Marg Helgenberger facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Marg Helgenberger
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Helgenberger at the 2013 San Diego Comic-Con
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Mary Margaret Helgenberger
November 16, 1958 Fremont, Nebraska, U.S.
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| 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 |
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| Children | 1 |
Mary Margaret "Marg" Helgenberger (born November 16, 1958) is an American actress. She started her acting career in the early 1980s. She first became well-known for playing Siobhan Ryan on the TV show Ryan's Hope from 1982 to 1986.
Helgenberger is most famous for her role as Catherine Willows in the police drama CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. She starred in the show from 2000 to 2013 and returned for the TV movie Immortality in 2015. She also appeared in the sequel series CSI: Vegas from 2022 to 2024.
Another one of her famous roles was K.C. Koloski in the drama China Beach from 1988 to 1991. For this role, she won an Emmy Award in 1990. She has also appeared in movies like Species (1995), Erin Brockovich (2000), and Mr. Brooks (2007).
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Early Life and Education
Helgenberger was born in Fremont, Nebraska. Her mother, Mary Kay, was a nurse, and her father, Hugh, was a meat inspector. She has an older sister, Ann, and a younger brother, Curt. She grew up in North Bend, Nebraska, and is of Irish and German heritage.
At North Bend Central High School, she played the French horn in the marching band. At first, she wanted to be a nurse like her mother. She went to college at what is now the University of Nebraska at Kearney. Later, she studied at Northwestern University and earned a degree in speech and drama.
Acting Career
Getting Started
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While in college, Helgenberger worked as a TV weather reporter in Kearney, Nebraska. During one summer, she also worked at her father's meatpacking plant. Her interest in acting grew after she played Blanche DuBois in a university play called A Streetcar Named Desire.
In 1981, a talent scout saw her perform in a play and offered her a role. Soon after college, in 1982, she joined the TV show Ryan's Hope. She played the character Siobhan Ryan for almost four years before leaving in 1986 to find new roles.
Success on Television
After Ryan's Hope, Helgenberger appeared in several TV shows. From 1988 to 1991, she starred in the war drama China Beach. She played K.C. Koloski, a smart business owner. This role was a big success and earned her an Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series in 1990.
In the 1990s, she had a recurring role on the medical drama ER as George Clooney's character's love interest. In 2000, she also made a guest appearance on the popular comedy show Frasier.
Stardom with CSI
In 2000, Helgenberger began her most famous role as Catherine Willows on the CBS show CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. Her character was a blood-spatter analyst who used science to solve crimes. To prepare for the role, she visited a real coroner's office to learn about the job.
Her work on CSI earned her two Emmy nominations and two Golden Globe nominations. In 2005, she and the cast won a Screen Actors Guild Award. She became one of the highest-paid actors on TV, earning $375,000 for each episode.
Helgenberger left CSI in 2012 after its 12th season but returned for special episodes, including the 300th episode and the finale movie. In 2022, she rejoined the franchise as a main character in CSI: Vegas.
Movie Roles
Helgenberger has also acted in many movies. In 1989, she appeared in Steven Spielberg's film Always. In 1995, she played Dr. Laura Baker in the science-fiction movie Species and returned for the sequel, Species II, in 1998.
Some of her other well-known films include The Cowboy Way (1994), Bad Boys (1995), and Erin Brockovich (2000). In 2007, she starred with Kevin Costner in the movie Mr. Brooks. She also voiced the Greek goddess Hera in the animated movie Wonder Woman (2009).
Honors and Recognition
In 2006, her hometown of North Bend, Nebraska, named a street "Helgenberger Avenue" in her honor. She said she was very touched by this gesture.
On January 23, 2012, Helgenberger received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for her contributions to television. This is a major honor for actors and entertainers.
Personal Life
In 1984, Helgenberger met actor Alan Rosenberg on the set of Ryan's Hope. They married in 1989 and have a son named Hugh, who was born in 1990. The couple's marriage ended in 2010.
Helgenberger's mother fought breast cancer for 27 years. Because of this, Helgenberger and Rosenberg became very active in raising money for breast cancer research. They hosted an annual charity event in Omaha, Nebraska, for many years.
In April 2022, Helgenberger married Charlie Haugk.
Selected Filmography
Here are some of Marg Helgenberger's most notable roles in movies and television.
Film
- Always (1989)
- The Cowboy Way (1994)
- Bad Boys (1995)
- Species (1995)
- Species II (1998)
- Erin Brockovich (2000)
- In Good Company (2004)
- Mr. Brooks (2007)
- Wonder Woman (2009) - Voice role
- A Dog's Journey (2019)
Television
- Ryan's Hope (1982–1986)
- China Beach (1988–1991)
- The Tommyknockers (1993)
- ER (1996)
- Frasier (2000)
- CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (2000–2013)
- Under the Dome (2015)
- All Rise (2019–2022)
- CSI: Vegas (2022–2024)
See also
In Spanish: Marg Helgenberger para niños
