He's Not Just The 'CSI' Coroner

Millions of fans tune in every week to figure out whodunit on "CSI," which combines a powerful ensemble cast with cutting-edge forensic technology. Robert David Hall plays the show's unflappable medical examiner, Dr. Al Robbins.

Having been with the show from its first season, Hall tells The Early Show co-anchor Rene Syler that the cast and crew make the show successful.

He says, "It's like the Pentagon, a super creative Pentagon. We have great chemistry in our cast, and our writers and producers are amazing. Everybody does their job really well."

The show is in its fourth season. with nearly 30 million viewers, Hall says. But there has been some criticism for its sometimes very graphic display of crime scene investigations.

Hall explains, "Say the bullet entered the ear and came out the buttocks or something and suddenly you see this wonderful graphic. My wife, Judy, is one of those people. She'll turn her head, but she'll still be there to watch it and, fortunately, there are many millions who want to be there for the -- it's not all gore. I think it's solving the mystery."

And it has made science look cool. Hall notes, "I think the show has helped sort of regenerate an interest in science. People tell us all of the time their kids are taking science courses and we're glad to hear that."

It is hard to tell but 25 years ago, David Hall spent almost 8 months in a burn ward. A car crash left him without legs and burned on 65 percent of his body.

Hall says, "I walk on two leg prosthesis. The wonderful thing about 'CSI' is they didn't hire me because I'm disabled or in spite of it. I had to go through the process that any actor does and as a person with a disability, it's great to be employed, great to be doing what I love doing, which is acting, and it's great to be involved in such a success. So I feel like in a small way, I help represent the best of what people with disabilities can do."

Recalling that accident, he says, "I'm an ex-radio guy and I think just yapping is part of what we do. There was a time during the accident when I believed I would stay alive if I kept talking. And thank God for some great paramedics and firefighters who scraped my poor body off the freeway and got me to the medical center."

In fact, during The Early Show's Week of Wishes, a young lady who is a firefighter wanted to play a part on "CSI," and Hall took time to thank her.

He says, "She was wonderful. I'm sitting here talking to you and having a wonderful time in New York because paramedics and firefighters did their job well and I try to do my job well. I think that's what we're all here to do is the best we can."

Today, Hall is the national chairman for Screen Actors Guild Performance with Disability Committee.

He says, "I was proud to be a national board member for SAG last year and this year as the national chair for the Performance with Disabilities. As an actor, you get a chance to audition. It's up to you to do a good job. But what we do is sort of a microcosm of people with disabilities. There are 54 million in America and 32 percent of physically and mentally disabled people work as opposed to 81 percent of the rest of the population. So there is a huge gap that we need to work on and I'm trying to do what I can with performers and perhaps inspire a little bit outside of our ranks."

You can catch "CSI" on Thursday nights at 10 p.m./ET, 9 p.m./Central on CBS.