Michael O'Leary, who was born on March 27, 1958 in St. Paul, Minnesota, is best known for playing Dr. Frederick Bauer on the soap opera Guiding Light. For this portrayal, he received a Daytime Emmy Award nomination in 1987 and four Soap Opera Digest Award nominations, including Outstanding Male Scene Stealer in 2001. O'Leary was educated at California State University at Fullerton and was determined to pursue an acting career after school. He also studied acting with Stella Adler and Larry Moss in Los Angeles and William Esper in New York. He then landed recurring roles of Dr. Stewart Farmingham in Doogie Howser and Paul in It's a Small World. He also appeared as guest in
Law & Order . O'Leary had also appeared on stage, in productions such as Tea & Sympathy, Auntie Mame, Scars and Rain.
Dr. Frederick "Rick" Bauer, MD of Guiding Light is played by Michael O'Leary. Born to Ed and Leslie Bauer, Rick is the brother of Michelle and was named after his great grandfather. He was raised by his mother after his parents divorced and was taken by his father when Leslie married the wealthy Stanley Norris. Rick grew up to be a doctor at Cedars Hospital in Springfield and later got involved with women such as Melissande Boudreau, Annie Dutton, Elizabeth Raines and Merdith Reade. He finally settled down with Beth Raines Spaulding. Rick is also the father of Leah (Melissande's daughter) and Jude Cooper (Harley Cooper's son).
(Photo courtesy of CBS.com)