Keck's Exclusives: It's a China Beach Reunion at Stand Up 2 Cancer Benefit
Besides raising more than $80 million for cancer research and treatments, the Stand Up 2 Cancer benefit on September 7 reunited the stars of ABC's acclaimed 1988-1991 drama, China Beach.
Body of Proof star Dana Delany, who bravely broadcast her annual breast exam during the 2008 Stand Up 2 Cancer telecast, was excited to run into her old Beach co-star Marg Helgenberger backstage where the two took calls from donors. "We'd been trying to have lunch, but she was so busy on CSI and now I'm so busy on Body of Proof," says Delany. "The last time I'd seen her was in January when I spoke at her ceremony when she got her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame."
Their reunion proved particularly poignant because of what both had privately endured. "I was around when Marg's mom got breast cancer," says Delany, whose father succumbed to pancreatic cancer in 1981. "Marg said she's enjoying having some free time now, which is well deserved." Even so, Delany would love to act with Helgenberger again. "We have a couple of CSI writers on our show who I know would also love to have her. She was on the side of the law on CSI, so it would be fun to have her come on our show as a murderess."
While Warner Bros. has yet to resolve China Beach's music rights issues and release the series on DVD, Body of Proof returns to ABC in early 2013. Stand Up 2 Cancer is still accepting donations at www.su2c.org and at 1-888-90-STAND. The telecast is available at www.hulu.com/stand-up-to-cancer.
