Marg Helgenberger facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Marg Helgenberger
Marg Helgenberger at the 2013 San Diego Comic-Con
Born	(1958-11-16) November 16, 1958 (age 66) Fremont, Nebraska, U.S.
Other names	Mary Helgenberger
Alma mater	Northwestern University (B.S.)
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1977–present
Known for	China Beach • CSI: Crime Scene Investigation • CSI: Vegas
Spouse(s)	Alan Rosenberg ​ ​ (m. 1989; div. 2010)​ Charlie Haugk ​ (m. 2022)​
Children	1

Marg Helgenberger (born November 16, 1958) is an American actress. She started her acting career in the early 1980s. She first became known for playing Siobhan Ryan on the TV show Ryan's Hope from 1982 to 1986.

Marg Helgenberger is most famous for her role as Catherine Willows. She played this character in the CBS police drama CSI: Crime Scene Investigation from 2000 to 2013. She also appeared in the TV movie Immortality (2015) and the sequel series CSI: Vegas (2022–2024). She also won an Emmy Award in 1990 for her role as K.C. Koloski in the ABC drama China Beach (1988–91).

Early Life and Education

Marg Helgenberger was born on November 16, 1958, in Fremont, Nebraska. Her mother, Mary Kay, was a nurse, and her father, Hugh, was a meat inspector. She grew up in North Bend, where she finished high school.

In high school, Marg played the French horn in the marching band. She wanted to be a nurse like her mom before going to college. She first attended Kearney State College. Later, she went to Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. There, she earned a degree in speech and drama.

Acting Career Highlights

Marg Helgenberger at the 1990 Emmy Awards

Marg Helgenberger started her career as a weather reporter at a TV station in Kearney while in college. She also worked at her father's meatpacking plant during the summer. Her interest in acting grew after she played Blanche Dubois in a college play called A Streetcar Named Desire.

A talent scout saw her in a play in 1981. Soon after college, she got her first professional acting job. This was on the TV soap opera Ryan's Hope in 1982. She played Siobhan Ryan Novak DuBujak for almost four years. She left the show in 1986 to find new acting chances.

Early Film and TV Roles

Marg Helgenberger appeared in several TV shows like Spenser: For Hire and Matlock. In 1989, she made her first movie appearance in After Midnight. She also had a role in Steven Spielberg's film Always.

In the 1990s, she acted in movies such as The Cowboy Way (1994) and Bad Boys (1995). She also played Dr. Laura Baker, a scientist, in the science-fiction movie Species (1995). She played this role again in the sequel, Species II (1998).

She also appeared in TV movies and had a recurring role on the medical drama ER. In 2000, she made a guest appearance on the TV show Frasier.

Success with CSI

In October 2000, Marg Helgenberger began her most famous role. She played Catherine Willows on the hit CBS show CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. Catherine was a former showgirl who became a blood-spatter analyst. Her acting in this role earned her two Emmy nominations and two Golden Globe nominations.

In 2005, she and her fellow cast members won an award for best ensemble performance in a drama series. To prepare for her role, Marg visited the Clark County Coroner's Office. She even watched autopsies to understand her character better.

While on CSI, Marg also acted in the movie Erin Brockovich (2000). She also played Dennis Quaid's wife in the movie In Good Company (2004).

In 2006, her hometown of North Bend, Nebraska, honored her by renaming a street "Helgenberger Avenue." In 2007, she was in the movie Mr. Brooks with Kevin Costner.

In 2008, she was part of the famous "Got Milk?" advertising campaign. In 2009, Forbes magazine listed her as one of the highest-earning women in primetime TV.

Later Career and Return to CSI

Marg Helgenberger received her own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on January 23, 2012. This was to honor her work in television. She also lent her voice to the animated film Wonder Woman, playing the Greek goddess Hera.

After William Petersen left CSI, Marg became one of the highest-paid actors in the CSI shows. She earned $375,000 per episode. She decided to leave CSI in 2012 after the first 12 episodes of the 12th season. She wanted to return to stage acting. Her last episode was watched by over 14 million viewers.

She later returned to CSI for its 300th episode in 2013. In 2014, she starred in the series Intelligence. In 2015, she joined the third season of Under the Dome.

Marg also performed in plays on stage. In 2014, she was in The Other Place. In 2016, she appeared in The Little Foxes. In 2022, she rejoined the CSI: Vegas series. She returned to her role as Catherine Willows for its second and third seasons.

Personal Life

Marg Helgenberger met actor Alan Rosenberg in 1984 on the set of Ryan's Hope. They became friends and started dating in 1986. They got married in 1989 and have one son, Hugh Howard Rosenberg, born in 1990. They divorced in 2010.

In April 2022, Marg Helgenberger married Charlie Haugk. They had been in a relationship since 2019.

Selected Filmography

Marg Helgenberger at a ceremony for Jerry Bruckheimer to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in June 2013

Film

Television

Video games

Awards and Nominations

Marg Helgenberger has received many awards and nominations for her acting.

See also

In Spanish: Marg Helgenberger para niños

• List of stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame