China Beach
Encyclopedia
China Beach is an American
dramatic television series set at an evacuation hospital during the Vietnam War
. The title refers to My Khe beach in the city of Da Nang
, Vietnam
, which was nicknamed "China Beach" by unknown foreigners, most likely Americans. The ABC
TV drama
aired for three years, from 1988 to 1991, but in that time there were four seasons.
, the series looks at the Vietnam War
from a unique perspective: that of the women, military personnel and civilians, who were present during the conflict. John Wells
took over most of the series beginning with the second season—many of the show's cast members would appear later on the Wells-produced series, ER
.
Set in Da Nang, Vietnam
locale nicknamed "Bac My An Beach" of Da Nang City, Viet Nam, at the 510th Evacuation Hospital and R&R (the "Five-and-Dime" Rest & Recreation) facility, the cast of characters includes US Army
doctors and nurses, officers, soldiers, Red Cross volunteers, and civilian personnel (American
, French
, and Vietnam
ese). Very often, however, the series features the experiences of the characters when returning to the U.S.
, either on leave or at the end of their tour of duty.
The show did not shy away from showing the gruesomeness of war, providing a very gritty view of the experience there.
The producers of the show sought out advice from former Army nurses stationed in Vietnam, notably Diane Carlson Evans
.
Unusual story-telling methods were sometimes used: scenes presented in reverse chronology; insertion of animated cartoons to express a character's state of mind; alternating between interviews with former military nurses and scripted scenes; and a visit by the cast to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial
Wall in Washington, D.C.
China Beach was a critically lauded but poorly rated series. ABC stuck with the show for four seasons, but the final season was put on hiatus in fall 1990 and did not air its finale until July 22, 1991. As a result of the strange scheduling, Dana Delany was eligible for (and ultimately won) a Best Actress Emmy in the fall of 1992, a year after the series broadcast its final episode and over a year-and-a-half after many of the scenes were filmed.
The title sequence theme song was "Reflections" by Diana Ross & the Supremes (although several episodes instead used "We Gotta Get out of This Place
" by Eric Burdon
and Katrina & The Waves).
Nancy Sinatra
made a guest appearance in the first season finale, recreating her concerts she performed for U.S. troops in 1966 and 1967.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
dramatic television series set at an evacuation hospital during the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
. The title refers to My Khe beach in the city of Da Nang
Da Nang
Đà Nẵng , occasionally Danang, is a major port city in the South Central Coast of Vietnam, on the coast of the South China Sea at the mouth of the Han River. It is the commercial and educational center of Central Vietnam; its well-sheltered, easily accessible port and its location on the path of...
, Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
, which was nicknamed "China Beach" by unknown foreigners, most likely Americans. The ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
TV drama
Drama
Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance. The term comes from a Greek word meaning "action" , which is derived from "to do","to act" . The enactment of drama in theatre, performed by actors on a stage before an audience, presupposes collaborative modes of production and a...
aired for three years, from 1988 to 1991, but in that time there were four seasons.
Overview of television series
Created by William Broyles, Jr. and John Sacret YoungJohn Sacret Young
John Sacret Young is an author, producer, director, and screenwriter primarily in television. Young has been nominated for seven Emmys and seven Writers Guild of America Awards, winning two WGA Awards....
, the series looks at the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
from a unique perspective: that of the women, military personnel and civilians, who were present during the conflict. John Wells
John Wells (TV producer)
John Marcum Wells is an American theater and television producer, writer and director. He is best known for his role as executive producer and show runner of the television series ER, Third Watch, and The West Wing. His company, John Wells Productions, is currently based at Warner Bros. studios in...
took over most of the series beginning with the second season—many of the show's cast members would appear later on the Wells-produced series, ER
ER (TV series)
ER is an American medical drama television series created by novelist Michael Crichton that aired on NBC from September 19, 1994 to April 2, 2009. It was produced by Constant c Productions and Amblin Entertainment, in association with Warner Bros. Television...
.
Set in Da Nang, Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
locale nicknamed "Bac My An Beach" of Da Nang City, Viet Nam, at the 510th Evacuation Hospital and R&R (the "Five-and-Dime" Rest & Recreation) facility, the cast of characters includes US Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
doctors and nurses, officers, soldiers, Red Cross volunteers, and civilian personnel (American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, and Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
ese). Very often, however, the series features the experiences of the characters when returning to the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, either on leave or at the end of their tour of duty.
The show did not shy away from showing the gruesomeness of war, providing a very gritty view of the experience there.
The producers of the show sought out advice from former Army nurses stationed in Vietnam, notably Diane Carlson Evans
Diane Carlson Evans
1Lt. Diane Carlson Evans, ANC RVN served as a nurse in the United States Army during the Vietnam War and founded the Vietnam Women's Memorial Project in 1984 , initiating and leading the effort to add the Vietnam Women's Memorial to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, DC.Carlson Evans was...
.
Unusual story-telling methods were sometimes used: scenes presented in reverse chronology; insertion of animated cartoons to express a character's state of mind; alternating between interviews with former military nurses and scripted scenes; and a visit by the cast to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial
Vietnam Veterans Memorial
The Vietnam Veterans Memorial is a national memorial in Washington, D.C. It honors U.S. service members of the U.S. armed forces who fought in the Vietnam War, service members who died in service in Vietnam/South East Asia, and those service members who were unaccounted for during the War.Its...
Wall in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
China Beach was a critically lauded but poorly rated series. ABC stuck with the show for four seasons, but the final season was put on hiatus in fall 1990 and did not air its finale until July 22, 1991. As a result of the strange scheduling, Dana Delany was eligible for (and ultimately won) a Best Actress Emmy in the fall of 1992, a year after the series broadcast its final episode and over a year-and-a-half after many of the scenes were filmed.
The title sequence theme song was "Reflections" by Diana Ross & the Supremes (although several episodes instead used "We Gotta Get out of This Place
We Gotta Get out of This Place
"We Gotta Get out of This Place", occasionally written "We've Gotta Get out of This Place", is a rock song written by Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil and recorded as a 1965 hit single by The Animals...
" by Eric Burdon
Eric Burdon
Eric Victor Burdon is an English singer-songwriter best known as a founding member and vocalist of rock band The Animals, and the funk rock band War and for his aggressive stage performance...
and Katrina & The Waves).
Cast
- Lieutenant (later Captain) Colleen McMurphy, USAUnited States ArmyThe United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
; CatholicCatholicThe word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
girl from KansasKansasKansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
and nurse with the 510th Evac Hospital in VietnamVietnamVietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
during the late 1960s. A composite of various real-life Vietnam War nurses, the character illustrates their courage, kindness, and sacrifices during the war, as well as the severe emotional scarring of non-combatant personnel during and following military service; several episodes feature the veterans in their own words, intercut with the storyline. Portrayed by Dana DelanyDana DelanyDana Welles Delany is an American film, stage, and television actress, producer, host and health activist.After various roles in the early career, Delany garnered her first leading role in 1987 in the short-lived NBC sitcom Sweet Surrender and achieved wider fame in 1988–1991 as Colleen McMurphy...
. - Cherry White (Seasons 1–2); Incredibly naive Red Cross volunteer ("doughnut dolly") who comes to China Beach to search for her brother Rick who was reported MIAMissing in actionMissing in action is a casualty Category assigned under the Status of Missing to armed services personnel who are reported missing during active service. They may have been killed, wounded, become a prisoner of war, or deserted. If deceased, neither their remains nor grave can be positively...
. Dies midway through the second season during the Tet Offensive. Portrayed by Nan WoodsNan WoodsNan Woods is an American actress. Woods had a small career in acting, her first feature film was in the 1986 comedy film One More Saturday Night as Diane Lundahl...
. - SP4 Samuel Beckett, USA; Works in the Graves Registration UnitMortuary Affairsright|thumbnail|A soldier from a graves registration unit attempts identification of a skull during [[World War II]]Mortuary Affairs is a service within the United States Army Quartermaster Corps tasked with the retrieval, identification, transportation, and burial of deceased American and...
at China Beach. His job makes him unpopular with most of the other servicemen. Portrayed by Michael BoatmanMichael BoatmanMichael Patrick Boatman is an Image Award-nominated American actor and writer. He is best known for his roles as U.S. Army Specialist Samuel Beckett in the ABC drama series China Beach, as New York City mayoral aide Carter Heywood in the ABC sitcom Spin City, and as sports agent Stanley Babson in...
. - Karen Charlene "K.C." KoloskiKaren Charlene "K.C." KoloskiKaren Charlene "K.C." Koloski was a character on the Vietnam-era television drama China Beach. K.C. was born and raised in Kansas City, Kansas, and she was often referred to as "K.C. from KC"....
; Cynical part-time prostitute and civilian volunteer who comes to China Beach seeking to make her own wealth and fortune. Portrayed by Marg HelgenbergerMarg HelgenbergerMary Marg Helgenberger is an American film and television actress known for her roles as Catherine Willows in the CBS drama CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, and as K.C...
. - Captain Dick Richard, USA; Head surgeon and womanizer dealing with being drafted into Army and away from his family. Portrayed by Robert PicardoRobert PicardoRobert Picardo is an American actor. He is best known for his portrayals of Dr. Dick Richards on ABC's China Beach, the Emergency Medical Hologram , also known as The Doctor, on UPN's Star Trek: Voyager, The Cowboy in Innerspace, Coach Cutlip on The Wonder Years , Ben Wheeler in Wagons East, and as...
. - Captain Bartholomew "Natch" Austen, USAFUnited States Air ForceThe United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
; (Seasons 1–2) Jet fighter pilot and McMurphy's love interest. Portrayed by Tim Ryan. - Major Lila Garreau, USA; World War II veteran and career-Army commanding officer of China Beach. Portrayed by Concetta TomeiConcetta TomeiConcetta Tomei is an American theatre, film and television character actress, best known for her roles as Maj. Lila Garreau on the ABC series China Beach and as Lynda Hansen on the NBC series Providence ....
. - Corporal Boonie Lanier, USMCUnited States Marine CorpsThe United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
; Friendly China Beach lifeguardLifeguardA lifeguard supervises the safety and rescue of swimmers, surfers, and other water sports participants such as in a swimming pool, water park, or beach. Lifeguards are strong swimmers and trained in first aid, certified in water rescue using a variety of aids and equipment depending on...
and manager of the Jet Set Club. Portrayed by Brian Wimmer. - Staff Sergeant Evan "Dodger" Winslow, USMC; Moody Marine who serves and fights in the jungleJungleA Jungle is an area of land in the tropics overgrown with dense vegetation.The word jungle originates from the Sanskrit word jangala which referred to uncultivated land. Although the Sanskrit word refers to "dry land", it has been suggested that an Anglo-Indian interpretation led to its...
mainly to keep other servicemen in his platoon alive. Nicknamed for his ability to dodge injury. Known as a "quiet sort"; generally keeps to himself. Friend of Boonie, McMurphy and Cherry. Portrayed by Jeff KoberJeff KoberJeff Kober is an American actor, known for his performances on television and film.-Major work:Jeff Kober, a native of Billings, Montana, was born on December 18, 1953. Not satisfied with being a rancher, Kober relocated to the L.A. area in his twenties with the desire to become an actor...
. - Laurette Barber (Season 1); USO singer determined to make it big. Portrayed by Chloe WebbChloe WebbChloe Webb is an American actress.Webb was born in Greenwich Village, Manhattan, New York. Her New York theater debut was in the original cast of the long-running musical satire Forbidden Broadway...
. - Airman Wayloo Marie Holmes, USAF (Season 2); Reporter for the Armed Services Network seeking a career as a world-famous reporter. Portrayed by Megan GallagherMegan GallagherMegan Gallagher is an American actress.Gallagher was born in Reading, Pennsylvania and grew up in Wyomissing, Pennsylvania. Her mother, Aileen Gallagher, was a model.Gallagher has largely worked in television and theatre...
. - Private Frankie Bunsen, USA (Seasons 2–4); Female private assigned to the China Beach motor poolMotor poolIn neuroscience, a motor pool refers to a group of motor spinal neurons that innervate the same muscle. The biological significance of motor pool organization is in the fact that motor pools with many neurons produce finer movements...
. Portrayed by Nancy GilesNancy GilesNancy Giles is an American actress and television journalist .-Biography:...
. - Corporal Jeff Hyers, USA (Season 3); Good-natured combat medic. He is KIAKilled in actionKilled in action is a casualty classification generally used by militaries to describe the deaths of their own forces at the hands of hostile forces. The United States Department of Defense, for example, says that those declared KIA need not have fired their weapons but have been killed due to...
midway through the third season during a routine patrol. Portrayed by Ned VaughnNed VaughnNed Vaughn is an American actor known for his television work. He attended Lee High School in Huntsville, AL and Birmingham-Southern College.-Filmography:*The Rescue, 1988 - Shawn Howard...
. - Master Sergeant Bob Pepper, USA (Seasons 3–4); World War II veteran, driver, mechanic and NCONon-commissioned officerA non-commissioned officer , called a sub-officer in some countries, is a military officer who has not been given a commission...
-in-charge of the motor pool. Becomes romantically-involved with Lila Garreau. Portrayed by Troy EvansTroy Evans (actor)Troy Evans is an American actor who is perhaps best known for his role as Desk Clerk Francis "Frank" Martin in the television drama series ER. He has also appeared in the movies Tiger Cruise , Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, Under Siege, Teen Wolf, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Black Dahlia and The...
. - Holly Pelegrino (Season 3); Sharp-witted Red Cross volunteer. Portrayed by Ricki LakeRicki LakeRicki Pamela Lake is an American actress, producer, and television host. She is best known for her starring role as Tracy Turnblad in the original Hairspray, her ground-breaking documentary film The Business of Being Born, and her talk show which was broadcasted internationally from...
.
Nancy Sinatra
Nancy Sinatra
Nancy Sandra Sinatra is an American singer and actress. She is the daughter of singer/actor Frank Sinatra, and remains best known for her 1966 signature hit "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'"....
made a guest appearance in the first season finale, recreating her concerts she performed for U.S. troops in 1966 and 1967.