PALEY CENTER FOR MEDIA, THE: PALEYFEST FALL TV PREVIEWS 2015: SPECIAL EVENT: CSI FAREWELL SALUTE {LONG VERSION}
Summary
One in a series of seminars presented as part of The Paley Center for Media's 2015 Fall Preview PALEYFEST events in Los Angeles. This evening bids farewell to "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation," the popular and long-running series of hour-long police dramas following the macabre exploits of a team of forensic criminalistics experts in downtown Las Vegas. Host Maureen Reidy (president and CEO, The Paley Center for Media) offers opening remarks and introduces creator and executive producer Anthony E. Zuiker. Zuiker comments on his memories of the show's early days, noting that the pilot was his first-ever television script, and then introduces a clip package featuring scenes and memorable moments from the show's fifteen seasons.
After the clips, Lynette Rice (television writer, Entertainment Weekly) moderates the following panelists: Zuiker; executive producers Jonathan Littman, Ann Donahue; Carol Mendelsohn and Jerry Bruckheimer; and cast members David Berman (David Phillips), Jon Wellner (Henry Andrews), Wallace Langham (David Hodges), Elisabeth Harnois (Morgan Brody), Robert David Hall (Al Robbins), Paul Guilfoyle (Jim Brass), Jorja Fox (Sara Sidle), William Petersen (Gil Grissom), Marg Helgenberger (Catherine Willows), Ted Danson (D.B. Russell), and Eric Szmanda (Greg Sanders).
The conversation touches on such topics as: Zuiker's humble beginnings as a tram driver in Los Angeles and inspiration for the show by a TV report about the murder of model Linda Sobek; why Bruckheimer took a chance on the high-energy "nobody" and his intriguing series pitch; the decision to avoid focusing on the characters' personal lives, apart from some hints about Grissom's love life; the cast members' first impressions of one another and enjoyable work relationships; Petersen's interest in appearing in the upcoming series finale movie, "Immortality," set to air on September 27, and his desire to reconnect with the actors and characters after departing the show in 2009; Fox's sense that the stubborn, hard-working Sidle is the character most disliked by fans; and many fans' desire for a romantic relationship between Willows and Grissom and the actors' sense that they were more of a platonic "old married couple."
Questions from the audience then lead to a discussion of the following topics, among others: amusing memories of the two-part fifth-season finale "Grave Danger," directed by Quentin Tarantino; Taylor Swift's appearance in the season nine episode "Turn, Turn, Turn" and her kindness to her young fans; praise for real-life forensic pathologist, show consultant and "storyteller" Elizabeth Devine; Hodges' sole "perfect day" and active romantic life; Danson and Berman's startling experience assisting with a real autopsy; Petersen's trip to a pathologists' conference in New Orleans and the scientists' gratitude for the show's positive effect on their "cool factor"; how real courtroom juries now expect extremely detailed and useful forensic evidence because of the show; Hall's experience receiving a grisly "murder book," which he then turned over to Mendelsohn, from an FBI agent; and the cast and crew's longtime commitment to impressing and entertaining their loyal viewers.
Details
- NETWORK: N/A
- DATE: November 30, 1999 7:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 1:00:56
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: 123878
- GENRE: Seminars
- SUBJECT HEADING: N/A
- SERIES RUN: N/A
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Maureen Reidy … Host
- Lynette Rice … Moderator
- Anthony Zuiker … Panelist
- Jon Wellner … Panelist
- David Berman … Panelist
- Jonathan Littman … Panelist
- Ann Donahue … Panelist
- Carol Mendelsohn … Panelist
- Wallace Langham … Panelist
- Elisabeth Harnois … Panelist
- Robert David Hall … Panelist
- Paul Guilfoyle … Panelist
- Jorja Fox … Panelist
- William Petersen … Panelist
- Marg Helgenberger … Panelist
- Ted Danson … Panelist
- Eric Szmanda … Panelist
- Jerry Bruckheimer … Panelist
- Elizabeth Devine
- Linda Sobek
- Taylor Swift
- Quentin Tarantino