Rue McClanahan's Main TV Roles Show Character(s) The Golden Girls Blanche Dev… Mama's Family Aunt Fran C… Sordid Lives: The Series Peggy Ingram The Golden Palace Blanche Eli… Safe Harbor Grandma Lor… Apple Pie Ginger-Nell… Darkroom Mrs. Louise… Ladies Man Aunt Lou Small & Frye Miss Parsifal Grandpa Goes to Washington Grace The Cross-Wits Rue McClana… TV Tales Rue McClana…

Main Movie Roles 2003 - The Fighting Temptations 1997 - Out to Sea 1997 - Starship Troopers 1996 - Dear God 1971 - They Might Be Giants 1965 - Angel's Flight 1961 - Five Minutes to Live

BIOGRAPHY:

A New York stage actress in the 1950s, McClanahan was plucked from the stage by Norman Lear for roles on "All in the Family" (1971) and later "Maude" (1972). For two years (1982 - 1984), she played "Aunt Fran" on "Mama's Family" (1983) until it was canceled by NBC. She hit her comedic stride as a sharp tongued oversexed Southern belle on "The Golden Girls" (1985).


TRIVIA:

• Still has "jitters" for opening nights, about rehearsals and worrying about not having enough time to prepare perfectly.
• Became a sister of Kappa Alpha Theta at the University of Tulsa.
• She graduated cum laude in the University of Tulsa with a degree in German and theatre arts. She was also the only female member of the school's science club.
• Aunt of actress 'Amelia Kinkade' (qv).
• Played the same character, Blanche Devereaux, on four different TV series: _"The Golden Palace" (1992)_ (qv), _"The Golden Girls" (1985)_ (qv), _"Nurses" (1991)_ (qv), and _"Empty Nest" (1988)_ (qv).
• Is a vegan and dedicated animal rights activist.
• In 1997, Rue was diagnosed with cancer. She had a lumpectomy and five months of chemotherapy. She now does a lecture entitled "Aging Gracefully" for breast-cancer support groups.
• After her second marriage broke up, she went to New York, and started doing films. She thinks her "They Might Be Giants" part her best movie part.