"China Beach" (1988) TV series 1988-1991

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4

Release Date:

26 April 1988 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | War

Plot:

A drama series set at an American base during the Vietnam War. Rather than focusing on the battle scenes that made up most other portrayals of the war...

Plot Keywords:

Nurse | Vietnam | Vietnam War | Doctor | Irish American

Awards:

Won Golden Globe. Another 18 wins & 38 nominations

Cast

Dana Delany	...	Nurse Colleen McMurphy (61 episodes, 1988-1991)
Michael Boatman	...	Pvt. Samuel Beckett (61 episodes, 1988-1991)
Robert Picardo	...	Dr. Dick Richard (61 episodes, 1988-1991)
Concetta Tomei	...	Maj. Lila Garreau (61 episodes, 1988-1991)
Marg Helgenberger	...	K.C. Kolowski / ... (61 episodes, 1988-1991)
Brian Wimmer	...	Cpl. Boonie Lanier (61 episodes, 1988-1991)
Jeff Kober	...	Sgt. Evan 'Dodger' Winslow (57 episodes, 1988-1991)
Nancy Giles	...	Pvt. Frankie Bunsen / ... (53 episodes, 1988-1991)
Troy Evans	...	Sgt. Pepper / ... (28 episodes, 1989-1991)

Series Directed by
Mimi Leder		(13 episodes, 1988-1991)
John Sacret Young		(12 episodes, 1988-1991)
Christopher Leitch		(5 episodes, 1988-1990)
Michael Fresco		(4 episodes, 1989-1991)
Fred Gerber		(4 episodes, 1989-1990)
Michael Ray Rhodes		(4 episodes, 1989)
Rod Holcomb		(3 episodes, 1988)
Steve Dubin		(3 episodes, 1989-1990)
Michael Katleman		(2 episodes, 1990)

Series Writing credits
Carol Flint		(19 episodes, 1988-1991)
John Wells		(18 episodes, 1988-1991)
John Sacret Young		(15 episodes, 1988-1991)
Lydia Woodward		(14 episodes, 1989-1991)
Susan Rhinehart		(7 episodes, 1988-1991)
Josef Anderson		(5 episodes, 1989-1990)
William Broyles Jr.		(4 episodes, 1988)
Cathryn Michon		(3 episodes, 1990-1991)
Toni Graphia		(2 episodes, 1989-1990)
Alan Brennert		(2 episodes, 1989)
Patricia Green		(2 episodes, 1989)
Georgia Jeffries		(2 episodes, 1989)
Paris Qualles		(2 episodes, 1990)

Series Produced by
John Sacret Young	....	executive producer (62 episodes, 1988-1991)
Geno Escarrega	....	co-producer / producer / ... (56 episodes, 1988-1991)
John Wells	....	supervising producer / producer / ... (55 episodes, 1988-1991)
Fred Gerber	....	producer / coordinating producer / ... (38 episodes, 1988-1990)
Mimi Leder	....	producer / supervising producer (38 episodes, 1989-1991)
Christopher Nelson	....	co-producer / associate producer (25 episodes, 1988-1991)
Georgia Jeffries	....	supervising producer (21 episodes, 1989-1990)
Patricia Green	....	supervising producer (17 episodes, 1988-1989)
Barbara Marshall	....	associate producer / co-producer (17 episodes, 1990-1991)
Carol Flint	....	producer (16 episodes, 1990-1991)
Lydia Woodward	....	producer (16 episodes, 1990-1991)
Rod Holcomb	....	supervising producer (6 episodes, 1988)
John Lugar	....	producer (6 episodes, 1988)
Darryl Levine	....	associate producer (6 episodes, 1991)

Series Original Music by
Paul Chihara		(54 episodes, 1988-1991)
Shirley Walker		(3 episodes, 1989-1990)
John Rubinstein		(2 episodes, 1988-1991)
Geno Escarrega		(2 episodes, 1990)
Nathan Wang		(2 episodes, 1990)

Series Cinematography by
Richard Thorpe		(27 episodes, 1989-1991)
John J. Connor		(22 episodes, 1988-1989)
Francis Grumman		(11 episodes, 1989-1990)

Series Film Editing by
Erwin Dumbrille		(17 episodes, 1988-1991)
Jacque Elaine Toberen		(16 episodes, 1988-1991)
Christopher Nelson		(8 episodes, 1988-1991)
Randy Jon Morgan		(8 episodes, 1988-1990)
Irvin Paik		(4 episodes, 1990-1991)
Deborah Romare		(2 episodes, 1990-1991)
Mort Fallick		(2 episodes, 1990)

Series Casting by
John Frank Levey		(60 episodes, 1988-1991)
Patricia Noland		(2 episodes, 1990-1991)

Series Production Design by
Stephen Myles Berger		(14 episodes, 1989-1990)
James William Newport		(7 episodes, 1988)
Scott Ritenour		(3 episodes, 1988)

Series Art Direction by
Joe Wood		(19 episodes, 1990-1991)
Chas. Butcher		(13 episodes, 1988-1989)
Joseph M. Altadonna		(4 episodes, 1991)

Series Costume Design by
Paula Lynn Kaatz		(60 episodes, 1988-1991)
Darryl Levine		(23 episodes, 1988-1989)

Series Makeup Department
Susan Zietlow-Maust	....	department head hair stylist (17 episodes, 1988-1989)

Series Production Management
Fred Gerber	....	unit production manager (41 episodes, 1988-1990)
Paul Marks	....	unit production manager (19 episodes, 1989-1991)

Series Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Chip Vucelich	....	second assistant director / first assistant director (32 episodes, 1989-1991)
Paul Marks	....	second assistant director / first assistant director (23 episodes, 1988-1990)
Michael Katleman	....	first assistant director (17 episodes, 1988-1990)
Mark S. Glick	....	second assistant director (15 episodes, 1990-1991)
Deborah A. Dell'Amico	....	first assistant director (7 episodes, 1988-1991)
Eric Jewett	....	second assistant director / first assistant director (4 episodes, 1988)
Howie Horowitz	....	first assistant director (4 episodes, 1990)
Tom Davies	....	first assistant director (3 episodes, 1988)
Rory Romero	....	second assistant director (3 episodes, 1988)
Robert P. Cohen	....	first assistant director (3 episodes, 1989)
Sharon Mann	....	first assistant director (2 episodes, 1988)
Edward Crocitto	....	second assistant director (2 episodes, 1990)

Series Art Department
Craig Raiche	....	property master (1 episode, 1988)
Ron Reedy	....	property assistant (1 episode, 1989)

Series Sound Department
Lowell Harris	....	production sound mixer (63 episodes, 1988-1991)
Al Gomez	....	foley mixer (31 episodes, 1988-1989)
Rusty Amodeo	....	boom operator (10 episodes, 1988-1989)
Walter Newman	....	sound editor (9 episodes, 1988-1991)
Richard Van Dyke	....	production sound mixer (6 episodes, 1988)

Series Stunts
Charles A. Tamburro	....	stunt coordinator / aerial coordinator / ... (56 episodes, 1988-1991)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
Jerry D. Knight	....	electrician (22 episodes, 1989-1990)
Randy Shanofsky	....	first assistant camera: "a" camera (22 episodes, 1989-1990)
Tom D. May	....	key grip (7 episodes, 1988)
Damon Marcellino	....	lighting technician (2 episodes, 1989-1990)
Vilmos Zsigmond	....	photographer: special interview sequences (2 episodes, 1989-1990)

Series Casting Department
Donna Isaacson	....	casting: New York (1 episode, 1988)

Series Costume and Wardrobe Department
Robert Stewart	....	set costumer (1 episode, 1991)

Series Editorial Department
Roger La Prairie	....	telecine colorist (39 episodes, 1989-1991)
Randy Jon Morgan	....	supervising editor (19 episodes, 1989-1990)
Christopher Nelson	....	supervising editor (2 episodes, 1988)
Neal Krone	....	trailer editor (2 episodes, 1990-1991)

Series Music Department
John Rubinstein	....	composer: theme / composer: main title theme (60 episodes, 1988-1991)

Series Other crew
Bruce Nahin	....	film commissioner (63 episodes, 1988-1991)
William Broyles Jr.	....	executive consultant (62 episodes, 1988-1991)
Carol Flint	....	executive story editor / story editor (39 episodes, 1988-1990)
Lydia Woodward	....	executive script consultant (39 episodes, 1988-1990)
Josef Anderson	....	story editor / executive story editor (29 episodes, 1989-1990)
Jan Rudolph	....	script supervisor (10 episodes, 1990-1991)
Nancy Lazarus	....	assistant location manager (5 episodes, 1989)
Ann Donahue	....	story editor (2 episodes, 1988)
Mimi Leder	....	production consultant (2 episodes, 1989)

Production Companies

• Sacret
• Warner Bros. Television

Distributors

• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1988-1991) (USA) (TV)
• Veronica Omroep Organisatie (198?) (Netherlands) (TV)
• Warner Home Video (2004) (USA) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Unique Movie Cars  picture cars

Also Known As:

Runtime:

60 min (60 episodes) | 120 min (pilot) | 120 min (series finale)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Filming Locations:

Hawaii, USA

Company:

Sacret

Quotes:

Dr. Dick Richard:You wanna keep it down? I can't hear the war.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The O'Reilly Factor: Episode dated 13 May 2008" (2008)

Soundtrack:

Reflections

One of the all time great series!

I haven't seen the series since it first was on ABC. I tried to watch every week and was angry when they canceled it, because it was a great series.I recently purchased a copy of the pilot episode on VHS tape (China Beach)and once again was reminded how well the series was put together. Like many others I want to own all of the series on DVD and hope that chance will come. Dana Delany was outstanding in this role and touches the heart. Through her you see what it is like to see young men dying or dealing with terrible, life altering injuries and how hopeless she feels when she can not save them. Yet she knows the important part she plays to those dying boys as the voice and touch that represents the mothers, wives, lovers, and sisters of those who are dying far from home. They are not dying alone when she is there. Others in the cast are outstanding as well. The Gal that played Cherry the donut girl, and the back up singer turned lead, when the pretty one can't stay well enough to sing. She came to meet the boys-a-rama ,but soon was doing much more to touch the hearts of those at war. This is not a drama about the fighting in the field, but about the nurses and doctors in the field and the soldiers that go through their hospital. This is not Mash in Vietnam! This is a serious drama that will have you crying for all those dead and wounded soldiers wasted on battlefields around the other side of the world fighting an unpopular war. Each deals with the stress in their own way, but you can not watch this series without it touching you deeply and emotionally. If you lived during the Vietnam years then this will bring back the emotions of those times. If for no other reason this series should be put on DVD to honor the nurses, Doctors, entertainers, and donut girls that tried to bring a touch of home to the troops in Vietnam. To those who were wounded and survived and the many who did not this series should be available and remembered. Tour of Duty also should be on DVD and is excellent companion piece to show what the fighting grunts on the ground went through. Tour of duty is scheduled to be released on DVD this summer. Now Give us China Beach!