Rachel Ames

Rachel Ames
Ames, c. 1950
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
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1951–2007, 2009–2015
Spouses	Jack Genung ​ ​ (m. 1952, divorced)​ Barry Cahill ​ ​ (m. 1968; died 2012)​
Children	2
Parents	Byron Foulger (father) Dorothy Adams (mother)

Rachel Ames (born Rachel Kay Foulger; November 2, 1929) is an American actress. She is best known for playing the role of Audrey March Hardy on the ABC soap opera General Hospital (1964 to 2007, returning for appearances in 2009, 2013, and 2015). Ames's role is the longest-running in the series' history, spanning over 50 years and earning her three Daytime Emmy Award nominations. She received the Daytime Emmy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2004. Ames also played the role of Audrey on Port Charles, a spin off of General Hospital, from 1997 to 1998.

Early life

Ames was born Rachel Kay Foulger in Portland, Oregon. She is the daughter of actress (and later college drama instructor) Dorothy Adams and actor Byron Foulger. She has one younger sister, born in 1942. Through her father, she is of English descent, the fourth generation of English immigrants from Norfolk, who settled in the Salt Lake City area.

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

Career

Early work

Rachel Ames 1954

Ames debuted professionally in 1949 in Pilgrimage Play. She co-starred with her parents in One Foot in Heaven at the Pasadena Playhouse. She also appeared in productions of Broadway Jones, The Circle, and King of Hearts at the same venue. She co-starred with her father on stage in Cradle Song. Ames' other theater credits include The Immortalist, Mary Rose, and Golden Boy.

She transitioned into film under the stage name Judith Ames. She 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. She played the role of Julie Cummings. 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.

She had an uncredited role in the film noir The Turning Point (1952). She also had an uncredited role as Mrs. Kirk in the Western film Arrowhead (1953), co-starring with Charlton Heston. The following year, she had a supporting role as Betsy Williams in the Western comedy film Ricochet Romance (1954). In her only regular role on primetime 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, Trackdown, Ben Casey, Perry Mason, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, and six different appearances on Science Fiction Theater. In "The Jodie Tyler Story" episode of the series Whispering Smith, she played the title role, billed as Rachel Foulger. Her mother, Dorothy Adams, was in the same episode, though they had no scenes together. She appeared in a lead role in the 1960 Western Gunfighters of Abilene, opposite Buster Crabbe and Barton MacLane.

General Hospital

Ames as Audrey March in General Hospital, 1973

On February 23, 1964, Ames debuted on ABC's daytime serial, General Hospital, playing Audrey Hardy, R.N. Her tenure in the part is the longest-running role in the network's history, spanning five decades. 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 would be returning to the show on March 29, 2013. She reprised the role again for one episode on October 30, 2015.

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. In 1997, she appeared as Audrey Hardy on ABC's special two-hour primetime preview of new daytime series Port Charles, a spin-off of General Hospital. Ames had a recurring role as Audrey on Port Charles from 1997 to 1998.

Later career

Cast of General Hospital 1973 (top): John Beradino, Emily McLaughlin (bottom): Martin West, Rachel Ames, Peter Hansen

In 2007, Ames retired from General Hospital after 43 years. On October 1, 2009, it was announced that she would be reappearing as Audrey in mid-October after a two-year absence from the show. She reprised the role of Audrey again in April 2013, to coincide with General Hospital's 50th anniversary. She also made a guest appearance on October 30, 2015.

Personal life

Ames married Jack Genung on January 31, 1952, in Los Angeles. They had one daughter. She married her second husband, Canadian-born actor Barry Cahill, and they had a daughter and two grandchildren. Cahill died in April 2012. They had been married for 42 years.

Filmography

Film

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1951	When Worlds Collide	Julie Cummings	Credited as Judith Ames
	Toast to Our Brother		Short film Credited as Judith Ames
1952	The Turning Point	Girl	Uncredited
1953	Arrowhead	Mrs. Kirk	Uncredited
1954	Ricochet Romance	Betsy Williams	Credited as Judith Ames
1957	Oregon Passage	Marion Erschick	Credited as Judith Ames
1960	Gunfighters of Abilene	Alice Hainline	Credited 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	Episode: "The Crime" Credited as Judith Ames
	The Public Defender	Shirley Selvey	Episode: "The Do-Gooder" Credited as Judith Ames
	City Detective	June	Episode: "Her Sister's Keeper" Credited as Judith Ames
1954; 1955	I Led 3 Lives	Comrade Jeanette; Margaret	Episodes: "Love Story", "Second Courier" Credited as Judith Ames
1955	Soldiers of Fortune	Ellen Thayer	Episode: "The Black Scarab" Credited as Judith Ames
	The Pepsi-Cola Playhouse		Episode: "I'll Be Waiting" Credited as Judith Ames
1955–1957	Science Fiction Theatre	Various	6 episodes Credited as Judith Ames
1955; 1958	NBC Matinee Theater		Episodes: "The Shot", "Found Money" Credited as Judith Ames
1955; 1960	The Millionaire	Georgette French; Jessica March	Episodes: "The Cobb Marley Story", "Millionaire Jessica March" Credited as Judith Ames
1956	Alfred Hitchcock Presents	Laura	Episode: "The Hidden Thing" Credited as Judith Ames
	Dr. Christian	Julie	Episode: "Insurance Policy"
	You Are There	Mrs. Fowler	Episode: "V-J Day (September 2, 1945)" Credited as Judith Ames
	Highway Patrol	Anne Reynolds	Episode: "Scared Cop" Credited as Judith Ames
	Studio 57	Jenny; Janet	Episodes: "The Black Road", "Out of Sight" Credited as Judith Ames
	Broken Arrow	Terry Wilson	Episode: "The Mail Riders" Credited as Judith Ames
	The Loretta Young Show	Alice Fuller; Nurse Holste	Episodes: "The Years Between", "Three and Two, Please" Credited as Judith Ames
1956; 1957	Crossroads	Mrs. Edith Brissie; Marian	3 episodes
1956; 1959	State Trooper	Various	3 episodes
1957	Cavalcade of America	Carol	Episode: "The House of Empty Rooms" Credited as Judith Ames
	Whirlybirds	Eve Douglas	Episode: "Lynch Mob" Credited as Judith Ames
	General Electric Theater	Mary; Edie Duncan	Episodes: "No Skin Off Me", "Too Good with a Gun" Credited as Judith Ames
	Code 3	Maggie Porter	Episode: "The Bite" Credited as Judith Ames
1957; 1958	Tales of Wells Fargo	Ellen Craig; Maude Kimball	Episodes: "A Time to Kill", "Special Delivery" Credited as Judith Ames
1957; 1959	The Californians	Ann Sloan; Madge Dorsett	Episodes: "The Avenger", "A Turn in the Trail" Credited as Judith Ames
1958	Meet McGraw	Sue Walters	Episode: "Time for Dying" Credited as Judith Ames
	Telephone Time	Joan Yedor	Episode: "The Checkered Flag" Credited as Judith Ames
	Trackdown	Jenny Krail; Melinda Curry	Episodes: "The Farrand Story", "The House" Credited as Judith Ames
	M Squad	Greta Loder	Episode: "The Fight" Credited as Judith Ames
	Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer	Mrs. Armstrong	Episode: "For Sale, Deathbed, Used" Credited as Judith Ames
	Perry Mason	Marian Shaw	Episode: "The Case of the Black-Eyed Blonde" Credited as Judith Ames
	Man Without a Gun		Episode: "The Last Bullet"
	The Silent Service	Jeanne McFarland	Episode: "The Sandshark Story" Credited as Judith Ames
	Lassie	Mrs. Bridell	Episode: "Lassie's Decision" Credited as Judith Ames
	Colgate Theatre	Alice Beekman	Episodes: "The Last Marshal", "If You Knew Tomorrow" Credited as Judith Ames
	Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre	Martha Bream; Ellen Larkin	Episodes: "The Stranger", "Homecoming" Credited as Judith Ames
1958–1960	The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp	Various	3 episodes
1958–1964	Wagon Train	Various	5 episodes
1959	Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse	Muriel	Episode: "Trial at Devil's Canyon" Credited as Judith Ames
	Man with a Camera	Lila	Episode: "Mute Evidence" Credited as Judith Ames
	Cimarron City	Emily Barton	Episode: "The Unaccepted" Credited as Judith Ames
	Frontier Doctor	Nancy Turner	Episode: "The Big Gamblers" Credited as Judith Ames
	Wanted Dead or Alive	Ellie Morgan; Sarah Buchanan	Episodes: "The Corner", "Angels of Vengeance" Credited as Judith Ames
	Union Pacific	Sarah Morgan	Episode: "To the Death" Credited as Judith Ames
1959–1960	The Lineup	Sandy McAllister	Series regular, 15 episodes
1960	Thriller	Betty Follett	Episode: "The Mark of the Hand"
	Laramie	Helen Bentley; Mrs. LuBell	Episodes: "Cemetery Road", "A Sound of Bells"
1961	Stagecoach West	Cecilia Barnes	Episode: "The Root of Evil"
	Whispering Smith	Jodie Tyler	Episode: "The Jodie Tyler Story" Credited as Rachel Foulger
1962	G.E. True	Kate	Episode: "Circle of Death"
1963	77 Sunset Strip	Agnes Hoyt	Episode: "Reunion at Balboa"
	The Andy Griffith Show	Rosemary	Episode: "A Wife for Andy"
	The Bill Dana Show		Episode: "You Gotta Have Heart"
	The Fugitive	Ann Gerard	Episode: "Never Wave Goodbye: Part 1"
1964	Ben Casey	Ethel Beldon	Episode: "I'll Get on My Ice Floe and Wave Goodbye"
	Arrest and Trial	Mrs. Harmon	Episode: "Funny Man with a Monkey"
1964–2015	General Hospital	Audrey March Hardy	Contract role
1968	Off to See the Wizard	Nellie Malone	Episode: "Mike and the Mermaid"
1969	Ironside	Carolyn Channing	Episode: "Up, Down and Even"
	The Virginian	Mary Kinkaid	Episode: "Death Wait"
	This Is the Life		Episode: "Adrift"
1970	The Name of the Game	Mrs. Bailey	Episode: "The Glory Shouter"
1997–2003	Port Charles	Audrey March Hardy	Recurring role

Awards and nominations

Year	Award	Category	Nominated work	Results	Ref.
1974	1st Daytime Emmy Awards	Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series	General Hospital	Nominated
1975	2nd Daytime Emmy Awards			Nominated
1979	6th Daytime Emmy Awards	Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series		Nominated
2004	31st Daytime Emmy Awards	Lifetime Achievement Award		Won

References

Works cited

• Aaker, Everett (2006). Encyclopedia of Early Television Crime Fighters: All Regular Cast Members in American Crime and Mystery Series, 1948-1959. McFarland. p. 13. ISBN 978-0-786-42476-4.
• Onofrio, Jan (1999). Oregon Biographical Dictionary. Somerset Publishers, Inc. ISBN 978-0-403-09841-5.
• Terrace, Vincent (1985). Encyclopedia of Television Series, Pilots and Specials. Vol. 2. New York Zoetrope. ISBN 9780918432612.
• Vermilye, Jerry (2006). Buster Crabbe: A Biofilmography. McFarland. ISBN 978-0-786-49570-2.

External links

• Rachel Ames at IMDb
• Rachel Ames at AllMovie
• Rachel Ames at the TCM Movie Database
• Rachel Ames at the Internet Archive