Emmy Magazine Reveals First 'CSI' Characters Draft

Emmy Magazine (via Elyse's) recently got the scoop on the first versions of the CSI characters.

The year's first issue of the magazine featured an interview with casting director April Weber, in which she revealed how the characters of CSI were first envisioned, how they evolved into their final versions, and how the roles were cast.

Some of the roles barely evolved at all. The character of Gil Grissom, who was originally known as Gil Sheinbaum, only went through a name change. Because the role had already been given to William Petersen, the agency did not receive a description of the character. Other roles, however, received full physical and personality make-overs. Here's how Weber's agency first came to know the characters of CSI:

• Catherine Willows, originally Catherine Bellows, was described as a woman in her mid 30s, ex-stripper turned CSI, and a single mother of two daughters, ages 3 and 5. "Catherine finds herself working the graveyard shift in a male dominated arena. Also, since she's the most senior woman in the department, Catherine is often asked to work the sexual assault cases on children. A tough job for a mother of two." When it came to casting the role of Catherine, the choice was clear: Marg Helgenberger was the only actress interviewed for the role. "Just a wonderful actress," Weber said.

• Nick Stokes, originally Nicky Ledee, started out in his late 20s, a stud out of Lincoln, Nebraska. "He's a guy's guy. Sporting dragon arm tattoos, a killer smile and an infectious way with people. Everybody loves Nick, including Catherine." The character later went through a make-over that turned him into a, "blonde and ripped, sporting a diamond-stud earring and several dragon tattoos." Nick was originally in a romantic entanglement with Catherine, but the relationship was written out.

  Casting the role of Nick wasn't easy, Webster admitted, until George Eads came along. Because of Eads, Nick's tattoos and earring disappeared and the character became the 'down-home hunk' he is now. Due to contract issues with the show Grapevine, however, Eads nearly lost the job. Luckily, both shows shared CBS as their home, and the actor was released off his contract to join CSI.

• Warrick Brown went through fewer renovations than his fellow CSIs. "Late 20s, is an African-America degenerate sports bettor who lives to be in the action. Warrick's interesting for two reasons: a) He's not a big fan of "guilty" white people. b) He makes more money betting on sports than he does being a CSI. Why? He's street smart and sharp as they come." Casting Warrick was easier, due to the large amount of young African American actors in Hollywood. "I think the final test was Allen Payne, Morris Chestnut and Gary Dourdan - that's pretty hefty competition. Dourdan got the role as much for his eyes as for the air of mystery and danger around him," said Weber. "He's got those light-colored eyes, but he also has something else... he's got stuff going on behind the eyes."

• Fans may remember Holly Gribbs from her fatal appearance in the Pilot. Originally a main character, Holly was described as, "Mid 20s, is fresh out of the Academy. Juiced by her mother, a Lieutenant in Traffic. Holly finds herself at odds with her new job before she even clocks in. One look at her and we know she's destined for disaster. Indeed, giving a girl like that a CSI job is like asking an alcoholic to tend bar." But the character was written out and Jorja Fox came in to portray Grissom's former student, Sara Sidle, of whom no description is available.

• Jim Brass didn't go through a name change alone, but a full geographical displacement as well. The character was originally called Captain Frank Myers: "Mid 50s, is a jaded son-of-a-bitch who's been stuck in Criminalistics far too long. He's got a Jersey temper and no filter in his mouth. His mission in life is to be promoted to Deputy Chief and make the lives of his investigators miserable." The description was later changed to, "A short New York in his late forties with a face that looks frozen in a perpetual frown," when Paul Guilfoyle was cast in the role. "What I love about Paul is that he has that very dry, sardonic New York quality where he doesn't have to be in your face; he shows with his contempt with a look," Weber said.

Webster also discussed the firings of Fox and Eads and the simple mechanics behind replacing actors. "I think whenever there's an inequity with the salaries, people begin to feel like they want to be part of the franchise. Dick Wolf of Law & Order has no problem replacing actors and John Levy of ER jokes that it means "Everyone's replaceable."

To visit Emmy Magazine's official site, click here. Thanks to Elyse for this!

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