Golden Girl McClanahan Passed away at 76.
The actress was best known for her role as the saucy Blanche Deveraux on 'Girls.'
McClanahan had a stroke in late 2009, when she was recovering from
heart bypass surgery. In 1997, she underwent treatment for breast cancer.
Her 'Golden' co-stars Estelle Getty and Bea Arthur passed away in July of 2008 and April of 2009 respectively.
While Blanche may be what McClanahan is most recognized for, she also co-starred with Arthur before in the hit show 'Maude.'
Rue also made appearances on 'All in the Family,' 'Mama's Family,' 'The Love Boat,' and more recently, 'Law & Order.' Her film work includes 'Starship Troopers,' and 'The Fighting Temptations.'
Married six times, McClanahan is survived by her last husband, Morrow Wilson. She also had one son with first husband, Tom Bish, named Mark.
She was also wed and divorced to Norman Hartweg, Peter DeMaio, Gus Fisher and Tom Keel.
Born Eddi-Rue McClanahan in Oklahoma on Feb. 21, 1934, she graduated with a degree from the University of Tulsa with a degree in theater arts and German. Rue then moved to New York to pursue a career in acting. She made a name for herself on the Broadway stage in the late 1950s before hitting it big on the small screen.
She starred on stage opposite Dustin Hoffman in 'Jimmie Shine' and won an Obie for 'Who's Happy Now,' before taking a part on the soap opera 'Another World.' McClanahan's character became so notorious that the soap extended what was intended as a short-term role became a year-long story line.
After 'World,' McClanahan was cast in 'Maude,' playing the shy best friend to Bea Arthur's titular character -- very different from the sassy and sexy Deveraux she would later play on 'Girls.'
Of her greatest role, she told the Cape Cod Times in 2007: "People always ask me if I'm like Blanche. Well, Blanche was an oversexed, self-involved, man-crazy, vain Southern belle from Atlanta -- and I'm not from Atlanta.
Also in 2007, the star wrote a book called 'My First Five Husbands ... and the Ones Who Got Away.'
Aside from her acting, she was also an avid animal rights activist, who worked directly with PETA and was named an honorary director of the group.
Before her death, she became the object of a
Facebook group, which hoped to persuade NBC to pick McClanahan as a host of 'SNL,' much like the successful movement that ended with Betty White's first 'Saturday Night Live' gig.
RIP RUE , I will Miss U:angel:
:angel:R.I.P.
