisdictions"	02x22	001
Eric Delko	MDPD Detective/CSI	Adam Rodriguez	"Cross Jurisdictions"	"Cross Jurisdictions"	02x22	001
Horatio Caine	MDPD Lieutenant/CSI	David Caruso	"Cross Jurisdictions"	"Cross Jurisdictions"	02x22	001
Tim Speedle	MDPD Detective/CSI	Rory Cochrane	"Cross Jurisdictions"	"Cross Jurisdictions"	02x22	001
Alexx Woods	MDPD Medical Examiner	Khandi Alexander	"Cross Jurisdictions"	"Cross Jurisdictions"	02x22	001

Relatives of Law Enforcement

Character	Related to	Relation	Actor	First Episode	Final Episode	Duration	Final Episode Count
Lindsey Willows	Catherine Willows	Daughter	Kay Panabaker*	"Pilot"		01x01-
Sam Braun	Catherine Willows	Father	Scott Wilson	"Burked"	"Built to Kill, Part 2"	02x01-07x02	009
Hank Peddigrew	Sara Sidle	Ex-Boyfriend	Christopher Wiehl	"Bully for You"	"Crash and Burn"	02x01-03x17	007
Lady Heather	Gil Grissom	Close Friend	Melinda Clarke	"Slaves of Las Vegas"	"Unleashed"	02x08-11x19	006
Eddie Willows	Catherine Willows	Ex-Husband	Timothy Carhart	"Who are You?"	"Lady Heather's Box"	01x06-03x15	004
Gloria Parkes	Ray Langston	Ex-Wife	Tracee Ellis Ross	"All That Cremains"	"In a Dark, Dark House"	11x14-11x22	004
Lily Flynn	Catherine Willows	Mother	Anita Gillette	"Weeping Willows"	"The Case of the Cross-Dressing Carp"	05x22-08x04	003
Dr. Tina Brown	Warrick Brown	Ex-Wife	Meta Golding	"Shooting Stars"	"For Warrick"	06x04-09x01	003
Ellie Rebecca Brass	Jim Brass	Adoptive Daughter	Teal Redmann**	"Ellie"	"Way to Go"	02x10-06x24	003
Judge Bill Stokes	Nick Stokes	Father	Andrew Prine	"Grave Danger Vol. 1"	"Grave Danger Vol. 2"	05x24-05x25	002
Jillian Stokes	Nick Stokes	Mother	Lois Chiles	"Grave Danger Vol. 1"	"Grave Danger Vol. 2"	05x24-05x25	002

*Originally portrayed by Madison McReynolds

**Originally portrayed by Nicki Aycox

Notable Villains

Character	Alias	Crime	Actor	First Episode	Final Episode	Duration	Final Episode Count
	Sqweegel/Ian Moone	Murder 1, 03 Counts	Daniel Browning Smith	"Sqweegel"		11x04
Warner Thorpe	Nate Haskell/DJK	Murder 1, 23 Counts	Bill Irwin	"19 Down"	"In a Dark, Dark House"	09x09-11x22	009
Natalie Davis	The Miniature Killer	Murder 1, 05 Counts	Jessica Collins	"Living Doll"	"Woulda, Coulda, Shoulda"	07x24-09x07	003
Paul Millander	The Bathtub Killer	Murder 1, 04 Counts	Matt O'Toole	"Pilot"	"Identity Crisis"	01x01-02x13	003
Kevin Greer	The Blue Paint Killer	Murder 1, 06 Counts	Taylor Nichols	"The Execution of Catherine Willows"	"What's Eating Gilbert Grissom?"	03x06-05x06	002
John Mathers	The Blue Paint Killer*	Murder 1, 01 Counts	Victor Bevine	"The Execution of Catherine Willows"	"What's Eating Gilbert Grissom?"	03x06-05x06	002
Hannah West		Murder 1, 02 Counts	Juliette Goglia	"The Unusual Suspect"	"Goodbye and Good Luck"	06x18-08x07	002
Marlon West		Murder 1, 02 Counts	Doug Smith	"The Unusual Suspect"	"Goodbye and Good Luck"	06x18-08x07	002
Jason McCann		Murder 1, 02 Counts	Justin Bieber	"Shock Waves"	"Targets of Obsession"	11x01-11x15	002
Charles DiMasa	Dr. Jekyll/Michelangelo	Murder 1, 05 Counts	Matt Ross	"Meat Jekyll"	"Meat Jekyll"	10x23	001

*Suspected, exonerated posthumously

Other Guest Stars

Dakota Fanning in one of her earliest roles, played a molestation victim in Season 1's episode "Blood Drops".

Misha Collins appeared in Season 5's episode "Nesting Dolls", as Vlad.

Marcia Cross, most notable for portraying Bree Hodge on Desperate Housewives, appeared in the episode "Organ Grinder" from Season 2.

Katey Segal notably voices as Turanga Leela in Futurama stars as a famous actress in "Two and a Half Deaths".

Stacey Dash, Clueless star, played a "newbie" lab tech who flirted with Warrick in "Slaves of Las Vegas" from Season 2.

Kelly Rowan (Melinda Clarke's co-star on The O.C.) also appeared in "Slaves of Las Vegas" as Eileen Nelson, the wife of a man who hated her. He made a girl from an underground fetish club act like her, and his violence resulted in him killing her. Coincidentally, Clarke and Rowan appeared in the same episode prior to working together in The O.C., though they did not appear in scenes together.

Stephen Baldwin star of The Usual Suspects appeared as Jesse Acheson, who was investigated in Season 5's "Compulsion".

Roger Daltrey, frontman of The Who guest starred as a missing mob boss who comes back to Las Vegas to pay back his would-be killers in Season 7's episode "Living Legend".

America Ferrera, Ugly Betty and Disney Channel star, had a guest starring role in the Season 5 episode "Harvest".

Frank Gorshin made his last ever TV appearance in "Grave Danger", the season 5 finale.

Faye Dunaway played a prominent ex-showgirl and mob mogul's former flame in the episode "Kiss-Kiss, Bye-Bye" in Season 6.

Danny Bonaduce appeared as Izzy Delancy, the Miniature Killer's first victim, in the two-part Season 7 opener "Built to Kill" as well as "Loco Motives".

Kevin Federline made his guest appearance in the Season 7 episode "Fannysmackin'", starring as a street hoodlum "Pig".

Ned Beatty made a guest appearance in the episode "Sweet Jane" in Season 7, playing a serial killing dentist.

Summer Glau of Firefly and Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles played Mandy Cooper in the Season 5 episode "What's Eating Gilbert Grissom?".

Carmine Giovinazzo, prior to becoming a regular on CSI: NY, made a guest appearance in "Revenge Is Best Served Cold", making him one of the several actors to be in all three CSI shows.

Juliette Goglia played Hannah West in two episodes, a child prodigy who muddied the waters in two murder cases her half-brother was involved in. Her cold, calculating actions made Sara Sidle rethink her career choice and she left at the end of the Season 8 episode "Goodbye and Good Luck". Sara left her duty vest for new CSI Ronnie Lake, after removing her name tag and throwing it into the garbage. The first appearance was in the episode "The Unusual Suspect" from Season 6.

Constance Marie played detective Carolina Flores in "Two and a Half Deaths" from Season 8.

Jamie Hyneman and Adam Savage of MythBusters appeared as scientists-observers in the Season 8 episode "The Theory of Everything".

Pauley Perrette plays as an aspiring singer who befriends Catherine Willows' husband in "Lady Heather's Box".

Ally Sheedy as Sharon Turner in Season 7 episode "Leapin' Lizards".

Method Man, as Drops, appeared in the episodes "Poppin' Tags", "Big Shots", "Drops Out", and "Pool Shark"

Travis Barker played a rapper also in the Season 6 episode "Poppin' Tags". Rapper Obie Trice and singer Akon make a cameo appearance in the same episode as themselves.

Shanna Moakler, former Miss USA, appeared in the same episode as now ex-husband Travis Barker.

Taylor Swift as Haley Jones in the Season 9 episode "Turn, Turn, Turn".

Holt McCallany was in the Season 9 episode "Young Man with a Horn". He previously played Det. John Hagen on CSI: Miami.

Carlos Alazraqui as a Reno cop in Season 9's "Let It Bleed" (a nod to his role in Reno 911!).

Vince Vieluf stars in three episodes, two as Connor Foster.

Allison Scagliotti-Smith, known for her roles in Drake & Josh and Warehouse 13, played fast food restaurant employee Gemma in the Season 9 episode "Deep Fried and Minty Fresh".

Wil Wheaton guest-starred as homeless murder suspect Walter in Season 5 episode "Compulsion".

Kellan Lutz played Chris Mullins in "Empty Eyes".

Willie Garson plays the "sexy kitty" in season 4's "Fur and Loathing".

D.B. Woodside from Buffy and the second President Palmer from 24 plays a convicted sex offender in the season 5 episode "Harvest".

Nana Visitor who plays Kira Nerys from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine appears as a wrongly convicted murderer's ex-wife in the fifth season episode "Mea Culpa".

Robia LaMorte, Buffy's Jenny Calendar played murder victim Joan Marks in season 2's "You've Got Male".

Courtney Jines from Spy Kids 3-D guest starred as Jessica Rachel Trent who killed an elderly woman for a cat. the sister of Jennette McCurdy, The episode was "Cats in the Cradle".

Jennette McCurdy from Nickelodeon's show iCarly guest starred as Jackie Trent, the sister of Courtney Jines The episode was "Cats in the Cradle", from season 2.

Cory Hardrict guest starred as Ross Davis, a character whose bike is stolen. The episode was "Early Rollout" from season 4.

Alan Tudyk (Wash from Firefly), plays Carl Fisher, a convicted sex offender in the seventh season episode "Burn Out".

Peter Stormare, the Cosmonaut from Armageddon, John Abruzzi from Prison Break, etc. appears as "Binky" the brothel owner in the seventh season episode "Ending Happy".

Anthony LaPaglia reprises his role as Without a Trace's Jack Malone in the episode "Who and What".

Jesse Plemons stars in the episode "Down the Drain".

Justin Bieber stars in the "Shock Waves" and "Targets of Obsession" in Season 11 as Jason McCann.

Sienna Guillory appeared as bomb-tech Kacey Monahan in "Shock Waves"

Henry Thomas appeared as Jeremy Kent in season 9 episode 21 "If I Had a Hammer..."

Ann-Margret appeared as Margot Wilton in season 11 episode 4 "Sqweegel".

Dita Von Teese appeared as Rita Von Squeeze/Agnes in season 11 episode 12 "A Kiss Before Frying".

Meredith Monroe, Dawson's Creek actress, appears as a nun in the seventh season episode "Double-Cross". Sean Patrick Flanery from Boondock Saints also appears in this episode as a used car salesman.

Castle

Both Seamus Dever and Jon Huertas appeared in season 6's "Bite me" and season 5 "Committed" respectively.

Two and a Half Men

stars Charlie Sheen, Jon Cryer, and Angus T. Jones cameo as themselves in "Two and a Half Deaths".

Battlestar Galactica

producer Ronald D. Moore along with Galactica actors Grace Park and Rekha Sharma, make cameo appearances in the 2009 episode "A Space Oddity". (The three appear in a science fiction convention scene, with Moore shouting angrily at a man while Park and Sharma play audience members). Another Galactica alumna, Kate Vernon, is a major guest star in the same episode. Tricia Helfer also appears as dead model "Ashleigh James" in the final episode of Season 2 "The Hunger Artist". Katee Sackhoff had a short lived role as LVPD Detective Frankie Reed in season 10.

Heroes

star Milo Ventimiglia played Bobby in the Season 1 episode "Friends & Lovers". Star Zachary Quinto, the villain Sylar, appears in the second season episode "Anatomy of a Lye" as Mitchell Sullivan, a greasy chop-shop attendant. Stephen Tobolowsky, Heroes' Bob Bishop, appears in the episode "Two and a Half Deaths".

The Office

co-stars John Krasinski, Rainn Wilson,and Melora Hardin have all made guest appearances: Krasinski in the Season 5 episode "Who Shot Sherlock"; Wilson appeared as a purse snatching thief in the Season 1 finale "The Strip Strangler"; snd Hardin appeared as the sports book manager in season 5's "Big Middle".

Lost

stars Ian Somerhalder, Josh Holloway, Elizabeth Mitchell, M.C. Gainey, Harold Perrineau and William Mapother have all guest starred. Somerhalder portrayed a murder suspect name Tony Del Nagro in Season 3's "Revenge Is Best Served Cold". In Season 4, Holloway played Kenny Richmond in "Assume Nothing", a casino valet who was Nick's college baseball teammate. Both episodes were the third and fourth season premieres respectively. Mitchell appeared as Melissa Winters, a wheelchair-bound prosecutor and friend of Sara's with a deadly secret in Season 3's "One Hit Wonder". M.C. Gainey was a deceased bounty hunter in the fourth season episode "Homebodies". Perrineau played a reverend with a sordid past and an exorcism patient who is missing in "Go To Hell" in Season 8. Mapother played a snuff film maker in the aptly named Season 3 episode "Snuff".

The Shield

Guest appearances have been made by no less than four cast members, namely: Catherine Dent (Danny) in "Who Shot Sherlock?" in Season 5 as Kay Marquette; Kenny Johnson (Lem) in "Time of Your Death" in Season 6 as Randy Bolen; Walton Goggins (Shane) in "Empty Eyes" in Season 7 as Marlon Frost; and Jay Karnes (Dutch) in "For Gedda" in Season 8 and "In a Dark, Dark House" in season 11 as IA Detective Wagenbach, sharing the name of his 'Shield' character.

See also

• List of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation cast members
• Minor characters in CSI: Crime Scene Investigation

Footnotes