Rue McClanahan
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.
Photos
Films (73)
The Golden Girls: 40 Years of Laughter and Friendship - A Special Edition of 20/20
2025 · Self / Blanche Devereaux (archive footage)
Forever Golden! A Celebration of the Golden Girls
2021 · Blanche Devereaux
The Golden Girls: Ageless
2021 · Self (archive footage)
Betty White: First Lady of Television
2018 · Self (archive Footage)
Gaze
2010 · Self (archive footage)
Generation Gap
2008 · Kay
Back to You & Me
2005 · Helen Ludwick
Spider-Man vs. Doc Ock
2004 · Mrs. Hardy (voice)
The Fighting Temptations
2003 · Nancy Stringer
Miracle Dogs
2003 · Katherine Mannion
The Golden Girls: Their Greatest Moments
2003 · Self / Blanche Devereaux
The Golden Girls: Lifetime Intimate Portrait Series
2003 · Blanche Devereaux (archive footage)
The Women
2002 · Countess DeLage
NBC 75th Anniversary Special
2002 · Self
Nuncrackers
2001 · Reverend Mother
The Moving of Sophia Myles
2000 · Mary-Margaret
A Saintly Switch
1999 · Aunt Fanny
Rusty: A Dog's Tale
1998 · Edna Callahan
Border to Border
1998 · Mrs. Kirby
Nunsense 3: The Jamboree
1998 · Mother Superior
Starship Troopers
1997 · Biology Teacher
Annabelle's Wish
1997 · Scarlett (voice)
This World, Then the Fireworks
1997 · Mom Lakewood
Out to Sea
1997 · Mrs. Carruthers
Lugosi: Hollywood's Dracula
1997 · Self
Dear God
1996 · Mom Turner
Innocent Victims
1996 · Marylou Hennis
A Holiday to Remember
1995 · Miz Leona / Clay's Aunt
A Burning Passion: The Margaret Mitchell Story
1994 · Grandma Stephens
Nunsense 2: The Sequel
1994 · Rev. Mother Superior Sister Mary Regina
Message from Nam
1993 · Beatrice Andrews
Nunsense
1993 · Rev. Mother Mary Regina
Mother of the Bride
1993 · Margaret Hix, Co-Executive Producer
Baby of the Bride
1991 · Margaret Hix, Co-Executive Producer
The Dreamer of Oz
1990 · Matilda Joslyn Gage
To My Daughter
1990 · Laura Carlson
Children of the Bride
1990 · Margaret Becker
After the Shock
1990 · Sherra Cox
Night of 100 Stars III
1990 · Self
The Earth Day Special
1990 · Blanche Devereaux
Modern Love
1990 · Mrs. Evelyn Parker
Rue McClanahan: The Cat Care Video Guide
1990 · Herself
The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
1989
The Wickedest Witch
1989 · Avarissa
The Man in the Brown Suit
1989 · Suzy Blair
Take My Daughters, Please
1988 · Lilah Page
Mickey's 60th Birthday
1988 · Self
Liberace
1988 · Frances Liberace
The Little Match Girl
1987 · Frances Dutton
Picnic
1986 · Flo Owens
The NBC All Star Hour: Let's All Be There
1985
The Skin of Our Teeth
1983 · Fortune Teller
The Day the Bubble Burst
1982 · Barbara Arvey
Word of Honor
1981 · Maggie McNeill
Gridlock
1980 · Adele Sherman
Topper
1979 · Clara Topper
Rainbow
1978 · Ida Koverman
Sergeant Matlovich vs. the U.S. Air Force
1978 · Mat's Mother
Having Babies III
1978 · Gloria Miles
A Different Approach
1978
Blade
1973 · Gail
The Rimers of Eldritch
1972 · Cora Groves
Some of My Best Friends Are...
1971 · Lita Joyce
Hogan's Goat
1971 · Josey Finn
They Might Be Giants
1971 · Daisy Playfair
The People Next Door
1970 · Della
Angel's Flight
1965 · Dolly
How to Succeed with Girls
1964 · Lorena (as Patty Leigh)
Five Minutes to Love
1963 · Sally 'Poochie'
Five Minutes to Live
1961 · Pamela
The Grass Eater
1961
Just Between Us
1961
Hollywood After Dark
1961 · Sandy
Séries (54)
Golden Girls 3033
2022 · Blanche Devereaux (voice) (archive sound)
Celebrity Ghost Stories
2009 · Self
Sordid Lives: The Series
2008 · Peggy Ingram
The Tony Danza Show
2004 · Self
Wonderfalls
2004 · Millie Marcus
Hope & Faith
2003 · Sylvia
Whoopi
2003 · Marian
Safe Harbor
1999 · Grandma Loring
Ladies Man
1999 · Aunt Lou
The Lot
1999 · Priscilla Tremaine
Love Boat: The Next Wave
1998 · Abigail Jordan
The View
1997 · Self
King of the Hill
1997 · Bunny (voice)
Promised Land
1996 · Valerie Carter
Remember WENN
1996 · Dusty Foxx
Spider-Man
1994 · Mrs. Hardy (voice)
Touched by an Angel
1994 · Amelia Archibald, Lila Winslow
Burke's Law
1994 · Jinxy Duke
Intimate Portrait
1993 · Self
Boy Meets World
1993 · Bernice Matthews
The John Larroquette Show
1993 · Rue McClanahan
The Golden Palace
1992 · Blanche Devereaux
Nurses
1991 · Blanche Devereaux
New York Police Judiciaire
1990 · Lois McIntyre
Empty Nest
1988 · Blanche Devereaux
The Golden Girls
1985 · Blanche Devereaux
Crazy like a Fox
1984 · Angie
Charles in Charge
1984 · Irene Pembroke
Murder, She Wrote
1984 · Miriam Radford
Cover Up
1984
Mama's Family
1983 · Frances Marie Crowley
Newhart
1982 · Eleanor Smathers
American Playhouse
1982 · Fortune Teller
Darkroom
1981 · Mrs. Louise Michaelson
Gimme a Break!
1981
Here's Boomer
1981 · Thelma
Trapper John, M.D.
1979
Supertrain
1979 · Ms. Rick
$weepstake$
1979
Apple Pie
1978 · Ginger-Nell Hollyhock
Grandpa Goes to Washington
1978
Fantasy Island
1978 · Gertie Lawton, Margaret Fielding
La croisière s'amuse
1977 · April Dunlevy, Mary Hubble, Doris Simpson, Laura Thornton Hayes
Lou Grant
1977
Alice
1976
Maude
1972 · Vivian Harmon
Columbo
1971 · Verity Chandler
Great Performances
1971 · Josey Finn, Cora, Faye Precious
All in the Family
1971 · Ruth Rempley
Where the Heart Is
1969 · Margaret Jardin #2
Mannix
1967
Another World
1964 · Caroline Johnson
The Tonight Show avec Johnny Carson
1962 · Self
The Mike Douglas Show
1961 · Self