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Mary Marg Helgenberger (born
November 16, 1958 in Fremont, Nebraska) is an American film and television
actress, perhaps best known for her roles as Catherine Willows in the CBS
drama CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, and as K.C. Koloski in the ABC drama
China Beach, which earned her the 1990 Emmy Award for Outstanding
Supporting Actress in a Drama Series.
Marg (pronounced with a hard "G," unlike the name Marge) Helgenberger is
the daughter of Kay, a nurse, and Hugh Helgenberger, a meat inspector. She
is of Irish and German descent and had a Roman Catholic upbringing. Marg
has one older sister named Ann and a younger brother named Curt. One of
her first jobs, as a teenager, was spending her summers and her Christmas
breaks working as a "deboner" at the meat packing plant where her father
was employed. Helgenberger played the French horn in her high school
(North Bend Central High School) marching band. Until she went to college,
Helgenberger wanted to be a nurse like her mother. Marg attended Kearney
State College (now the University of Nebraska at Kearney) in Kearney,
Neb., then attended Northwestern University's School of Speech in
Evanston, Illinois (now the School of Communication) and earned a B.S.
degree in Speech and Drama.
Originally planning to be a nurse like her mother, Helgenberger got her
start as a nightly local news weather girl in her hometown Nebraska (her
name was changed by the producer to Margi McCarty) and as a meat boner at
the meat packing plant her father was working at during the day. After
portraying the role of Blanche Dubois in a university production of A
Streetcar Named Desire, she was bitten by the acting bug.
While performing in a summer of 1981 NU campus productions of
Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew, in which she played Kate, Marg was
spotted by a scout for the TV soap opera Ryan's Hope. Soon after
completing college, Marg landed her first professional acting role on the
long-running ABC Daytime soap opera, playing uptight amateur cop Siobhan
Ryan Novak (1982-1986), a role previously played by Sarah Felder and Ann
Gillespie. Helgenberger departed Ryan's Hope in January 1986 and was
subsequently replaced in the role of Siobhan by Carrell Myers.
Helgenberger guest starred in an episode of ABC's mystery/detective series
based on Robert B. Parker's Spenser novels, Spenser: For Hire, NBC's legal
drama Matlock and ABC's drama thirtysomething. She also played a regular
role as Natalie Thayer, opposite Margot Kidder and James Reid, on CBS’
six-episode drama comedy series Shell Game (1987).
Karen Charlene "K.C." Koloski, a heroin-addicted prostitute on the ABC war
drama series China Beach, was Marg’s first prominent role. Her performance
from 1988 to 1991 on the highly-acclaimed dramatic series won an Emmy
Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series in 1990.
Meanwhile, in 1989, Marg made her feature film debut in a leading role as
an all-night answering service operator in one segment of the Wheat
brothers’ horror anthology After Midnight. She followed it up with a role
in Steven Spielberg's romantic comedy-drama Always (starring Richard
Dreyfuss, Holly Hunter, and John Goodman), a modern version of the
original 1943 Victor Fleming film A Guy Named Joe.
During the early to mid 1990s, Marg played roles in Michael Bortman's
adaptation of Robert Boswell's novel, Crooked Hearts (1991; with Peter
Berg, Vincent D'Onofrio, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Noah Wyle and Peter
Coyote), Gregg Champion's action comedy The Cowboy Way (1994), in which
she played Woody Harrelson's love interest, and had a small role as Capt.
Alison Sinclair in Michael Bay's action comedy film starring Martin
Lawrence and Will Smith, Bad Boys (1995). She also played Dr. Laura Baker,
a molecular biologist, in Roger Donaldson's sci-fi thriller, Species
(1995), and reprised the role in the sequel, Species II (1998).
During that time, TV viewers could also catch her in such television films
Blind Vengeance, Lifetime’s Death Dreams, PBS’ historical documentary Not
on the Frontline (as a narrator) and CBS’ In Sickness and in Health.
Additionally, she was also seen opposite Bruno Kirby in I'll Be Waiting, a
segment of Showtime's Fallen Angels helmed by Tom Hanks, and as a novelist
on the ABC miniseries Stephen King's The Tommyknockers opposite Jimmy
Smits. She was also seen in the CBS miniseries When Love Kills: The
Seduction of John Hearn and made her first collaboration with director
Peter Weller in Showtime's Partners. After playing a recurring role as
George Clooney's love interest on NBC's medical drama ER, Marg became
David Caruso's sex-starved widow on Showtime’s Elmore Leonard's Gold
Coast, helmed by Weller, and starred as a woman involved with Steven
Seagal in the 1997 action film Fire Down Below. She also starred as a talk
show host on Murder Live and portrayed the furious sibling to Steven
Weber's character on Showtime's miniseries about the elusive Gulf War
Syndrome, Thanks of a Grateful Nation. She also starred opposite
Ann-Margret in Showtime's Happy Face Murders.
In 2000, Helgenberger made a guest appearance in the Valentine's Day
episode of Frasier, in which Frasier (Kelsey Grammer) finally wears down
his dad Martin's resistance and gets the older man to accompany him to the
opera. Actually, this invitation is but a smokescreen, so that Frasier can
"accidentally" run into his newest dream girl Emily (Marg Helgenberger).
Helgenberger scored another big break when she snagged the co-starring
role of Catherine Willows, a former show girl employed as a blood spatter
analyst on the CBS drama CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. Her performance
as the female lead has earned her two Emmy Award and two Golden Globe
nominations. In 2005, she and her fellow cast members won the Screen
Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama
Series.
When CSI first started filming, Helgenberger visited the Clark County
Coroner’s Office to see how things were really done. She even viewed
autopsies that were being performed. Helgenberger has stated that she was
angered at the franchising of CSI. She says that she often plays hacky
sack with the guys during their free time on set. Helgenberger got the
chance to act with her husband, Alan Rosenberg, again when he guest
starred on CSI, Season 5 ("Weeping Willows") and Season 7 ("Leaving Las
Vegas").
During her stint on the hit show, Marg supported Julia Roberts in the film
Erin Brockovich and portrayed Patsy Ramsey in the CBS miniseries about the
mysterious murder of 6-year-old beauty pageant contestant JonBenét Ramsey
in Perfect Murder, Perfect Town. She also starred as Dennis Quaid’s wife
and Scarlett Johansson’s mother in writer-director Paul Weitz's romantic
drama comedy In Good Company (2004) and appeared on Pond's Smooth
Perfection Skin Cream 2005 print ad.
Marg is currently filming writer-director Charles Burmeister's upcoming
thriller, Columbus Day, starring Val Kilmer.
In 2005, Universal Studios submitted Helgenberger in the best supporting
actress category to the Oscars for her performance as Ann Foreman in the
2004 movie In Good Company. In 2007, she was featured in the movies Conan:
Red Nails (as the voice of Princess Tascela) and Mr. Brooks. In Mr. Brooks
her character's daughter is played by Danielle Panabaker, the sister of
Kay Panabaker, who plays Catherine Willow's daughter on CSI.
In mid 2006, Helgenberger’s hometown of North Bend, Nebraska, population
1213, renamed the street on which Helgenberger had her childhood home
"Helgenberger Avenue."
In animation, she lent her voice as Greek goddess Hera on DC Universe
straight-to-video feature Wonder Woman.
Helgenberger is the unrequited love interest of the bespectacled amphibian
Buddy in Mark Heath's Spot the Frog comic strip.
In 2008, she renewed her CSI contract with CBS for 2 additional years.
Helgenberger continues to be included in lists of Hollywood's Most
Beautiful. In 2002 she was listed on People Magazine’s "50 Most Beautiful
People", she was included in Esquire Magazine’s “5 More Women We Love” in
2002, she ranks #16 on VH1's 40 Hottest Women over 40, number 15 of The 25
Most Attractive (Famous) Women in America in 2004, in 2004 she ranked
number 35, 30, 29, 20, 17, 12 and 9 on The Glamour Girls Hot 100 due to
her movie In Good Company and her TV Guide cover. She was on the list for
about 10 weeks and spent 1 week on the top ten. She is the 4th oldest
woman to be in the top ten. Her character on CSI: Crime Scene
Investigation, Catherine Willows, along with the character of Gil Grissom,
was named number 82 in "Bravo's 100 Greatest TV Characters". On March
2006, Catherine Willows was named number 6 on The Star's Top Ten Hottests
TV Characters. In 2007, Marg was named one of the most pleasant
celebrities on E! online's Answer B!tch Q&A page. On March 2007
Helgenberger was named one of the sexiest TV stars of 2007 by TV Guide
Magazine. Entertainment Weekly included her in the list of "The EW 100
Stars We Love Right Now" in 2007. On April 2008, she joined the roster of
celebrities that sported the famous milk mustache as she was chosen as an
endorser of the Got Milk? campaign.
In 1984, Marg Helgenberger met Alan Rosenberg, a guest actor on Ryan's
Hope. The two became friends and started dating in 1986. They married in
1989 and have one son, Hugh Howard Rosenberg (born October 21, 1990),
named after Helgenberger's late father, Hugh Helgenberger. On December 1,
2008, the couple announced that they were separating, and on March 25,
2009, she filed for divorce.
As a result of Helgenberger's mother's 27 year battle against breast
cancer, Helgenberger and Rosenberg became involved in the fight against
breast cancer. They have hosted a benefit called Marg and Alan's Celebrity
Weekend every year in Omaha, Nebraska since 1997. |
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Conan: Red Nails (2009) (V)
(voice) .... Princess Tascela
"CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" .... Catherine Willows (219
episodes, 2000-2010)
... aka CSI: Las Vegas (South Africa: English title: informal
alternative title) (USA: syndication title)
... aka C.S.I. (USA: short title)
... aka CSI: Weekends (USA: promotional title)
... aka Les experts (Canada: French title)
- Internal Combustion (2010) TV episode .... Catherine Willows
- Long Ball (2010) TV episode .... Catherine Willows
- Sin City Blue (2010) TV episode .... Catherine Willows
- Better Off Dead (2009) TV episode .... Catherine Willows
- Appendicitement (2009) TV episode .... Catherine Willows
(214 more)
Wonder Woman (2009) (V) (voice) .... Hera
Columbus Day (2008) .... Alice
Mr. Brooks (2007) .... Emma Brooks
In Good Company (2004) .... Ann
"King of the Hill" .... Mrs. Hanover / ... (1 episode, 2004)
- Hank's Back (2004) TV episode (voice) .... Mrs. Hanover/Pretty
Student
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation - Dark Motives (2004) (VG) (voice)
.... CSI Level 3 Catherine Willows
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (2003) (VG) (voice) .... Catherine
Willows
Erin Brockovich (2000) .... Donna Jensen
Perfect Murder, Perfect Town: JonBenét and the City of Boulder
(2000) (TV) .... Patsy Ramsey
"Frasier" .... Emily (1 episode, 2000)
- Out with Dad (2000) TV episode .... Emily
Lethal Vows (1999) (TV) .... Ellen Farris
Happy Face Murders (1999) (TV) .... Jen Powell
"Partners" .... Eve Darrin (1 episode, 1999)
- Pilot (1999) TV episode .... Eve Darrin
Giving Up the Ghost (1998) (TV) .... Anna Hobson
Thanks of a Grateful Nation (1998) (TV) .... Jerrilynn Folz
... aka The Gulf War
Species II (1998) .... Dr. Laura Baker
Gold Coast (1997) (TV) .... Karen DiCilia
... aka Elmore Leonard's Gold Coast
Fire Down Below (1997) .... Sarah Kellogg
The Last Time I Committed Suicide (1997) .... Lizzy
Murder Live! (1997) (TV) .... Pia Postman
My Fellow Americans (1996) (uncredited) .... Joanna
"ER" .... Karen Hines (5 episodes, 1996)
- John Carter, M.D. (1996) TV episode .... Karen Hines
- Take These Broken Wings (1996) TV episode .... Karen Hines
- Fevers of Unknown Origin (1996) TV episode .... Karen Hines
- Fire in the Belly (1996) TV episode .... Karen Hines
- The Healers (1996) TV episode (uncredited) .... Karen Hines
Conundrum (1996) (TV) .... Det. Rose Ekberg
... aka Frame by Frame (USA: video title)
Inflammable (1995) (TV) .... Lt. (j.g.) Kay Dolan
"The Larry Sanders Show" .... Susan Elliott (1 episode, 1995)
- Nothing Personal (1995) TV episode .... Susan Elliott
Species (1995) .... Dr. Laura Baker
Bad Boys (1995) .... Alison Sinclair
Just Looking (1995) .... Darlene Carpenter
Where Are My Children? (1994) (TV) .... Vanessa Meyer Vernon Scott
Lie Down with Lions (1994) (TV) .... Kate Nessen
... aka Red Eagle
The Cowboy Way (1994) .... Margarette
Keys (1994) (TV) .... Maureen 'Kick' Kickasola
... aka Keys to Her Past (USA: alternative title)
Blind Vengeance (1994)
"Fallen Angels" .... Eve Cressy (1 episode, 1993)
- I'll Be Waiting (1993) TV episode .... Eve Cressy
When Love Kills: The Seduction of John Hearn (1993) (TV) .... Debbie
Banister
... aka When Love Kills (Australia)
Distant Cousins (1993) .... Connie
... aka Desperate Motive
The Tommyknockers (1993) (TV) .... Roberta 'Bobbi' Anderson
... aka Stephen King's The Tommyknockers
Partners (1993) (TV) .... Georgeanne Bidwell
Through the Eyes of a Killer (1992) (TV) .... Laurie Fisher
... aka The Master Builder
In Sickness and in Health (1992) (TV) .... Mickey
... aka Hearts on Fire
"The Hidden Room" .... Jane (1 episode, 1991)
- A Friend in Need (1991) TV episode .... Jane
"Tales from the Crypt" .... Vicki (1 episode, 1991)
... aka HBO's Tales from the Crypt
- Deadline (1991) TV episode .... Vicki
"China Beach" .... K.C. Kolowski / ... (61 episodes, 1988-1991)
- Hello Goodbye (1991) TV episode .... K.C. Kolowski
- Through and Through (1991) TV episode (credit only) .... K.C.
Kolowski
- Rewind (1991) TV episode (credit only) .... K.C. Kolowski
- Quest (1991) TV episode .... K.C. Kolowski
- The Always Goodbye (1991) TV episode .... K.C. Kolowski
(56 more)
Death Dreams (1991) (TV) .... Crista Westfield
Crooked Hearts (1991) .... Jennetta
Blind Vengeance (1990) (TV) .... Virginia Whitelaw
Peacemaker (1990/II) .... Mrs. Cooper
Always (1989) .... Rachel
After Midnight (1989) .... Alex
"thirtysomething" .... Cooper (1 episode, 1987)
- Weaning (1987) TV episode .... Cooper
"Matlock" .... Laura Norwood / ... (1 episode, 1987)
- The Gambler (1987) TV episode .... Victoria Rollins/Laura Norwood
"Karen's Song" .... Francie (1 episode, 1987)
- You've Got a Friend (1987) TV episode .... Francie
"Shell Game" .... Natalie Thayer (6 episodes, 1987)
- Dead Wrong (1987) TV episode .... Natalie Thayer
- Pai Gow (1987) TV episode .... Natalie Thayer
- The Upstairs Gardener (1987) TV episode .... Natalie Thayer
- The Old Team (1987) TV episode .... Natalie Thayer
- Norman's Parking Ticket (1987) TV episode .... Natalie Thayer
(1 more)
"Spenser: For Hire" .... Nancy Kettering (1 episode, 1986)
- An Eye for an Eye (1986) TV episode .... Nancy Kettering
"Ryan's Hope" .... Siobhan Ryan Novak (26 episodes, 1982-1986)
- Episode dated 28 October 1985 (1985) TV episode .... Siobhan Ryan
Novak
- Episode dated 25 October 1985 (1985) TV episode .... Siobhan Ryan
Novak
- Episode dated 24 October 1985 (1985) TV episode .... Siobhan Ryan
Novak
- Episode #1.2636 (1985) TV episode .... Siobhan Ryan Novak
- Episode #1.2635 (1985) TV episode .... Siobhan Ryan Novak
(21 more)
Tootsie (1982) (uncredited) .... Suzanne |
