Eric Close was born in Staten Island, New York but spent most of his youth in San Diego. He moved to Los Angeles to attend the University of Southern California, where he graduated in 1989 with a BA in Communications.

Interested in acting since childhood, he began seeking employment as a professional actor after graduation when a role in the stage production Rat Songs led to a linkup with an agent and offers of work.

Eric is currently featured in the hit CBS series Without A Trace playing FBI Agent Martin Fitzgerald, soon starting it's second season. He was seen as Alien Visitor John in Steven Spielberg's Taken on the SciFi channel in December 2002. In 1999, Eric played Michael Wiseman aka Michael Newman on the critically acclaimed series Now and Again and for the two seasons prior to that, he portrayed Vin Tanner in the western drama The Magnificent Seven on CBS. His regular series roles have also included portraying John Loengard in the paranormal drama Dark Skies and starring as Brick McKenna in McKenna. He had a recurring role in the final season of the long-running Sisters.

He has been in the television movies Follow the Stars Home, Without Consent, The Stranger Beside Me, Hercules and the Lost Kingdom, Long Island Fever and Keeping Secrets. Eric also played Sawyer Walker in the Emmy Award-winning daytime drama Santa Barbara.

His feature film work includes portraying a prison inmate in Edward James Olmos' American Me, Taking Liberty, Safe House, an American Film Institute production (short film), Alvarez & Cruz, The Sky is Falling and Liberty, Maine.

Eric Close is married and has two children.

Credit: barrettcorner.com