Griesemer was born and brought up in New Jersey. While working for a newspaper in Lebanon, New Hampshire, was sent on assignment to cover a local theatre company. The director talked him into auditioning for a play, and he got hooked. He worked for that local theatre company for two years, playing everything from Romeo in "Romeo and Juliet" to children's theater. He worked in Vermont with playwright Peter Parnell - performing in the first workshop production of Parnell's play, "Scooter Thomas Makes It to the Top of the World." Griesemer moved to New York in 1977 and studied with legendary acting teacher Robert Lewis. He met his wife, Faith Catlin, there - she was in another class - and they now live in New Hampshire with their two children. He is the author of two novels, "No One Thinks of Greenland" and "Signal & Noice," both published by PicadorUSA.