Rachel Ames

Rachel Ames

Ames circa 1954
Born Rachel Kay Foulger
(1929-11-02) November 2, 1929
Portland, Oregon, U.S.
Other names Judith Ames
Alma mater University of California, Los Angeles
Years active 1951–2007, 2009–2015
Spouse(s) Jack Genung (m. 1952)
Barry Cahill (m. 1968–2012)
Children 2
Parent(s) Byron Foulger
Dorothy Adams

Rachel Ames (born Rachel Kay Foulger, November 2, 1929)[1] is an American film and television actress.[2] She is best known for her role as Audrey March Hardy on the soap opera General Hospital. Ames' role is the longest-running in the series' history, spanning over fifty years and earning her multiple Emmy Award nominations.[3]

Ames also had a brief career in films, appearing in When Worlds Collide (1951), Arrowhead (1953), and Daddy's Gone A-Hunting (1969). She is the daughter of actors Byron Foulger and Dorothy Adams.

Early life

Ames was born Rachel Kay Foulger in Portland, Oregon,[1] the only child of actress (and later college drama instructor[4]) Dorothy Adams and actor Byron Foulger. Through her father, she is of English descent, the fourth generation of English immigrants from Norfolk who settled in the Salt Lake City area of Utah, United States.[1]

Ames spent her early life in Portland, but relocated to California so her parents could work performing and teaching at the Pasadena Playhouse.[5] She graduated from University High School and later enrolled at the University of California, Los Angeles, where her mother was a professor in the university's drama department.[6]

Career

Early work

Ames debuted professionally in 1949 in Pilgrimage Play, and she joined her parents in acting in One Foot in Heaven at the Pasadena Playhouse in Pasadena, California.[6] She transitioned into film under the stage name Judith Ames, and was under contract with Paramount Pictures for three years in the early 1950s; her first feature film was When Worlds Collide (1951), a science fiction thriller based on the 1933 novel of the same name.[6] The same year, she had appeared in Toast to Our Brother, a short film documenting fraternity life at UCLA, where she was a student at the time.

Ames as Audrey March in General Hospital, 1973

She had an uncredited role in the film noir The Turning Point (1952), followed by a minor part in the Western Arrowhead (1953) with Charlton Heston. The following year, she had a supporting role in the Western comedy Ricochet Romance (1954). In her only regular role on prime-time television, Ames played Policewoman Sandy McAllister on The Lineup in that program's final season during 1959. Ames also had dozens of other guest-starring appearances in television, on series such as The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp, The Virginian, Ironside, Wagon Train, Ben Casey, Perry Mason, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, and six different appearances on Science Fiction Theater.[7] She appeared in a lead role in the 1960 Western Gunfighters of Abilene, opposite Buster Crabbe and Barton MacLane.

General Hospital

On February 23, 1964, Ames debuted on ABC's daytime serial, General Hospital, playing Audrey Hardy, R.N..[8] Her tenure in the part is the longest-running role in the network's history, spanning five decades.[3] She also played Audrey Hardy on the General Hospital spin-off series Port Charles in the late 1990s. Her contract was not renewed for General Hospital in 2003, but she still appeared as a recurring character from 2003 until 2007, and made a brief appearance in 2009. On February 13, 2013 Genie Francis (Laura Spencer) announced on Katie that Ames returned to the show on March 29, 2013. She reprised the role again for one episode on October 30, 2015.[9]

Ames has been nominated three times for a Daytime Emmy Award as "Outstanding Actress in a Daytime Drama" for her role on General Hospital. In 2004, Ames was honored with a "Lifetime Achievement Award" at the 31st Daytime Emmy Awards ceremony at Radio City Music Hall in New York City.[10][11] In 1997, she appeared on ABC's special two-hour primetime preview of new daytime series Port Charles, a spin-off of the long-running Emmy winning hit General Hospital. Ames played her signature role of Audrey Hardy.

Later career

In 2007, Ames retired from General Hospital after 43 years. However, it was announced on October 1, 2009, that she would reappear as Audrey in mid-October after a two-year absence from the show.[12][13] She reprised Audrey again in April 2013, to coincide with General Hospital's 50th anniversary and again on October 30, 2015.[9]

Personal life

Ames married Jack Genung January 31, 1952, in Los Angeles.[14] She and her second husband, Canadian-born actor Barry Cahill, had two daughters, Christine and Susan, and two grandchildren, Jocelyn and Marc.[15] (One source says that Susan was Ames' daughter by her first marriage.[6]) Cahill died in April 2012, after forty-two years of marriage.[16]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1951 When Worlds Collide Julie Cummings as Judith Ames
1951 Toast to Our Brother Short film; as Judith Ames
1952 The Turning Point Girl Uncredited
1953 Arrowhead Mrs. Kirk Uncredited
1954 Ricochet Romance Betsy Williams as Judith Ames
1957 Oregon Passage Marion as Judith Ames
1960 Gunfighters of Abilene Alice Hainline as Judith Ames
1969 Daddy's Gone-A-Hunting Dr. Parkington's Nurse Uncredited

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1954 Your Favorite Story Lucy Kilgore 1 episode
1954 City Detective June 1 episode
1954-55 I Led 3 Lives Comrade Jeanette / Margaret 2 episodes
1955 Soldiers of Fortune Ellen Thayer 1 episode
1955–57 Science Fiction Theatre Multiple 6 episodes
1955–1960 The Millionaire Jessica March / Georgette French 2 episodes
1956 Alfred Hitchcock Presents Laura 1 episode
1956 Dr. Christian Julie 1 episode
1956 You Are There Mrs. Fowler 1 episode
1956 Highway Patrol Anne Reynolds 1 episode
1956 Studio 57 Janet / Jenny 2 episodes
1956 Broken Arrow Terry Wilson 1 episode
1956 The Loretta Young Show Nurse Holste / Alice Fuller 2 episodes
1956–57 Crossroads Edith Brissie 3 episodes
1956–59 State Trooper Various 3 episodes
1957 Cavalcade of America Carol 1 episode
1957 Whirlybirds Eve Douglas 1 episode
1957 General Electric Theater Edith Duncan / Mary 2 episodes
1957–58Tales of Wells Fargo Maude Kimball / Ellen Craig 2 episodes
1957–59 The Californians Madge Dorsett 2 episodes
1958 The Adventures of McGraw Sue Walters 1 episode
1958 Telephone Time Joan Yedor 1 episode
1958 Trackdown Melinda Curry / Jenny Krail 2 episodes
1958 M Squad Greta Loder 1 episode
1958 Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer Mrs. Armstrong 1 episode
1958 Perry Mason Marian Shaw 1 episode
1958 The Silent Service Jeanne 1 episode
1958 Lassie Mrs. Bridell 1 episode
1958–1960 The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp Various 3 episodes
1958-1964 Wagon Train Florence Yeager/Emily Dawson 5 episodes
1959 Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse Muriel 1 episode
1959 Man with a Camera Lila 1 episode
1959 Cimarron City Emily Barton 1 episode
1959 Frontier Doctor Nancy Turner 1 episode
1959 Wanted Dead or Alive Sarah Buchanan / Ellie Morgan 2 episodes
1959 Union Pacific Sarah Morgan 1 episode
1959–1960 The Lineup Sandy McAllister 15 episodes
1960 Thriller Betty Follett 1 episode
1960 Laramie Mrs. LuBell / Helen Bentley 2 episodes
1961 Stagecoach West Cecilia Barnes 1 episode
1962 G.E. True Kate 1 episode
1963 77 Sunset Strip Agnes 1 episode
1963 The Andy Griffith Show Rosemary 1 episode
1963 The Fugitive Ann Gerard 1 episode
1964 Ben Casey Ethel Beldon 1 episode
1964 Arrest and Trial Mrs. Harmon 1 episode
1964–2015 General Hospital Audrey March Hardy 1,799 episodes[17]
Emmy Lifetime Achievement Award
1968 Off to See the Wizard Nellie Malone 1 episode
1969 Ironside Carolyn Channing 1 episode
1969 The Virginian Mary Kinkaid 1 episode
1970 The Name of the Game Mrs. Bailey 1 episode
1997–2003 Port Charles Audrey March Hardy 695 episodes[17]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Foulger, Bryan. "Fourth Generation". Brian Foulger Family History. Retrieved May 25, 2016. RACHEL KAY FOULGER, born 1929 Portland Oregon
  2. ↑ "Rachel Ames". TV Guide. Retrieved May 26, 2016.
  3. 1 2 "About GH: About the Actors: Rachel Ames". Soap Central. Retrieved May 27, 2016.
  4. ↑ "Rachel Ames Signed To Play Policewoman On 'Lineup' Series". The Oil City Derrick. September 19, 1959. p. 23. Retrieved October 21, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ↑ Wittbeck, Charles (July 14, 1967). "Soaper Actress Has Army of Fans". The Toledo Blade. p. 18.
  6. 1 2 3 4 Aaker 2006, pp. 13–14.
  7. ↑ "Science Fiction Theatre Cast". TV.com. Retrieved May 27, 2016.
  8. ↑ Kleiner, Dick (September 20, 1985). "Soap eliminated her tears". Rome News-Tribune. Showbeat. p. 30.
  9. 1 2 Staff (October 29, 2015). "Rachel Ames Returns to General Hospital". Soap Opera Digest. Retrieved May 26, 2016.
  10. ↑ "The National Television Academy Announces the 31st Annual Daytime Emmy Awards Lifetime Achievement Award Recipients". PR Newswire. February 2, 2004. Retrieved May 26, 2016.
  11. ↑ "Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg Hosts Reception In Honor Of 31st Annual Daytime Emmy Awards". NYC.gov. May 20, 2004. Retrieved May 26, 2016.
  12. ↑ "General Hospital Spoilers!". Daytime Confidential. Retrieved April 26, 2013.
  13. ↑ Archived 26 September 2009 at the Wayback Machine.
  14. ↑ "Marriages" (PDF). Billboard. March 1, 1952. p. 47. Retrieved October 21, 2015.
  15. ↑ "Barry Cahill obituary". Los Angeles Times. April 15, 2012. Retrieved April 21, 2012.
  16. ↑ "Barry Cahill Dead at 90; Y&R Actor, Husband of Rachel Ames". We Love Soaps. April 15, 2012. Retrieved April 21, 2012.
  17. 1 2 "Rachel Ames Credits". TV.com. Retrieved May 26, 2016.

Bibliography

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