Rue McClanahan
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.
Known For
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
1962
Law & Order
1990
The Mike Douglas Show
1961
The View
1997
Columbo
1971
King of the Hill
1997
The Love Boat
1977
The Love Boat
1977
The Love Boat
1977
The Love Boat
1977
Murder, She Wrote
1984
Mannix
1967
Filmography
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
as Self · 1962
Law & Order
as Lois McIntyre · 1990
The Mike Douglas Show
as Self · 1961
The View
as Self · 1997
Columbo
as Verity Chandler · 1971
King of the Hill
as Bunny (voice) · 1997
The Love Boat
as April Dunlevy · 1977
The Love Boat
as Mary Hubble · 1977
The Love Boat
as Doris Simpson · 1977
The Love Boat
as Laura Thornton Hayes · 1977
Murder, She Wrote
as Miriam Radford · 1984
Mannix
· 1967
Great Performances
as Josey Finn · 1971
Great Performances
as Cora · 1971
Great Performances
as Faye Precious · 1971
Touched by an Angel
as Amelia Archibald · 1994
Touched by an Angel
as Lila Winslow · 1994
American Playhouse
as Fortune Teller · 1982
Intimate Portrait
as Self · 1993
The Golden Girls
as Blanche Devereaux · 1985
Lou Grant
· 1977
The Tony Danza Show
as Self · 2004
Alice
· 1976
Newhart
· 1982
Newhart
as Eleanor Smathers · 1982
Spider-Man
as Mrs. Hardy (voice) · 1994
Boy Meets World
as Bernice Matthews · 1993
Fantasy Island
as Gertie Lawton · 1978
Fantasy Island
as Margaret Fielding · 1978
All in the Family
as Ruth Rempley · 1971
Trapper John, M.D.
· 1979
Charles in Charge
as Irene Pembroke · 1984
Empty Nest
as Blanche Devereaux · 1988
Celebrity Ghost Stories
as Self · 2009
The John Larroquette Show
as Rue McClanahan · 1993
Hope & Faith
as Sylvia · 2003
Crazy like a Fox
as Angie · 1984
Where the Heart Is
as Margaret Jardin #2 · 1969
Mama's Family
as Frances Marie Crowley · 1983
Maude
as Vivian Harmon · 1972
Maude
· 1972
Starship Troopers
as Biology Teacher · 1997
Burke's Law
as Jinxy Duke · 1994
Another World
as Caroline Johnson · 1964
Gimme a Break!
· 1981
Promised Land
as Valerie Carter · 1996
Love Boat: The Next Wave
as Abigail Jordan · 1998
Nurses
as Blanche Devereaux · 1991
The Golden Palace
as Blanche Devereaux · 1992
Remember WENN
as Dusty Foxx · 1996
Cover Up
· 1984
Wonderfalls
as Millie Marcus · 2004
Ladies Man
as Aunt Lou · 1999
Whoopi
as Marian · 2003
Supertrain
as Ms. Rick · 1979
Here's Boomer
as Thelma · 1981
$weepstake$
· 1979
Darkroom
as Mrs. Louise Michaelson · 1981
The Lot
as Priscilla Tremaine · 1999
Sordid Lives: The Series
as Peggy Ingram · 2008
Grandpa Goes to Washington
· 1978
Safe Harbor
as Grandma Loring · 1999
They Might Be Giants
as Daisy Playfair · 1971
Out to Sea
as Mrs. Carruthers · 1997
The Fighting Temptations
as Nancy Stringer · 2003
Annabelle's Wish
as Scarlett (voice) · 1997
The Dreamer of Oz
as Matilda Joslyn Gage · 1990
This World, Then the Fireworks
as Mom Lakewood · 1997
The Earth Day Special
as Blanche Devereaux · 1990
The NBC All Star Hour: Let's All Be There
· 1985
The Man in the Brown Suit
as Suzy Blair · 1989
Night of 100 Stars III
as Self · 1990
Rusty: A Dog's Tale
as Edna Callahan · 1998
Mother of the Bride
as Margaret Hix · 1993
The Golden Girls: 40 Years of Laughter and Friendship - A Special Edition of 20/20
as Self / Blanche Devereaux (archive footage) · 2025
Apple Pie
as Ginger-Nell Hollyhock · 1978
Dear God
as Mom Turner · 1996
Baby of the Bride
as Margaret Hix · 1991
Miracle Dogs
as Katherine Mannion · 2003
Nunsense
as Rev. Mother Mary Regina · 1993
NBC 75th Anniversary Special
as Self · 2002
The Golden Girls: Their Greatest Moments
as Self / Blanche Devereaux · 2003
Back to You & Me
as Helen Ludwick · 2005
Sergeant Matlovich vs. the U.S. Air Force
as Mat's Mother · 1978
Golden Girls 3033
as Blanche Devereaux (voice) (archive sound) · 2022
Five Minutes to Live
as Pamela · 1961
A Holiday to Remember
as Miz Leona / Clay's Aunt · 1995
The People Next Door
as Della · 1970
The Golden Girls: Ageless
as Self (archive footage) · 2021
Take My Daughters, Please
as Lilah Page · 1988
The Women
as Countess DeLage · 2002
Mickey's 60th Birthday
as Self · 1988
Betty White: First Lady of Television
as Self (archive Footage) · 2018
Spider-Man vs. Doc Ock
as Mrs. Hardy (voice) · 2004
The Golden Girls: Lifetime Intimate Portrait Series
as Blanche Devereaux (archive footage) · 2003
The Rimers of Eldritch
as Cora Groves · 1972
A Different Approach
· 1978
Some of My Best Friends Are...
as Lita Joyce · 1971
The Little Match Girl
as Frances Dutton · 1987
Nunsense 2: The Sequel
as Rev. Mother Superior Sister Mary Regina · 1994
Liberace
as Frances Liberace · 1988
Gaze
as Self (archive footage) · 2010
A Saintly Switch
as Aunt Fanny · 1999
The Moving of Sophia Myles
as Mary-Margaret · 2000
Generation Gap
as Kay · 2008
The Wickedest Witch
as Avarissa · 1989
Angel's Flight
as Dolly · 1965
A Burning Passion: The Margaret Mitchell Story
as Grandma Stephens · 1994
The Skin of Our Teeth
as Fortune Teller · 1983
Forever Golden! A Celebration of the Golden Girls
as Blanche Devereaux · 2021
The Day the Bubble Burst
as Barbara Arvey · 1982
Lugosi: Hollywood's Dracula
as Self · 1997
To My Daughter
as Laura Carlson · 1990
Blade
as Gail · 1973
Rainbow
as Ida Koverman · 1978
The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
· 1989
Children of the Bride
as Margaret Becker · 1990
Modern Love
as Mrs. Evelyn Parker · 1990
Innocent Victims
as Marylou Hennis · 1996
Five Minutes to Love
as Sally 'Poochie' · 1963
Message from Nam
as Beatrice Andrews · 1993
Word of Honor
as Maggie McNeill · 1981
Having Babies III
as Gloria Miles · 1978
After the Shock
as Sherra Cox · 1990
Topper
as Clara Topper · 1979
How to Succeed with Girls
as Lorena (as Patty Leigh) · 1964
Nunsense 3: The Jamboree
as Mother Superior · 1998
Gridlock
as Adele Sherman · 1980
Hollywood After Dark
as Sandy · 1961
Hogan's Goat
as Josey Finn · 1971
Border to Border
as Mrs. Kirby · 1998
The Grass Eater
· 1961
Rue McClanahan: The Cat Care Video Guide
as Herself · 1990
Picnic
as Flo Owens · 1986
Nuncrackers
as Reverend Mother · 2001
Just Between Us
· 1961