# Eric Close
**Eric Close** is an American actor, director, and producer, born in 1967, whose best-known television roles are FBI agent Martin Fitzgerald on the CBS missing-persons drama *Without a Trace* (2002–2009) and Teddy Conrad on the ABC country-music drama *Nashville* (2012–2015).[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/eric-close/) • [2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0167086) His full name is Eric Randolph Close.[3](https://www.behindthename.com/namesakes/67771)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1967, Staten Island, New York; full name Eric Randolph Close[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/eric-close/) • [3](https://www.behindthename.com/namesakes/67771) |
| Education | B.A. in communications, University of Southern California, 1989[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0167086) |
| Signature role | Martin Fitzgerald, FBI agent on *Without a Trace* (CBS, 2002–2009), seven seasons[4](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/close-eric-1967) |
| Other series leads | *Dark Skies* (1996), *The Magnificent Seven* (1998), *Now and Again* (1999), *Nashville* (2012)[4](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/close-eric-1967) • [2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0167086) |
| Directing | First actor allowed to direct on any Jerry Bruckheimer television production; later directed Hallmark Christmas films including *Christmas at Graceland* (2018)[5](https://www.thelist.com/820787/eric-close-discusses-starring-in-the-mulligan-life-in-a-pandemic-and-more-exclusive-interview/) • [2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0167086) |
| Family | Married Keri Moyers in 1995; two daughters, Katie and Ella[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0167086) |
## Early life and education
Close was born on [Staten Island](https://www.edgepedia.org/staten-island), New York, to an orthopedic surgeon father and an artist mother, and is the eldest of three brothers.[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0167086) He grew up in San Diego.[6](https://www.allocine.fr/personne/fichepersonne-104449/biographie/) He acted on stage in amateur productions from elementary school onward, and earned a B.A. in communications from the [University of Southern California](https://www.edgepedia.org/university-of-southern-california) in 1989.[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/eric-close/) • [2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0167086) After leaving USC he performed on stage in Los Angeles, auditioned, and worked in commercials before his first screen role.[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/eric-close/) • [6](https://www.allocine.fr/personne/fichepersonne-104449/biographie/)
In interviews he has spoken of his Christian faith: he attended Christian Junior High School in San Diego, where he first came to faith at age 13.[7](https://mastermedia.com/articles/eric-close/)
## Television career in the 1990s
Close's television debut came in 1991 with an episode of *MacGyver*, followed by a television-movie debut playing [Suzanne Somers](https://www.edgepedia.org/suzanne-somers)' brother in *Keeping Secrets* (ABC), the story of her alcohol-affected family.[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/eric-close/) In 1992 he joined the NBC soap opera *Santa Barbara* as Sawyer Walker in the series' final period, and appeared in two episodes of *Major Dad* the same year.[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/eric-close/) • [4](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/close-eric-1967)
A run of short-lived series roles followed: Brick McKenna in the 1994 ABC series *McKenna*, a recurring part as Billy Griffin on *[Sisters](https://www.edgepedia.org/sisters-american-tv-series)* in 1995, then the male lead as John Loengard in the NBC science-fiction series *Dark Skies* (1996–97), in which he played the male half of a couple pursued by aliens through the events of the 1960s.[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/eric-close/) • [4](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/close-eric-1967) He next played Vin Tanner, the role [Steve McQueen](https://www.edgepedia.org/steve-mcqueen) had played in the 1960 film, in the CBS western series *The Magnificent Seven* (1998–99), and Michael Wiseman in the CBS series *Now and Again* (1999–2000), in which a genetically gifted body houses the brain of an everyday man.[4](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/close-eric-1967) • [1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/eric-close/)
By a 2002 [TV Guide](https://www.edgepedia.org/tv-guide) count, *Without a Trace* was Close's seventh television series, and his first six had not survived past season one; the FBI missing-persons drama, scheduled against the top-rated *ER* on Thursday nights, held steadily in second place.[8](https://www.tvguide.com/news/traces-eric-close-38839/)
## Without a Trace and Taken
In 2002 Close was cast as Martin Fitzgerald, the youngest member of the FBI task force in *Without a Trace* on CBS, a [Jerry Bruckheimer](https://www.edgepedia.org/jerry-bruckheimer) production, and stayed with the show through its seventh and final season in 2009.[6](https://www.allocine.fr/personne/fichepersonne-104449/biographie/) • [4](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/close-eric-1967) The series earned a Golden Globe nomination for best ensemble cast.[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0167086) In the same year he played the alien visitor John in the Sci Fi Channel miniseries *[Taken](https://www.edgepedia.org/taken-miniseries)*, a Golden Globe-nominated production executive produced by [Steven Spielberg](https://www.edgepedia.org/steven-spielberg).[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/eric-close/) • [2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0167086)
Close said the subject matter changed his own habits: working on the show had made him much more aware of his surroundings, and he kept a closer eye on his children.[9](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/behind-the-scenes-on-without-a-trace/)
## Later roles and directing
After *Without a Trace* ended, Close appeared in the first season of *American Horror Story* as Hugo Langdon, played the recurring lawyer Travis Tanner on *Suits* across several seasons, and joined [Bradley Cooper](https://www.edgepedia.org/bradley-cooper) in [Clint Eastwood](https://www.edgepedia.org/clint-eastwood)'s *American Sniper* (2014) as DIA Agent Snead.[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0167086) • [6](https://www.allocine.fr/personne/fichepersonne-104449/biographie/) He also guested on *Criminal Minds* and *Law & Order: Special Victims Unit*.[10](https://www.metacritic.com/person/eric-close/)
In *Nashville*, the ABC series created by Oscar-winning writer [Callie Khouri](https://www.edgepedia.org/callie-khouri), Close played Teddy Conrad, the estranged husband of [Connie Britton](https://www.edgepedia.org/connie-britton)'s character and, later, a mayor imprisoned for embezzlement of public funds.[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0167086) • [11](https://www.allocine.fr/article/fichearticle_gen_carticle%3D1000214288.html)
**Directing.** Close had long sought to move behind the camera. As a series lead on *Without a Trace* he shadowed directors, spent time in the editing room, and kept asking until the production relented; he describes himself as the first actor on any Jerry Bruckheimer television production to be allowed to direct.[5](https://www.thelist.com/820787/eric-close-discusses-starring-in-the-mulligan-life-in-a-pandemic-and-more-exclusive-interview/) He directed episodes of *Without a Trace* and *Nashville*, and between 2018 and 2021 signed five Christmas telefilms for Hallmark, including *Christmas at Graceland* (2018), Hallmark's highest-rated Christmas film, and the Hallmark Hall of Fame movie *A Christmas Love Story* (2019), which he directed and acted in alongside [Kristin Chenoweth](https://www.edgepedia.org/kristin-chenoweth) and [Scott Wolf](https://www.edgepedia.org/scott-wolf).[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0167086) • [11](https://www.allocine.fr/article/fichearticle_gen_carticle%3D1000214288.html)
## Recent work
Close starred as Paul McAllister in the 2022 faith-and-golf film *The Mulligan*, a project he took after the story's themes of hope, redemption, and second chances resonated with him during a round of golf with one of its producers.[5](https://www.thelist.com/820787/eric-close-discusses-starring-in-the-mulligan-life-in-a-pandemic-and-more-exclusive-interview/) He then starred in *Average Joe* (2024), portraying Coach Joe Kennedy, whose practice of praying after high-school football games sparked national controversy.[12](https://johnolearyinspires.com/podcast/archive/eric-close/) His most recent listed project is the 2025 holiday film *All Is Merry & Bright*, opposite Emily Rose, directed by Cory Edwards.[11](https://www.allocine.fr/article/fichearticle_gen_carticle%3D1000214288.html)
During the COVID-19 pandemic Close left Los Angeles for Oregon, citing a quieter life and access to the outdoors.[5](https://www.thelist.com/820787/eric-close-discusses-starring-in-the-mulligan-life-in-a-pandemic-and-more-exclusive-interview/) He married Keri Moyers in 1995; the couple have two daughters, Katie and Ella.[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0167086)
## References
1. [Eric Close – Actor, TV Insider](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/eric-close/)
2. [Eric Close (I) – IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0167086)
3. [Eric Close – Behind the Name](https://www.behindthename.com/namesakes/67771)
4. [Close, Eric 1967– – Encyclopedia.com, Contemporary Theatre, Film and Television](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/close-eric-1967)
5. [Eric Close Discusses Starring In The Mulligan, Life In A Pandemic, And More – Exclusive Interview, The List](https://www.thelist.com/820787/eric-close-discusses-starring-in-the-mulligan-life-in-a-pandemic-and-more-exclusive-interview/)
6. [Eric Close : Sa biographie - AlloCiné](https://www.allocine.fr/personne/fichepersonne-104449/biographie/)
7. [Eric Close – Mastermedia International](https://mastermedia.com/articles/eric-close/)
8. [Without a Trace's Eric Close: Cursed No More! – TV Guide](https://www.tvguide.com/news/traces-eric-close-38839/)
9. [Behind The Scenes On 'Without A Trace' – CBS News](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/behind-the-scenes-on-without-a-trace/)
10. [Eric Close – Metacritic](https://www.metacritic.com/person/eric-close/)
11. [Que devient Eric Close, visage des années 2000 avec FBI Portés disparus et Nashville ? – AlloCiné](https://www.allocine.fr/article/fichearticle_gen_carticle%3D1000214288.html)
12. [Eric Close: Balancing Faith, Family and a Hollywood Career – John O'Leary, Live Inspired Podcast](https://johnolearyinspires.com/podcast/archive/eric-close/)
---
*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of the Anglosphere and Europe › American actors: 1970s to 1990s › Surnames C to Cl*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license