‘Brush with fame’ for one local man

The Jan. 25 episode of “CSI” marked the end of an era, as it was Marg Helgenberger’s final episode portraying Catherine Willows on the hit show.

This milestone held special significance for one local man.

Gary O’Daniels was Helgenberger’s high school guidance counselor at North Bend Central High School in North Bend, Neb., during her junior and senior years. It was the second full-time job O’Daniels held after graduation.

“From what I can remember, she was not involved in athletics, but more of the fine arts, so music and school plays,” O’Daniels said of Helgenberger. “She was a very outgoing young lady.”

O’Daniels and his wife Phyllis moved to North Bend in 1973. There, they lived a block and a half away from the Helgenberger family.

Helgenberger’s mother Mary Kay was the school nurse at the time, and her office was located across the hallway from O’Daniels’ office. O’Daniels saw Helgenberger often as she would go talk to her mother.

“It would have been her last two years of high school, so we would have spent more time talking about what she was planning to do after graduation,” O’Daniels said.

Change of plans

Helgenberger, who won an Emmy Award in 1990 for her role on “China Beach,” did not initially plan on becoming an actress.

“I think she was kind of leaning towards going into nursing,” O’Daniels said. “So, I encouraged her to go along those lines because her mom was a nurse, and I think that’s what her initial leaning was.”

Helgenberger went to University of Nebraska Kearney, which was then known as Kearney State.

She eventually left Kearney State and moved on to Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill., where she received a degree in speech and drama.

“At that time, they had one of the better drama departments at the college and university level,” O’Daniels said. “Early on, I would not have guessed that she would end up where she is now.”

Helgenberger spent her early acting career working on the soap opera “Ryan’s Hope” before moving into film acting.

“It’s been really interesting to watch her development from when she first got started in the soaps to getting into motion pictures and then television,” O’Daniels said. “I’ve enjoyed watching her professional development all the way through. I try not to miss too many of her programs.”

“CSI”

In 2000, Helgenberger landed the role of Catherine Willows on CBS’s new show, “CSI.” The show became one of the highest-rated shows on television.

Helgenberger’s character started out in more of a supporting role, but eventually became one of the lead characters on the show.

“I thought when she first came on, she had a bit of a different role in the whole scheme of their program, but then as the show progressed, she took more of a lead role,” O’Daniels said. “It was interesting to watch how they utilized her talents as more of a lead role, and how the writers worked her into more responsibilities in the program.”

O’Daniels said he was able to see Helgenberger’s friendly, outgoing personality in her character.

And what did O’Daniels think of Helgenberger’s big finale?

“Well, I was glad to see that she didn’t die,” O’Daniels said with a laugh. “The second to last episode is where she got shot. I guess I was glad to see the door was left open where she might have some opportunities on down the road to come back and be a part of those (episodes). I thought it was an appropriate ending for her.”

Despite no longer having Helgenberger as a link to the show, O’Daniels still plans to continue watching the show with his wife, with the hope they will eventually see Helgenberger make a guest appearance in the future.

On Jan. 23, Helgenberger earned a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame because of her work in television.

O’Daniels says his “brush with fame” makes for a good conversation piece.

“I doubt that she would probably even remember me. But, I take full credit for her ending up where she is, with my excellent guidance and advice, ‘go ahead and pursue the acting career,’” O’Daniels joked. “That’s what I tell everybody anyway.”