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Revision as of 05:25, 19 February 2006 by 68.163.235.44 (talk)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)Gilbert (Gil) Arthur Grissom, Ph.D. (August 17, 1956 - ) is a fictional character featured on the TV crime drama CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. Grissom is played by William Petersen, who is also one of the show's producers.
Grissom is the nightshift supervisor of the Las Vegas CSI team. He is also a forensic entomologist who earned his degree in biology from UCLA. Because of this knowledge (and his ability to apply it to his investigations), Grissom has been nicknamed "The Bug Man."
The character has strong tendencies toward ethics, logic and deduction. His dispassionate demeanor and high intellect often work to his advantage in his job. However, his avoidance of job politics and sometimes poor interpersonal skills can alienate his superiors and subordinates. He is never disturbed by the various subcultures with which his job brings him into contact. He hates abusive husbands and drug dealers who "deal death to kids." He is also the least trigger happy CSI member, rarely drawing his firearm.
Grissom's mother was deaf; because of this, he knows sign language. He has inherited his mother's otosclerosis, a disease which was causing him to go deaf slowly, but he underwent corrective surgery.
Grissom's hobbies include his work, cockroach racing, reading, solving crossword puzzles, and riding roller coasters.
Little is known about Grissom's past or personal life. He grew up in Marina Del Rey, California. His father, a botanist, died when he was nine years old, most likely from a heat stroke. He says that in high school, he was a "ghost." He was raised to believe in the Roman Catholic Church, but later said, "That guilt's not a part of my life anymore."
In as much as Grissom confides to anyone, he confides in Catherine Willows. He once obliquely likened her to "his wife." He has a largely unspoken attraction to Sara Sidle. He has supported Warrick Brown through several brushes with the law.
Grissom is named after astronaut Gus Grissom; originally intended to be named Gil Scheinbaum, William Petersen changed the name because of his admiration for Grissom.
Despite the Grissom character being from the West Coast, he has a somewhat noticeable Chicago accent. (Petersen is from Chicago.)
Grissom keeps a variety of specimens in his office, including a radiated fetal pig and a tarantula. He also has a fish-shaped bulletin board on which unsolved cases go ("the ones that got away.") In keeping with the fish theme, he has a Big Mouth Billy Bass over the door to his office, claiming that it's "better than a watchdog."
Grissom is extremely knowledgeable about literature, in particular the Sherlock Holmes stories and novels.
His full name is 'Gilbert Grissom'. However, most people refer to him as Grissom and call him as such when speaking to him, he is also often called 'Gris', usually by Warrick Brown; only Catherine and Dr. Al Robbins regularly refer to him as 'Gil'.
His health not only consists of the recently repaired otosclerosis, but the occasional migraine, which he has prescription medication for.
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