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Rue McClanahan
1960's (left) and
1980's (right)
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Rue 1930's
‘Most people know Rue McClanahan from The Golden Girls. There’s another group that know her from Maude. But many people, even people in both of those groups do not realise Rue had a huge career.’ Michael J La Rue recalls his friend’s career that spanned over five decades. ‘She did seven television series, she made over 75 movies, and she appeared in over 100 television shows. And 250 theatrical productions, Off-Broadway, touring and on Broadway. She had a huge career.’
Rue McClanahan was born February 21st 1934 in Healdton, Oklahoma, the daughter of a building contractor and a beautician. After growing up in Oklahoma and Texas, Rue went on to graduate from University of Tulsa, making her professional stage debut in Pennsylvania in 1957 in Inherit the Wind. She spent her early career in Los Angeles before moving to New York in 1964. Her work Off-Broadway finally led to her Broadway debut in 1969 in Jimmy Shine alongside Dustin Hoffman.
It was her work in Another World in 1970 that would bring her recognition. After leaving the play she took her first television role on CBS’ Where the Heart Is. Next came prime time and Maude and a career that would span television, film and the stage. Rue was many things; a breast cancer survivor, an advocate for causes such as PETA and gay rights, and author of her 2007 book My First Five Husbands ... and the Ones Who Got Away.
But her most recognizable role was that of Blanche Devereaux on The Golden Girls. The role would win her an Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series in 1987. But her role and show continues on long after the show ended its seventh and final season in 1992. The Golden Girls continues to draw an audience in syndication.
While a comedy series about four older women sharing a house together in Miami may not seem like a subject that would appeal to a large audience, the show is timeless thanks to its focus on the character's personalities. Each episode delivers fast paced jokes from smart, sharp, and witty scripts. And this material is brought to life by an equally talented group of actresses who bring this delicious comic interplay to life.
That is not to say the show is purely comedic. Each actress brings to life serious issue and character portrayals throughout the shows run. Age discrimination, immigration, euthanasia, homosexuality, are all issues dealt with by characters on the show. For Saturday night television in the 1980’s these were topical issues, many today would still find Blanche’s sex positive lifestyle conflicting.
But what resonates in the show is the friendships. The Golden Girls have left in its wake a list of shows about four female friends. From Designing Women to Sex and the City, we have seen countless times this formula attempted in varying degress of success. Or even four male friends as in The Big Bang Theory. Blanche, Dorothy, Rose and Sophia, having lost their husbands and separated by distance from their adult children, become fast friends. Anyone who has ever moved to a new city and had to create a new circle of friends knows this experience. Anyone who has ever shared a house knows this experience. We can relate to this group of women and see ourselves reflected. Not in their exact situation of widowed women necessarily, but in their friendship with one another and their reliance on one another for help, support, encouragement, and advice. And cheesecake.