Rachel Ames

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.[9] 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.[9] 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 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.[10] 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.

On February 23, 1964, Ames debuted on ABC's daytime serial, General Hospital, playing Audrey Hardy, R.N..[11][12] 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.[13]

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.[14][15] 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.

In 2007, Ames retired from General Hospital after 43 years. On October 1, 2009, she was announced to be reappearing as Audrey in mid-October after a two-year absence from the show.[16] She reprised Audrey again in April 2013, to coincide with General Hospital's 50th anniversary and again on October 30, 2015.[13]