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