Amanda Ames/Eileen Harley
Wallace Earl Sparks/Wally Laven/Amanda Foulger
Who guest starred in the most episodes of "The Rifleman?"
Who is your favorite character actor?
* I don't know about you but, Amanda Ames sure looks like Eileen Hartley to me?????  What say U?

 

 

'The Hangman'
Amanda Ames as Myrtle
owner of the Feed & Grain Store

 'The Silent Knife'
Amanda Ames as Myrtle
 owner of the Hardware Store
 

 
 

 

'The Executioner'
Amanda Ames as Ruth the Waitress

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Eileen Harley as Claire Wheatley Carney. 
Claire was an old friend of Margaret's and married to 'The Retired Gun

 

 

Who played Joe Lovering's wife in 'Short Rope for a Tall Man'?
Was it Amanda Ames or was it Eileen Harley?


I found this very interesting, so I did some research on Amanda Ames or was it Eileen Harley?  While doing some research for one of "The Rifleman" episodes I came across the name Wallace Earl Sparks.  Wallace Earl Sparks was married to Arnold Laven,  I knew they call Arnold's wife Wally but I never connected Wallace Earl Sparks to Arnold Laven or to Amanda Ames or was it Eileen Harley.  If you look at her list of credits you will see she is sometimes credited as Amanda Harley or Eileen Harley, nothing on Amanda Ames.

Amanda Hartley appeared in an episode of "The Hardcastle & McCormick" and that Arnold Laven also directed some of "The Hardcastle & McCormick" episodes. 
Gotta love that show!  As Ol' Hardcastle would say.....

"Hunt 'em.....Hear 'em..... and Hang 'em..... That's the code of the west!"


I received an e-mail from Greg's, it gave me one more piece of this puzzle, a very important piece.  Greg gave me Amanda's maiden name which is Foulger and that her father was a very well known character actor named Byron Foulger who is one of those character actors who you remember the face but not the name.

Something missing from your information on the actress named in the subject line,
amanda ames/eileen harley/wallace earl, is that her maiden name was, in face, not Sparks, but Foulger. Her father was the very well known character actor Byron Foulger whose face would be instantly recognizable to you from hundreds of classic films. I believe, too, from the photos posted on your site, that there is a strong family resemblance.  ~Greg     9/4/11  Thanks Greg!

  This is what I have found.....

Amanda's sister is the well know actress Rachel Ames.  Any of you soap lovers will remember Rachel from "General Hospital" as the longest-running performer on ABC daytime drama as Audrey March/Audrey Hardy, R.N.  Rachel's real name is Rachel Foulger.

Birth Name:  Amanda Foulger

Birth Name:  Rachel Foulger

Amanda Ames
 1960 - 1961 - 1962 - 1963 - 1964

Rachel Ames

Amanda Harley 
1966 thru 1969 - 1971 - 1982 - 1984

Judith Ames

Eileen Harley 
1956 - 1957 - 1959 - 1960 & 1977

 —————

Wallace Earl
Wally Earl  1958 — Wally Laven - Nickname

—————

What I have come up with is Amanda Foulger is her real name. 

* Harley was her grandmother's maiden name.

* Amanda was her great-grandmother's name. 

Amanda was named after her great-grandmother, Amanda.  She got Harley from her grandmother's maiden name.

I don't know where the last name Ames came from for either Amanda or Rachel.  Not sure where Amanda got Wallace Earl Sparks from.  Wally was Amanda's nickname.

*If anyone has any information on Amanda Ames/Eileen Harley/Wallace Earl Sparks please get with

 

Byron Foulger

Rachel Ames
 


I got this e-mail from "A friend" of  "The McCain Ranch....."

Hi,

I noticed that you were asking for some information about Amanda Ames/Eileen Harley.  Wallace Earl (which was always pronounced as one word, like "Wallasearl") was Arnold Laven's wife.  Her maiden name was Sparks.  She used a variety of stage names over the years.  These included Eileen Harley and Amanda Harley.  I was surprised to see the Amanda Ames name, as I was not previously aware of that one.  It appears that she may also have used the names Wally Earl and Wallace Earl for some of her performances.

 *Harley was her grandmother's maiden name.  I've heard two stories about where "Amanda" came from.  The first is that it is a tribute to Amanda Blake, whom she met on the set of Gunsmoke and with whom she was impressed.  The other is that *Amanda was her great-grandmother's name. 

I'm inclined to believe the first.  I have no idea from where the names Eileen or Ames may have come. 

Sadly, Wallace Earl was afflicted with Alzheimer's well before Arnold's death, so we are unlikely to get any more detailed information.

Regards, "A friend" of  "The McCain Ranch....."

. (June 26, 2011)
*If anyone has any information on Amanda Ames/Eileen Harley/Wallace Earl Sparks please get with


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