Ames' first radio broadcast was in January 1942 on Grand Central Station.
His television roles included leads in the adaptations of Life with Father (1953–55) and Father of the Bride (1961–62). His role in Father of th… See more

Ames was a founder of the Screen Actors Guild in 1933, and he served as its president in 1957. During the 1960s, Ames owned several Ford dealerships in California. See more

Ames was the father of Robert Fletcher, who was left with his mother when she and Ames split up in 1923.
Ames wed actress Christine Gossett in 1938. The couple had a daughter, Shelley (b. 1940), a… See more

On February 12, 1964, Ames and his wife were held hostage in their home as an intruder demanded $50,000 before he would free them. Ames called his business partner, who obtained the money from a bank and d… See more