The Federal Bureau of Investigation

Widower.

She was killed ``in a shootout meant for me,'' he says in "The Animal," the show's first episode.

He had a daughter, Barbara, who attended American University in Washington, D.C. She is seen in the first few episodes of the series but the character was phased out.

He held a law degree. In a first-season episode, he ponders whether to join a law firm as an associate.

There is no creator credit. Norman Jolley wrote the first episode, "The Monster," in which we're told about Erskine being a widower and how his wife died. Charles Larson wrote the fourth episode, in which more background about Erskine is revealed, including the fact he got married at a young age. Barbara Erskine observes at 19 she is older than her father was when he got married. Larson also was the first-season producer and Jolley was the first-season associate producer, so presumably they had a lot of input.

"Field offices," Erskine says in the first episode in response to a question. In the show, we're told Erskine is the agency's top investigator. He is assigned cases directly by Assistant Director Arthur Ward. Erskine works across the United States, along with a partner.

Jim Rhodes (seasons 1-2), Tom Colby (seasons 3-8) and Chris Daniels (season 9).