The Death of Cherry White
Chet Swanson
"China Beach"
Character: Cherry White (Nan Woods), a Red Cross doughnut dolly.
Cause of death: Killed by a shell during the Tet Offensive in 1968.
Except for a giveaway mention in USA Today, this death was totally
unexpected because of a lack of press attention and because it happened
in the middle of the show's second season. John Wells, who produced
"China Beach" prior to the launch of "ER," said Woods quit show
business, returning to her native Chicago.
Rating: Four tissue boxes.
--
Chet Swanson 28S, ABS, BAA, & WBS
Eastmont Aviary; Exhibition Budgerigars
Everett, WA, USA
mailto:cswa...@kendra.com
http://home.kendra.com/swanson/budgie1.htm
Copyright 2001, Chester Swanson, all rights reserved
James
Gary Moheban
>
> "China Beach"
> Character: Cherry White (Nan Woods), a Red Cross doughnut dolly. Cause of
death: Killed by a shell during the Tet Offensive in 1968. Except for a
giveaway mention in USA Today, this death was totally unexpected because of
a lack of press attention and because it happened in the middle of the
show's second season. John Wells, who produced "China Beach" prior to the
launch of "ER," said Woods quit show business, returning to her native
Chicago.>
Thanks, Chet, for definitively answering the question I posed about
Nan/Cherry a couple weeks ago. I only began watching CB a couple months ago
on The History Channel and her death just didn't make any sense to me.
Specifically, Cherry was a solid character in the series who wouldn't have
been killed off so fast unless Nan forced the issue, which apparently was
the case.
I still wonder why Nan Woods quit show business to return to Chicago. She
was fairly young at the time and looked to me like she could have had a
promising career as an actress. Of course, she could have just become
disillusioned with acting and Hollywood, but you just don't hear of that
happening too much with actors who have begun to experience success.
Drgafia1
>Thanks, Chet, for definitively answering the question I posed about
>Nan/Cherry a couple weeks ago. I only began watching CB a couple months ago
>on The History Channel and her death just didn't make any sense to me.
>Specifically, Cherry was a solid character in the series who wouldn't have
>been killed off so fast unless Nan forced the issue, which apparently was
>the case.
>
>I still wonder why Nan Woods quit show business to return to Chicago. She
>was fairly young at the time and looked to me like she could have had a
>promising career as an actress. Of course, she could have just become
>disillusioned with acting and Hollywood, but you just don't hear of that
>happening too much with actors who have begun to experience success.
You're right, of course -- but at the same time, it >does< happen. I can't
recall her name, but there was a prominent character on the early ER -- she was
the fellow doctor who became the girlfriend of "Doctor Green" after his breakup
with his wife in the first year or so of the show. She won an Emmy but gave up
acting to get married.
--rich brown/drgafia
James
>
>You're right, of course -- but at the same time, it >does< happen. I can't
>recall her name, but there was a prominent character on the early ER -- she
>was
>the fellow doctor who became the girlfriend of "Doctor Green" after his
>breakup
>with his wife in the first year or so of the show. She won an Emmy but gave
>up
>acting to get married.
>
You're thinking of Sherry Stringfield, who portrayed the oft-depressing,
unhappy Dr. Susan Lewis. She was nominated for Lead Actress Emmy (three times),
and quit at the beginning of the third season to spend more time with her
boyfriend. Not long after that, he dumped her, IIRC, and she went on to do
small roles in films or tv-movies.
"ER" spoiler:
Unlike Nan, her character wasn't killed off, and Sherry is returning to "ER"
this season.
James
phasing-out had always puzzled me. Maybe they did that so viewers would grow
less attached to her, and learn more about the other characters. Then, when she
left, fans could move on.
Chet Swanson
> You're right, of course -- but at the same time, it >does< happen. I can't
> recall her name, but there was a prominent character on the early ER -- she was
> the fellow doctor who became the girlfriend of "Doctor Green" after his breakup
> with his wife in the first year or so of the show. She won an Emmy but gave up
> acting to get married.
>
> --rich brown/drgafia
I keep hearing rumors that she's coming back sometime this season on ER.
They're looking for a new Attending in the emergency room with at least
5 years experience. That would be right up her alley.
Drgafia1
<<snip>>
>...Sherry (Stringfield) is returning to "ER"
this season.
Interesting. As the character she played previously? "Dr. Mark Green"
(Anthony Edwards, whom I always think of as the Bubble Man from Nothern
Exposure) is now remarried. Might be worth watching to see what they do with
it.
--rich brown/DrGafia
Chet Swanson
> Interesting. As the character she played previously? "Dr. Mark Green"
> (Anthony Edwards, whom I always think of as the Bubble Man from Nothern
> Exposure) is now remarried. Might be worth watching to see what they do with
> it.
>
Well, I'll add one more comment to this line and then since it doesn't
have anything to do with China Beach I'll stop.
Watched ER last night and the previews show her back on the show next
week as the same character.
Ron Bean
>> Interesting. As the character she played previously? "Dr. Mark Green"
>> (Anthony Edwards, whom I always think of as the Bubble Man from Nothern
>> it.
>Watched ER last night and the previews show her back on the show next
>week as the same character.
I haven't seen ER for a couple of years, but when her character
left, Greene was in love with her but she didn't seem to feel the
same way about him (he runs after the train yelling "I love you"
and she replies "I know-- Bye!").
That's not to say that the writers won't try to make something
out of it...