- Born
- Birth nameRachel Kay Foulger
- Height5′ 9″ (1.75 m)
- Rachel Ames has the distinction of being the longest-running performer on ABC Daytime's longest-running daytime drama, General Hospital (1963), which she joined on February 23, 1964, less than a year after the program's first air date. She has been nominated three times for an Emmy Award as Best Actress in a Daytime Drama. Ms. Ames was introduced to the performing arts by her parents, Dorothy Adams and Byron Foulger, both well-known motion picture and television actors. A native of Portland, Oregon, Ms. Ames moved with her family to Los Angeles where she attended University High School and UCLA. Rachel made her acting debut in the annual Pilgrimage play in 1949. She then performed with her parents in a production of "One Foot in Heaven" at the renowned Pasadena Playhouse. There, she also did "Broadway Jones", "The Circle" and "King of Hearts". Her other West Coast theater credits included "Cradle Song" with her father, "The Immortalist", "Chanticleer", "Mary Rose", "Golden Boy" and "The Human Voice. A few years ago, she co-produced and co-starred in "Pieces of Time" with fellow General Hospital (1963) actors Peter Hansen and Susan Brown. Early in her career, Ms. Ames was under contract to Paramount Pictures for three years where she was a member of the "Golden Circle" of talented young performers. The actress made her motion picture debut in When Worlds Collide (1951). Her other feature films include Daddy's Gone A-Hunting (1969). Of her television career, Rachel guested in the legendary series Ben Casey (1961), Wagon Train (1957), General Electric Theater (1953) and Ironside (1967), among others. The actress' avocational interests include gardening, tennis and cooking. She and her husband, Barry Cahill, are also looking for a play to perform together.- IMDb Mini Biography By: Lori <LNumber1@aol.com>
- SpousesBarry Cahill(June 14, 1968 - April 9, 2012) (his death, 1 child)John Bossard Genung(January 4, 1952 - June 23, 1955) (divorced, 1 child)
- ChildrenSusan Thomas
- Parents
- RelativesMary Amanda Foulger(Sibling)
- Blue eyes.
- Thick, sultry voice.
- Blonde hair.
- Unlike anybody else, Ames is the only soap opera actress to have retired her role on television.
- Her General Hospital (1963) co-star, Peter Hansen, was one of the stars in her motion picture debut, When Worlds Collide (1951).
- After her long career on General Hospital (1963), Ames had retired from acting at the age of 77, but made guest appearances, sporadically.
- Is a lifelong friend of the late John Beradino, and attended his funeral on May 24, 1996. She co-starred opposite Beradino on General Hospital (1963).
- [Of John Beradino]: He was wonderful, he was our team leader and still is.
- [Who said in 1989, on being a 'surrogate mother'/'mentor' to the entire General Hospital (1963) younger cast]: The actors seems to be getting younger. I think the stories are more up to date and more current, than they were, originally. I'm very proud of the show, being proud to be here. Originally, I was on for 13 weeks, I stayed on for 25 years practically.
- [Who said in 1985, when she was signed to do General Hospital (1963), for the first time]: I seriously doubted that they would pick up my option, because my character had a disease - she had lymphoma - and she was supposed to die very soon. But they apparently liked me, so they kept me on, and gradually they forgot about the lymphoma.
- [Who reflected her early years on General Hospital (1963)]: Crazy, absolutely crazy and panicky. We were body-mics, we did our own hair, we raced on and did the show, straight through; for a 1/2 hour with all of the commercials, in place and sometimes, we would get stretches from the floor man or speeding up and signs and we were trying to finish them for a 1/2 hour and sometimes, we wouldn't really quite know what it happened.
- My mother was often cast because she cried easily, and that seems to be a hereditary talent I can easily cry too. I am often asked to cry on 'General Hospital,' and in my career before the soap, I did a great deal of crying.
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