A veteran television actress and Broadway star of the 50s, Rue McClanahan was an actress noticed by television executive, Norman Lear. Lear cast her in a number of television shows, including "All in the Family" (1971) with 'Carroll OConnor' and "Maude" (1972) with Bea Arthur. McClanahan next co-starred with Vicki Lawrence, Ken Berry, Betty White and Carol Burnett in "Mama's Family" (1983) for three years, and after it was canceled by NBC, McClanahan was probably best known for her role as the saucy, sharp southern belle, Blanche, in "The Golden Girls" (1985). She once again worked with Bea Arthur and Betty White, and with relative newcomer Estelle Getty. All four of the women won Emmy Awards for their roles. After Bea Arthur left the show after eight seasons, McClanahan, White and Getty returned for a brief spin-off in "The Golden Palace" (1992). In the mid-nineties, McClanahan was diagnosed with cancer, but was able to fight it successfully. In addition to lending her talents to a number of made for TV films, McClanahan has also appeared on the big screen in recent years co-starring with Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau in the comedy Out to Sea (1997) and with Casper Van Dien in Starship Troopers (1997). McClanahan also spends her time joining and helping organizations against cancer, AIDS, and cruelty against animals.
A veteran television actress and Broadway star of the 50s, Rue McClanahan was an actress noticed by television executive, Norman Lear. Lear cast her in a number of television shows, including "All in the Family" (1971) with 'Carroll OConnor' and "Maude" (1972) with Bea Arthur. McClanahan next co-starred with Vicki Lawrence, Ken Berry, Betty White and Carol Burnett in "Mama's Family" (1983) for three years, and after it was canceled by NBC, McClanahan was probably best known for her role as the saucy, sharp southern belle, Blanche, in "The Golden Girls" (1985). She once again worked with Bea Arthur and Betty White, and with relative newcomer Estelle Getty. All four of the women won Emmy Awards for their roles. After Bea Arthur left the show after eight seasons, McClanahan, White and Getty returned for a brief spin-off in "The Golden Palace" (1992). In the mid-nineties, McClanahan was diagnosed with cancer, but was able to fight it successfully. In addition to lending her talents to a number of made for TV films, McClanahan has also appeared on the big screen in recent years co-starring with Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau in the comedy Out to Sea (1997) and with Casper Van Dien in Starship Troopers (1997). McClanahan also spends her time joining and helping organizations against cancer, AIDS, and cruelty against animals.
External links
IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/nm0001516
Wikipedia: https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q230196
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Filmography (Movies)
The Golden Girls: 40 Years of Laughter and Friendship
Character:Self / Blanche Devereaux (archive footage)
Release Date:11/11/2025
Forever Golden! A Celebration of the Golden Girls
Character:Blanche Devereaux
Release Date:14/09/2021
The Golden Girls: Ageless
Character:Self (archive footage)
Release Date:13/03/2021
Betty White: First Lady of Television
Character:Self (archive Footage)
Release Date:18/08/2018
Gaze
Character:Self (archive footage)
Release Date:13/07/2010
Generation Gap
Character:Kay
Release Date:01/11/2008
Back to You & Me
Character:Helen Ludwick
Release Date:23/07/2005
The Fighting Temptations
Character:Nancy Stringer
Release Date:19/09/2003
Miracle Dogs
Character:Katherine Mannion
Release Date:20/07/2003
The Golden Girls: Their Greatest Moments
Character:Self / Blanche Devereaux
Release Date:02/06/2003
The Golden Girls: Lifetime Intimate Portrait Series
Character:Blanche Devereaux (archive footage)
Release Date:01/01/2003
The Women
Character:Countess DeLage
Release Date:18/06/2002
NBC 75th Anniversary Special
Character:Self
Release Date:05/05/2002
Nuncrackers
Character:Reverend Mother
Release Date:01/12/2001
The Moving of Sophia Myles
Character:Mary-Margaret
Release Date:26/11/2000
A Saintly Switch
Character:Aunt Fanny
Release Date:24/01/1999
Rusty: A Dog's Tale
Character:Edna Callahan
Release Date:22/09/1998
Border to Border
Character:Mrs. Kirby
Release Date:01/05/1998
Nunsense 3: The Jamboree
Character:Mother Superior
Release Date:01/01/1998
Starship Troopers
Character:Biology Teacher
Release Date:07/11/1997
Annabelle's Wish
Character:Scarlett (voice)
Release Date:21/10/1997
This World, Then the Fireworks
Character:Mom Lakewood
Release Date:11/07/1997
Out to Sea
Character:Mrs. Ellen Carruthers
Release Date:02/07/1997
Lugosi: Hollywood's Dracula
Character:Self
Release Date:15/06/1997
Dear God
Character:Mom Turner
Release Date:01/11/1996
Innocent Victims
Character:Marylou Hennis
Release Date:21/01/1996
A Holiday to Remember
Character:Miz Leona / Clay's Aunt
Release Date:12/12/1995
A Burning Passion: The Margaret Mitchell Story
Character:Grandma Stephens
Release Date:28/03/1994
Nunsense 2: The Sequel
Character:Rev. Mother Superior Sister Mary Regina
Release Date:01/01/1994
Message from Nam
Character:Beatrice Andrews
Release Date:17/10/1993
Nunsense
Character:Rev. Mother Mary Regina
Release Date:01/07/1993
Mother of the Bride
Character:Margaret Becker Hix
Release Date:27/02/1993
Baby of the Bride
Character:Margaret Becker Hix
Release Date:22/12/1991
The Dreamer of Oz
Character:Matilda Joslyn Gage
Release Date:10/12/1990
To My Daughter
Character:Laura Carlson
Release Date:26/11/1990
Children of the Bride
Character:Margaret Becker
Release Date:05/10/1990
After the Shock
Character:Sherra Cox
Release Date:12/09/1990
Night of 100 Stars III
Character:Self
Release Date:21/05/1990
The Earth Day Special
Character:Blanche Devereaux
Release Date:22/04/1990
Modern Love
Character:Mrs. Evelyn Parker
Release Date:20/04/1990
Rue McClanahan: The Cat Care Video Guide
Character:Herself
Release Date:01/01/1990
The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
Character:
Release Date:29/10/1989
The Wickedest Witch
Character:Avarissa
Release Date:29/10/1989
The Man in the Brown Suit
Character:Suzy Blair
Release Date:04/01/1989
Take My Daughters, Please
Character:Lilah Page
Release Date:21/11/1988
Mickey's 60th Birthday
Character:Self
Release Date:13/11/1988
Liberace
Character:Frances Liberace
Release Date:02/10/1988
The Little Match Girl
Character:Frances Dutton
Release Date:21/12/1987
Picnic
Character:Flo Owens
Release Date:10/11/1986
The NBC All Star Hour: Let's All Be There
Character:
Release Date:16/09/1985
The Skin of Our Teeth
Character:Fortune Teller
Release Date:18/01/1983
The Day the Bubble Burst
Character:Barbara Arvey
Release Date:07/02/1982
Word of Honor
Character:Maggie McNeill
Release Date:06/01/1981
Gridlock
Character:Adele Sherman
Release Date:02/10/1980
Topper
Character:Clara Topper
Release Date:09/11/1979
Rainbow
Character:Ida Koverman
Release Date:06/11/1978
Sergeant Matlovich vs. the U.S. Air Force
Character:Mat's Mother
Release Date:21/08/1978
Having Babies III
Character:Gloria Miles
Release Date:03/03/1978
A Different Approach
Character:
Release Date:01/01/1978
Blade
Character:Gail
Release Date:01/12/1973
The Rimers of Eldritch
Character:Cora Groves
Release Date:04/11/1972
Some of My Best Friends Are...
Character:Lita Joyce
Release Date:27/10/1971
Hogan's Goat
Character:Josey Finn
Release Date:11/10/1971
They Might Be Giants
Character:Daisy Playfair
Release Date:09/06/1971
The People Next Door
Character:Della
Release Date:26/08/1970
Angel's Flight
Character:Dolly
Release Date:01/01/1965
How to Succeed with Girls
Character:Lorena (as Patty Leigh)
Release Date:30/07/1964
Five Minutes to Love
Character:Sally 'Poochie'
Release Date:01/01/1963
Five Minutes to Live
Character:Pamela
Release Date:07/12/1961
The Grass Eater
Character:
Release Date:24/08/1961
Just Between Us
Character:
Release Date:26/07/1961
Hollywood After Dark
Character:Sandy
Release Date:03/04/1961
Television Appearances
Golden Girls 3033
Character:Blanche Devereaux (voice) (archive sound)
Celebrity Ghost Stories
Character:Self
Sordid Lives: The Series
Character:Peggy Ingram
The Tony Danza Show
Character:Self
Wonderfalls
Character:Millie Marcus
Hope & Faith
Character:Sylvia
Whoopi
Character:Marian
Safe Harbor
Character:Grandma Loring
Ladies Man
Character:Aunt Lou
The Lot
Character:Priscilla Tremaine
Love Boat: The Next Wave
Character:Abigail Jordan
The View
Character:Self
King of the Hill
Character:Bunny (voice)
Promised Land
Character:Valerie Carter
Remember WENN
Character:Dusty Foxx
Spider-Man
Character:Mrs. Hardy (voice)
Touched by an Angel
Character:Amelia Bowthorpe Archibald
Touched by an Angel
Character:Lila Winslow
Burke's Law
Character:Jinxy Duke
Intimate Portrait
Character:Self
Boy Meets World
Character:Bernice Matthews
The John Larroquette Show
Character:Rue McClanahan
The Golden Palace
Character:Blanche Devereaux
Nurses
Character:Blanche Devereaux
Law & Order
Character:Lois McIntyre
Empty Nest
Character:Blanche Devereaux
The Golden Girls
Character:Blanche Devereaux
Crazy like a Fox
Character:Angie
Charles in Charge
Character:Irene Pembroke
Murder, She Wrote
Character:Miriam Radford
Cover Up
Character:
Mama's Family
Character:Frances Marie Crowley
Newhart
Character:
American Playhouse
Character:
Darkroom
Character:
Gimme a Break!
Character:
Here's Boomer
Character:Thelma
Trapper John, M.D.
Character:
$weepstake$
Character:
Apple Pie
Character:Ginger-Nell Hollyhock
Grandpa Goes to Washington
Character:
The Love Boat
Character:April Dunlevy
The Love Boat
Character:Mary Hubble
The Love Boat
Character:Doris Simpson
Lou Grant
Character:
Alice
Character:
Maude
Character:Vivian Harmon
Columbo
Character:Verity Chandler
Great Performances
Character:Josey Finn
Great Performances
Character:Cora
Great Performances
Character:Faye Precious
All in the Family
Character:Ruth Rempley
Where the Heart Is
Character:Margaret Jardin #2
Mannix
Character:
Another World
Character:Caroline Johnson
The Mike Douglas Show
Character:Self
Images
