Anthony Zuiker, Creator of CSI:

Story By Eirik Knutsen
Photography by Fernando Escovar

Anthony E. Zuiker's two-story, Spanish Mediterranean-style house sits unfettered on a green knoll only yards from the ninth hole at Las Vegas' exclusive Rio Secca Golf Course-one of Tiger Woods' favorite hangouts whenever he is in town. Just beyond the huge picture windows is a generous, sparkling L-shaped swimming pool; in the distance, the often snow-sprinkled peaks in the Sheep and Las Vegas Ranges, glitter in the brilliant shards of sun on an impossibly clear day. And not a day goes by without the 35-year-old Zuiker counting his blessings, sharing every nuance in a rich and varied life with his vivacious wife (his high school sweetheart), Jennifer, and their two rambunctious little boys. It wasn't always like this for one of the top creative forces in television today, the Creator-Executive Producer of the top rated drama series for the past two seasons, CSI:Crime Scene Investigation and its top 10 spin-off, CSI: Miami, plus the upcoming CSI: New York. Seven years ago, the view from his modest home was the blank stucco wall of the building next door.

Times were rather lean when the well-rounded and goateed scribe worked the graveyard shift at The Mirage Hotel & Casino as a tram operator-shuttling guests back and forth from the front door at TI for the princely sum of $8.50 per hour. It was well above the minimum wage, but not enough to attain the lifestyle to which he would like to become accustomed.

An only child, he spent years in his own fantasy world, writing short stories and creating more than 500 board games-none borne to fruition so far. He attended five colleges in three states on speech scholarships before settling down to earn his bachelor's degree in communications with a minor in philosophy from the University of Nevada Las Vegas in 1991. When jobs ranging from stock broker to advertising copywriter didn't seem too fulfilling, he bought "how-to" books on screen writing and cranked out his first feature script, The Runner, in 1998. It went straight to video, subsequent screenplays include the features Wanna-Be and The Harlem Globetrotters Story-plus the pilot for the original CSI show.

Today, Zuiker-who comes across as an extremely intelligent everyman-is already a legend in his home town, fueled by press exposure as one of the most successful TV producers alive. Very grateful, he makes sure to give back a good portion of his time, energy and fortune to Las Vegas' community activities and charity events. "But I commute between Vegas and a Los Angeles hotel room twice a week when we're shooting CSI, he sighs. "At home, I need all the space I can get, room to breathe and think."

When and how did your lives change when CSI: Crime Scene Investigation became reality?
My life changed for one reason. Billy Peterson said "yes". At the end of the day, he was the reason we got on the air. Watching the first cut of the CSI pilot, my wife and I knew that we had something special and our lives were going to change forever. Seeing the words on paper brought to life was a surreal experience. We never dreamt that the show would go on to be this big of a hit.

Now that you're financially secure, are you afraid of spoiling your children?
The richest gift I can give my children is the time together with my wife and me. Raising our children correctly is priority number one. As much as I don't want my children to struggle like I did, I want them to work hard and appreciate what they have.

What's a perfect day like in your lives?
Any Sunday, my wife and I ride our horses together. We have them boarded nearby. Then we play with the boys followed by some quiet time in the pool and watching sports on TV. My favorite way to relax is to play pinball on my own Lord of the Rings pinball machine. I couldn't afford to play pinball as a child, except when I'd raid my mother's purse to find nickels and dimes to convert them into quarters for the machines. I always wanted to own my own pinball machine as a kid, so when I could afford it I bought three. It's another childhood dream come true.

When it became apparent that success was assured, did you have something special in mind for your mother, and stepfather?
Yes, I talked it over with my wife and we agreed to retire them both as soon as possible. One night I walked into the small casino off the Strip where she worked as a floor person. I laid a check for the equivalent of a year's wages on the blackjack table and said, "This is for you." Almost speechless, she said, "What is this?" I said, "You're done with all the casinos," picked her up in my arms and carried her out. Gamblers were cheering all around us. It was an extremely emotional moment for both of us. Supporting my mother and stepfather for the rest of their lives means they never have to work again.

What inspired you to create CSI:Crime Scene Investigation for the CBS Network in the first place?
In 1998, my wife happened to be watching The New Detectives on the Discovery Channel and I found the real investigations very interesting. I began to study forensic science and soon discovered that the human body is a perfect specimen, so much so that skin, hair, blood, DNA, everything biological is designed to speak for a person who cannot.

How did you go about researching the CSI subject?
I called the Crime Lab in Las Vegas and talked to one of the supervisors, told him I was thinking about doing a TV show and that I wanted to do some research on their section. Then I rode along with real crime scene investigators through the streets of Las Vegas for five weeks. I saw real death, went to a couple of autopsies and began to pick peoples' brains on the subject. I learned very quickly that the true heroes were people in lab coats looking in microscopes.

Was it difficult to hook up with super-producer Jerry Bruckheimer?
I was fortunate enough to be introduced to Jerry Bruckheimer because he and his President of Television, Jonathan Littman, had read my script The Harlem Globetrotters. I pitched them CSI and the rest is history. Through Mr. Bruckheimer's guidance and wisdom, we attempted to bring his dynamic filmmaking style to television and create what we call "feature television" on CSI every week.