Rue McClanahan
Acting • Born 1934-02-21 – Died 2010-06-03
Biography
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.
Filmography
129 credits
Starship Troopers
Movie • 1997
Biology Teacher
Forever Golden! A Celebration of the Golden Girls
Movie • 2021
Blanche Devereaux
The Man in the Brown Suit
Movie • 1989
Suzy Blair
The Day the Bubble Burst
Movie • 1982
Barbara Arvey
This World, Then the Fireworks
Movie • 1997
Mom Lakewood
Five Minutes to Live
Movie • 1961
Pamela
Some of My Best Friends Are...
Movie • 1971
Lita Joyce
Out to Sea
Movie • 1997
Mrs. Ellen Carruthers
Betty White: First Lady of Television
Movie • 2018
Self (archive Footage)
The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
Movie • 1989
The People Next Door
Movie • 1970
Della
Rusty: A Dog's Tale
Movie • 1998
Edna Callahan
Five Minutes to Love
Movie • 1963
Sally 'Poochie'
Hollywood After Dark
Movie • 1961
Sandy
A Holiday to Remember
Movie • 1995
Miz Leona / Clay's Aunt
The Skin of Our Teeth
Movie • 1983
Fortune Teller
A Burning Passion: The Margaret Mitchell Story
Movie • 1994
Grandma Stephens
Hogan's Goat
Movie • 1971
Josey Finn
The Rimers of Eldritch
Movie • 1972
Cora Groves
How to Succeed with Girls
Movie • 1964
Lorena (as Patty Leigh)
A Different Approach
Movie • 1978
Lugosi: Hollywood's Dracula
Movie • 1997
Self
Angel's Flight
Movie • 1965
Dolly
Topper
Movie • 1979
Clara Topper
Rainbow
Movie • 1978
Ida Koverman
Nuncrackers
Movie • 2001
Reverend Mother
Nunsense 2: The Sequel
Movie • 1994
Rev. Mother Superior Sister Mary Regina
Nunsense 3: The Jamboree
Movie • 1998
Mother Superior
Nunsense
Movie • 1993
Rev. Mother Mary Regina
Children of the Bride
Movie • 1990
Margaret Becker
Mother of the Bride
Movie • 1993
Margaret Becker Hix
The Golden Girls: Their Greatest Moments
Movie • 2003
Self / Blanche Devereaux
Annabelle's Wish
Movie • 1997
Scarlett (voice)
Message from Nam
Movie • 1993
Beatrice Andrews
They Might Be Giants
Movie • 1971
Daisy Playfair
NBC 75th Anniversary Special
Movie • 2002
Self
Generation Gap
Movie • 2008
Kay
The Women
Movie • 2002
Countess DeLage
Night of 100 Stars III
Movie • 1990
Self
Modern Love
Movie • 1990
Mrs. Evelyn Parker
The Golden Girls: Ageless
Movie • 2021
Self (archive footage)
Sergeant Matlovich vs. the U.S. Air Force
Movie • 1978
Mat's Mother
The Dreamer of Oz
Movie • 1990
Matilda Joslyn Gage
The Moving of Sophia Myles
Movie • 2000
Mary-Margaret
Gridlock
Movie • 1980
Adele Sherman
After the Shock
Movie • 1990
Sherra Cox
Word of Honor
Movie • 1981
Maggie McNeill
Dear God
Movie • 1996
Mom Turner
The Grass Eater
Movie • 1961
Back to You & Me
Movie • 2005
Helen Ludwick
The Golden Girls: Lifetime Intimate Portrait Series
Movie • 2003
Blanche Devereaux (archive footage)
Liberace
Movie • 1988
Frances Liberace
The Wickedest Witch
Movie • 1989
Avarissa
The Little Match Girl
Movie • 1987
Frances Dutton
Mickey's 60th Birthday
Movie • 1988
Self
Blade
Movie • 1973
Gail
Miracle Dogs
Movie • 2003
Katherine Mannion
Rue McClanahan: The Cat Care Video Guide
Movie • 1990
Herself
Baby of the Bride
Movie • 1991
Margaret Becker Hix
The Fighting Temptations
Movie • 2003
Nancy Stringer
Take My Daughters, Please
Movie • 1988
Lilah Page
Having Babies III
Movie • 1978
Gloria Miles
Gaze
Movie • 2010
Self (archive footage)
Border to Border
Movie • 1998
Mrs. Kirby
Picnic
Movie • 1986
Flo Owens
To My Daughter
Movie • 1990
Laura Carlson
Just Between Us
Movie • 1961
The Earth Day Special
Movie • 1990
Blanche Devereaux
Innocent Victims
Movie • 1996
Marylou Hennis
A Saintly Switch
Movie • 1999
Aunt Fanny
The Golden Girls: 40 Years of Laughter and Friendship
Movie • 2025
Self / Blanche Devereaux (archive footage)
The NBC All Star Hour: Let's All Be There
Movie • 1985
Help Save Planet Earth
Movie • 1990
Self
Lou Grant
TV • 1977
Alice
TV • 1976
The John Larroquette Show
TV • 1993
Rue McClanahan
Spider-Man
TV • 1994
Mrs. Hardy (voice)
The Tony Danza Show
TV • 2004
Self
Charles in Charge
TV • 1984
Irene Pembroke
Trapper John, M.D.
TV • 1979
Whoopi
TV • 2003
Marian
Hope & Faith
TV • 2003
Sylvia
The Love Boat
TV • 1977
April Dunlevy
The Golden Girls
TV • 1985
Blanche Devereaux
Touched by an Angel
TV • 1994
Amelia Bowthorpe Archibald
King of the Hill
TV • 1997
Bunny (voice)
Boy Meets World
TV • 1993
Bernice Matthews
All in the Family
TV • 1971
Ruth Rempley
Maude
TV • 1972
Vivian Harmon
Wonderfalls
TV • 2004
Millie Marcus
The View
TV • 1997
Self
Mannix
TV • 1967
Empty Nest
TV • 1988
Blanche Devereaux
Newhart
TV • 1982
The Golden Palace
TV • 1992
Blanche Devereaux
Nurses
TV • 1991
Blanche Devereaux
Gimme a Break!
TV • 1981
Another World
TV • 1964
Caroline Johnson
Darkroom
TV • 1981
Sordid Lives: The Series
TV • 2008
Peggy Ingram
Cover Up
TV • 1984
Crazy like a Fox
TV • 1984
Angie
Love Boat: The Next Wave
TV • 1998
Abigail Jordan
Where the Heart Is
TV • 1969
Margaret Jardin #2
Promised Land
TV • 1996
Valerie Carter
American Playhouse
TV • 1982
Here's Boomer
TV • 1981
Thelma
Law & Order
TV • 1990
Lois McIntyre
Grandpa Goes to Washington
TV • 1978
Safe Harbor
TV • 1999
Grandma Loring
Touched by an Angel
TV • 1994
Lila Winslow
Mama's Family
TV • 1983
Frances Marie Crowley
Ladies Man
TV • 1999
Aunt Lou
Golden Girls 3033
TV • 2022
Blanche Devereaux (voice) (archive sound)
Intimate Portrait
TV • 1993
Self
Burke's Law
TV • 1994
Jinxy Duke
Celebrity Ghost Stories
TV • 2009
Self
Apple Pie
TV • 1978
Ginger-Nell Hollyhock
The Love Boat
TV • 1977
Mary Hubble
The Love Boat
TV • 1977
Doris Simpson
Columbo
TV • 1971
Verity Chandler
Great Performances
TV • 1971
Josey Finn
Great Performances
TV • 1971
Cora
Great Performances
TV • 1971
Faye Precious
Murder, She Wrote
TV • 1984
Miriam Radford
The Mike Douglas Show
TV • 1961
Self
Remember WENN
TV • 1996
Dusty Foxx
The Lot
TV • 1999
Priscilla Tremaine
$weepstake$
TV • 1979