Rachel Ticotin

One tough cookie who can definitely hold her own next to the boys on film and TV, lovely, dark-haired 'Rachel Ticotin' (qv) has stepped up to the plate many times in strong-armed femme roles, playing everything from cops and bodyguards to military corporals.Born on November 1, 1958, and raised in the Bronx, Rachel was of Puerto Rican, Russian-Jewish descent and learned the fine art of discipline at a young age with ballet training at age 8. She made her first stage appearance at age 10 as a Siamese princess in a production of "The King and I" at NYC's City Center Theatre. At age twelve she joined the Ballet Hispanico of New York and went on to work with such famed choreographers as 'Alvin Ailey' (qv), 'Geoffrey Holder' (qv) and 'Anna Sokolow' (qv).Rachel made her film debut at age 20 in a bit role as a gypsy dancer in the _King of the Gypsies (1978)_ (qv) starring 'Eric Roberts' (qv). She gained valuable experience in off-Broadway shows and on the other side of the camera as a production assistant for such films as _The Wanderers (1979)_ (qv), _Dressed to Kill (1980)_ (qv) and _Raging Bull (1980)_ (qv).Rachel earned her big break after being handed the top female role opposite 'Paul Newman' (qv) and 'Edward Asner' (qv) in the brutal police film _Fort Apache the Bronx (1981)_ (qv). Television became a viable forum with the TV pilot _For Love and Honor (1983)_ (qv) as Corporal Grace Pavlik. The pilot introduced her to up-and-coming actor 'David Caruso' (qv). They married later that year. Rachel went on to appear in the short-lived series version of _For Love and Honor (1983)_ (qv) without Caruso. Other television projects included assertive roles in _Prison Stories: Women on the Inside (1991)_ (qv), _Aftershock: Earthquake in New York (1999)_ (qv) and _Warden of Red Rock (2001)_ (qv). On the big screen she played tough in _Critical Condition (1987)_ (qv), _Where the Day Takes You (1992)_ (qv), and _Falling Down (1993)_ (qv).Her best known role is probably the 'Arnold Schwarzenegger' (qv) sci-fi blockbuster _Total Recall (1990)_ (qv) in which the athletic Rachel has a memorable fisticuffs scene with 'Sharon Stone' (qv). In 1997, Rachel earned an ALMA award for her role as a prison guard in _Con Air (1997)_ (qv). Divorced from Caruso after six years in 1989, she later met actor 'Peter Strauss' (qv) on the set of the TV movie _Thicker Than Blood: The Larry McLinden Story (1994)_ (qv). They married in 1998. In series drama she joined the cast of _Ohara (1987)_ (qv) as a U.S. attorney and played detective in the police drama _Crime & Punishment (1993)_ (qv).A proven talent who is as alluring as she is enduring, Rachel's work has included the popular films _Something's Gotta Give (2003)_ (qv) starring 'Jack Nicholson' (qv) and Oscar-nominated 'Diane Keaton' (qv), _Man on Fire (2004)_ (qv) with 'Denzel Washington' (qv), as well as the recent _The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (2005)_ (qv) and its sequel _The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2 (2008)_ (qv). She also was part of the critically acclaimed bi-cultural series _American Family (2002)_ (qv).Although gracing such recent films as horror opus _The Eye (2008)_ (qv), the romantic crimer _The Burning Plain (2008)_ (qv) and the dramatic thriller _América (2011)_ (qv), Rachel has focused on TV as of late with guest roles on the revamped "The Outer Limits," as well as "Lost," "Law & Order: LA," "NCIS: Los Angeles," "Homeland," "Grey's Anatomy" and "The Act."::Gary Brumburgh / gr-home@pacbell.net