Eric Close


Actor

About

Birth Place
Staten Island, New York, USA
Born
May 24, 1967

Biography

A blue-eyed, light brown-haired, sweetly-good looking young male lead of mostly TV projects in the 1990s, Eric Close appeared as Sawyer Walker in the waning days of the NBC soap opera "Santa Barbara," then played Chad Everett's industrious son in the short-lived 1994 ABC series "McKenna." By 1996, Close was starring in the NBC series "Dark Skies" as the male half of a couple on the run f...

Family & Companions

Keri Close
Wife
Former social worker. Born c. 1969; married c. 1994.
Keri Close
Wife
Had five children.

Biography

A blue-eyed, light brown-haired, sweetly-good looking young male lead of mostly TV projects in the 1990s, Eric Close appeared as Sawyer Walker in the waning days of the NBC soap opera "Santa Barbara," then played Chad Everett's industrious son in the short-lived 1994 ABC series "McKenna." By 1996, Close was starring in the NBC series "Dark Skies" as the male half of a couple on the run from aliens who pass through the events of the 60s.

Close had been acting on stage in amateur productions since he was in elementary school, then performed on stage in Los Angeles after leaving USC. In 1991, he made his TV debut in an episode of "McGyver" (ABC) and his TV-movie debut playing Suzanne Somers' brother in "Keeping Secrets" (ABC), the story of her alcohol-soaked, dysfunctional family. The next year, Close appeared on two episodes of "Major Dad" while also playing the regular role on "Santa Barbara." In 1995, he appeared in several episodes of "Sisters" (NBC), as a male friend who inspires the daughter of one of the sisters to become a cop. Close has played leads in a couple of TV-movies: he was Jennie Garth's sympathetic brother in "Without Concept" (ABC, 1994) and a serial rapist in "The Stranger Beside Me" (ABC, 1995).

After "Dark Skies" Close was routinely tapped to carry fledgling primetime series, including a 1998 TV version of "The Magnificent Seven" and the quirky, criticaly admired "Now and Again" (CBS, 1999), in which he played a genetically gifted body housing the brain of an every day man (intially played by John Goodman) who finds himself serving as a secret agent. Close hit TV paydirt when he was cast as Martin Fitzgerald on the popular missing persons investigation series "Without a Trace" (CBS, 2002 - ) and scored as the alien visitor John in the SciFi Channel's hit alien abduction miniseries "Taken" (2002).

Close was slower in becoming established in features. He played a small role as a juvenile hall tough in "American Me" (1992), and also appeared in "Safe House," a 1992 American Film Institute production. He'd later appear in the comedy "The Sky Is Falling" (2000) opposite Deedee Pfiefer and the romance "Liberty, Maine" (2001).

Life Events

1991

Made episodic TV debut in "McGyver"

1991

TV-movie debut, "Keeping Secrets"

1992

Appeared as regular on NBC soap opera "Santa Barbara"

1992

Made feature film debut in "American Me"

1994

Was regular on short-lived "McKenna" series (ABC)

1995

Had recurring role on "Sisters" (NBC)

1996

Starred in NBC series "Dark Skies"

1998

Was part of the ensemble of the CBS drama "The Magnificent Seven"

2002

Co-starred in the television drama "Without A Trace"

Family

Frederick Close
Father
Actor.
Frederick Close
Father
Orthopedic surgeon. Born c. 1939.
Eva Close
Mother
Worked in advertising, also writer, painter.
Eva Close
Mother
Saleswoman. Born c. 1943.
Randy Close
Brother
Has three.
Randy Close
Brother
Born c. 1970.
Chris Close
Brother
Had three; survived him.
Chris Close
Brother
Born c. 1972.
Katie Close
Daughter
Had two; survived her.
Katie Close
Daughter
Born in November 1998.

Companions

Keri Close
Wife
Former social worker. Born c. 1969; married c. 1994.
Keri Close
Wife
Had five children.

Bibliography