Sid Hammerback
Encyclopedia
Dr. Sid Hammerback, M.D. is a fictional character
on the CBS
crime drama CSI: NY
, portrayed by Robert Joy
.
described as an "off-the-charts genius" who traded in a career as a chef to become a medical examiner, although in episode 509, "The Box", he states that he has been working in the same position for 29 years and 4,846 cases. He has a habit of overtalking and oversharing, and has offered commentary on such unusual behaviors as threesome
s and necrophilia
–much to the unease of predecessor Sheldon Hawkes
, who, in one episode, refers to Sid's commentary as "going to that creepy place" (episode 301, "People With Money"). Despite any eccentricities on his part, Hammerback sincerely cares for the well-being of his coworkers; he invited Mac Taylor
to join his family for their Thanksgiving festivities so the taciturn CSI would not have to spend another holiday alone. He has apparently either known or worked with Mac, Hawkes, and ME Peyton Driscoll for an unspecified number of years (episode 205, "Dancing with the Fishes"). He is also known to be hardworking, as shown in episode 707, "Hide Sight", where he returns to work immediately despite having been sent to the ER after being exposed to an exploding bullet during an autopsy.
Hammerback nearly dies from a severe allergic reaction to a meatball gyros sandwich he ate in episode 317, "The Ride-In", and is saved by the timely intervention of Stella Bonasera
, who administers rescue breathing, CPR, and a shot of epinephrine
from the first aid kit. When Stella expresses concern that she may have exposed him to HIV
, he comforts her, more worried about her own emotional well-being. "I'm sorry I scared you," he tells her contritely. In episode 502, "Page Turner", he nearly dies once again, this time from prolonged contact with a murder victim who had died of radiation poisoning. However, he undergoes heavy treatment at the hospital and is shown to be fine at the end of the episode, with a few of his friends and co-workers visiting him.
Hammerback, American of partial Lithuania
n ancestry from one of his grandmothers (episode 519, "Communication Breakdown"), is currently married with two daughters, one about college age (episode 302, "Not What It Looks Like"; episode 317, "The Ride In"). Sid has been divorced at least once (episode 304, "Hung Out to Dry") and celebrated by getting incredibly drunk and falling down a flight of stairs, though he claims he "didn't feel a thing". In episode 418, "Admissions," he mentions to Mac that he occasionally holds a curiosity for what it would be like to take a swig of hydrofluoric acid
. When Mac jokingly responds that he himself wonders about doing a live autopsy on himself, Sid genuinely agrees before realizing, slightly crestfallen, that Mac is messing with him. In episode 419, "Personal Foul," he mentions that he enjoys fencing, and in episode 519, "Communication Breakdown", it is shown that he understands and speaks at least some very small degree of Lithuanian. His level of fluency is unknown.
He was close friends with former coroner Marty Pino and his wife, Anabel, and was the one who convinced the two to marry (episode 518, "Point of No Return"). He also had the task of firing Pino after he was found forging overtime slips to aid his gambling and debt problems. He was visibly upset when Anabel was murdered, finding himself unable to conduct the autopsy on her. He also stopped a suicidal Pino, when he was about to be arrested for running drugs and creating heroin from peoples' bodies, a practice which led to Anabel's death, by turning up unexpectedly at the scene of the arrest. Sid asks Pino how many victims there were and is struck with horror as he hears the number, which the viewer never finds out, and asks the police to "get him out of my sight".
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
on the CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
crime drama CSI: NY
CSI: NY
CSI: NY is an American police procedural television series that premiered on September 22, 2004, on CBS. The show follows the investigations of a team of NYPD forensic scientists and police officers as they unveil the circumstances behind mysterious and unusual deaths as well as other crimes...
, portrayed by Robert Joy
Robert Joy
Robert Joy is a Canadian actor. He is best known for his role as Dr. Sid Hammerback in CSI: NY and playing Charlie in Land of the Dead.-Early life:...
.
Background
Known for the breakaway reading glasses he uses in the morgue (thought to be CliC reading glasses), Hammerback is a New York City Medical ExaminerMedical examiner
A medical examiner is a medically qualified government officer whose duty is to investigate deaths and injuries that occur under unusual or suspicious circumstances, to perform post-mortem examinations, and in some jurisdictions to initiate inquests....
described as an "off-the-charts genius" who traded in a career as a chef to become a medical examiner, although in episode 509, "The Box", he states that he has been working in the same position for 29 years and 4,846 cases. He has a habit of overtalking and oversharing, and has offered commentary on such unusual behaviors as threesome
Threesome
A threesome is a group of three engaged in the same activity. In relation to a sexual activity a threesome refer to the activity involving three people of any gender or sexual orientation...
s and necrophilia
Necrophilia
Necrophilia, also called thanatophilia or necrolagnia, is the sexual attraction to corpses,It is classified as a paraphilia by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of the American Psychiatric Association. The word is artificially derived from the ancient Greek words: νεκρός and φιλία...
–much to the unease of predecessor Sheldon Hawkes
Sheldon Hawkes
Dr. Sheldon Hawkes is a fictional character on the CBS crime drama CSI: NY, portrayed by Hill Harper. He was originally the sultry voiced Medical Examiner during the first season, but moves into the field in the start of the second season, much to the initial surprise of head CSI Mac...
, who, in one episode, refers to Sid's commentary as "going to that creepy place" (episode 301, "People With Money"). Despite any eccentricities on his part, Hammerback sincerely cares for the well-being of his coworkers; he invited Mac Taylor
Mac Taylor
Mckenna "Mac" Boyd Taylor II is a fictional character and the protagonist on the CBS crime drama CSI: NY, portrayed by Gary Sinise. Andy García was originally offered the lead role, a character who would have been named Detective Rick Calucci...
to join his family for their Thanksgiving festivities so the taciturn CSI would not have to spend another holiday alone. He has apparently either known or worked with Mac, Hawkes, and ME Peyton Driscoll for an unspecified number of years (episode 205, "Dancing with the Fishes"). He is also known to be hardworking, as shown in episode 707, "Hide Sight", where he returns to work immediately despite having been sent to the ER after being exposed to an exploding bullet during an autopsy.
Hammerback nearly dies from a severe allergic reaction to a meatball gyros sandwich he ate in episode 317, "The Ride-In", and is saved by the timely intervention of Stella Bonasera
Stella Bonasera
Stella Bonasera is a fictional character and protagonist on the CBS crime drama CSI: NY, portrayed by actress Melina Kanakaredes prior to season 7, at which point the character was written out of the show due to Kanakaredes not renewing her contract...
, who administers rescue breathing, CPR, and a shot of epinephrine
Epinephrine
Epinephrine is a hormone and a neurotransmitter. It increases heart rate, constricts blood vessels, dilates air passages and participates in the fight-or-flight response of the sympathetic nervous system. In chemical terms, adrenaline is one of a group of monoamines called the catecholamines...
from the first aid kit. When Stella expresses concern that she may have exposed him to HIV
HIV
Human immunodeficiency virus is a lentivirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome , a condition in humans in which progressive failure of the immune system allows life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive...
, he comforts her, more worried about her own emotional well-being. "I'm sorry I scared you," he tells her contritely. In episode 502, "Page Turner", he nearly dies once again, this time from prolonged contact with a murder victim who had died of radiation poisoning. However, he undergoes heavy treatment at the hospital and is shown to be fine at the end of the episode, with a few of his friends and co-workers visiting him.
Hammerback, American of partial Lithuania
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
n ancestry from one of his grandmothers (episode 519, "Communication Breakdown"), is currently married with two daughters, one about college age (episode 302, "Not What It Looks Like"; episode 317, "The Ride In"). Sid has been divorced at least once (episode 304, "Hung Out to Dry") and celebrated by getting incredibly drunk and falling down a flight of stairs, though he claims he "didn't feel a thing". In episode 418, "Admissions," he mentions to Mac that he occasionally holds a curiosity for what it would be like to take a swig of hydrofluoric acid
Hydrofluoric acid
Hydrofluoric acid is a solution of hydrogen fluoride in water. It is a valued source of fluorine and is the precursor to numerous pharmaceuticals such as fluoxetine and diverse materials such as PTFE ....
. When Mac jokingly responds that he himself wonders about doing a live autopsy on himself, Sid genuinely agrees before realizing, slightly crestfallen, that Mac is messing with him. In episode 419, "Personal Foul," he mentions that he enjoys fencing, and in episode 519, "Communication Breakdown", it is shown that he understands and speaks at least some very small degree of Lithuanian. His level of fluency is unknown.
He was close friends with former coroner Marty Pino and his wife, Anabel, and was the one who convinced the two to marry (episode 518, "Point of No Return"). He also had the task of firing Pino after he was found forging overtime slips to aid his gambling and debt problems. He was visibly upset when Anabel was murdered, finding himself unable to conduct the autopsy on her. He also stopped a suicidal Pino, when he was about to be arrested for running drugs and creating heroin from peoples' bodies, a practice which led to Anabel's death, by turning up unexpectedly at the scene of the arrest. Sid asks Pino how many victims there were and is struck with horror as he hears the number, which the viewer never finds out, and asks the police to "get him out of my sight".
External links
- CSI: NY at CBSCBSCBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
- Dr. Sid Hammerback at the Internet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...