Gary Dourdan -- Getting Killed Off 'CSI' Left My Finances DOA

Former "CSI" star Gary Dourdan has a really great excuse for filing for bankruptcy -- his residual checks from the show just ain't what they used to be ... this according to legal docs.

Gary filed new docs this week in his ongoing Chapter 11 case. It's all part of the bankruptcy process, where he explains how he got into this dire financial situation -- i.e. being in the hole to creditors a cool $1.73 million.

Here are a few highlights:

-- Gary says he went broke all thanks to "diminished payment of residuals" from "CSI."

-- The "CSI" checks drying up also caused him to default on his two mortgages.

-- His current goal is to rebuild his his career (and his bank account) with "pending involvement as an actor in two movie productions." That's it.