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Eddi-Rue McClanahan (February 21, 1934 – June 3, 2010) was an American actress. She was best known for her roles on television sitcoms, including Vivian Cavender Harmon on '' Maude'' (1972–78), '' Aunt Fran Crowley'' on ''
Mama's Family ''Mama's Family'' is an American sitcom television series starring Vicki Lawrence as Thelma Harper, Mama (Thelma Harper). The series is a spin-off of a recurring series of comedy sketches called "The Family (sketch), The Family" featured on ''T ...
'' (1983–84), and Blanche Devereaux on ''
The Golden Girls ''The Golden Girls'' is an American sitcom created by Susan Harris that aired on NBC from September 14, 1985, to May 9, 1992, with a total of 180 half-hour episodes, spanning seven seasons. The show's ensemble cast stars Beatrice Arthur, Betty ...
'' (1985–92), and its spin-off series '' The Golden Palace'' (1992–93). McClanahan won an
Emmy Award The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the year, each with their own set of rules and award categor ...
for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series in 1987 for her role in ''The Golden Girls'', out of four total nominations.


Early life

Eddi-Rue McClanahan was born in Healdton, Oklahoma, on February 21, 1934. She was the daughter of Dreda Rheua-Nell (née Medaris), a beautician, and William Edwin "Bill" McClanahan, a building contractor. Her name combined her father's middle name of "Edwin", to create Eddi, and her mother's middle name of "Rheua", to create Rue. She stopped using "Eddi" because it was mistaken for a male name, and once led to her accidentally receiving a
conscription Conscription, also known as the draft in the United States and Israel, is the practice in which the compulsory enlistment in a national service, mainly a military service, is enforced by law. Conscription dates back to antiquity and it conti ...
notice. She was raised
Methodist Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a Protestant Christianity, Christian Christian tradition, tradition whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's brother ...
and was of Irish and
Choctaw The Choctaw ( ) people are one of the Indigenous peoples of the Southeastern Woodlands of the United States, originally based in what is now Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. The Choctaw language is a Western Muskogean language. Today, Choct ...
ancestry. Her Choctaw great-grandfather was named Running Hawk, according to her autobiography, ''My First Five Husbands... and the Ones Who Got Away'' (2007). Due to her father's work, her family moved frequently. She graduated from Ardmore High School in
Ardmore, Oklahoma Ardmore is the county seat of Carter County, Oklahoma, Carter County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 24,725 at the time of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, a 1.8% increase over the 2010 census figure of 24,283. The Ardmo ...
, where she acted in school plays and won the gold medal in
oration Public speaking, is the practice of delivering speeches to a live audience. Throughout history, public speaking has held significant cultural, religious, and political importance, emphasizing the necessity of effective rhetorical skills. It all ...
. A
National Honor Society The National Honor Society (NHS) is one of the oldest, largest, and most widely recognized cocurricular student organizations in American high schools, with 1.4 million members. The purpose of the NHS is to create enthusiasm for scholarship, to ...
member, McClanahan earned a Bachelor of Arts degree, ''
cum laude Latin honors are a system of Latin phrases used in some colleges and universities to indicate the level of distinction with which an academic degree has been earned. The system is primarily used in the United States. It is also used in some Sout ...
'', at the
University of Tulsa The University of Tulsa (TU) is a Private university, private research university in Tulsa, Oklahoma. It has a historic affiliation with the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Presbyterian Church, although it is now nondenominational, and the campus ...
, where she majored in both German and theater and joined the
Kappa Alpha Theta Kappa Alpha Theta (), commonly referred to simply as Theta, is an international Fraternities and sororities, sorority founded on January 27, 1870, at DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana. It was the first Greek-letter fraternity established ...
sorority, serving as vice president.


Career

A life member of the
Actors Studio The Actors Studio is a membership organization for professional actors, theatre directors and playwrights located on West 44th Street in Hell's Kitchen in New York City. The studio is best known for its work refining and teaching method actin ...
, McClanahan made her professional stage début at Pennsylvania's Erie Playhouse in 1957, in the play '' Inherit the Wind''. She began acting off-Broadway in New York City in 1957, but did not make her Broadway début until 1969, when she portrayed Sally Weber in the original production of
John Sebastian John Benson Sebastian (born March 17, 1944) is an American singer, songwriter and musician who founded the rock band the Lovin' Spoonful in 1964 with Zal Yanovsky. During his time in the Lovin Spoonful, Sebastian wrote and sang some of the ban ...
and Murray Schisgal's play with music, '' Jimmy Shine'', with
Dustin Hoffman Dustin Lee Hoffman (born August 8, 1937) is an American actor. As one of the key actors in the formation of New Hollywood, Hoffman is known for Dustin Hoffman filmography, his versatile portrayals of antiheroes and emotionally vulnerable charac ...
in the title role. Her role as Caroline Johnson on the TV show '' Another World'' (from July 1970 to September 1971) brought her notice. Once her role on ''Another World'' ended, McClanahan joined the cast of the CBS soap opera '' Where the Heart Is'', in which she played Margaret Jardin. In the 1972 episode of ''
All in the Family ''All in the Family'' is an American sitcoms in the United States, sitcom television series that aired on CBS for nine seasons from January 12, 1971, to April 8, 1979, with a total of 205 episodes. It was later produced as ''Archie Bunker's Pla ...
'' "The Bunkers and the Swingers," McClanahan and
Vincent Gardenia Vincent Gardenia (born Vincenzo Scognamiglio; January 7, 1920 – December 9, 1992) was an Italian-American stage, film and television actor. He was nominated twice for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, first for '' Bang the Drum Slowl ...
play a swinging couple who meet the unsuspecting Bunkers. McClanahan first worked with actress Bea Arthur on the sitcom '' Maude'' (1972–78). Arthur played Maude Findlay, and McClanahan played Maude's best friend Vivian Cavender Harmon, who eventually married Maude's next-door neighbor Dr. Arthur Harmon (played by Conrad Bain). After ''Maude'', McClanahan starred in ''
Apple Pie An apple pie is a pie in which the principal filling is apples. Apple pie is often served with whipped cream, ice cream ("apple pie à la mode"), custard or cheddar cheese. It is generally double-crusted, with pastry both above and below the ...
'', a series created for her by
Norman Lear Norman Milton Lear (July 27, 1922December 5, 2023) was an American screenwriter and producer who produced, wrote, created, or developed over 100 shows. Lear created and produced numerous popular 1970s sitcoms, including ''All in the Family'' (1 ...
, but which aired only two episodes before it was canceled. In an interview, McClanahan said she also did another of the pilot episodes ''
The Baxters ''The Baxters'' is a sitcom that aired in broadcast syndication from September 1979 to August 1981. The original American incarnation of the series aired locally from 1977 to 1979 on the Boston, Massachusetts, Boston station WCVB-TV; in 1979, N ...
'' for Lear but told him she did not want to do the series itself. It is unknown if her appearance was in the actual pilot or an unaired pilot, presumably the latter given she is not credited and the show is not attributed to her anywhere. It is also possible she never actually filmed the episode but was just considering it. Many years later, a script binder entitled ''The Baxters'' was discovered to be a part of her collection. On the first two seasons of ''
Mama's Family ''Mama's Family'' is an American sitcom television series starring Vicki Lawrence as Thelma Harper, Mama (Thelma Harper). The series is a spin-off of a recurring series of comedy sketches called "The Family (sketch), The Family" featured on ''T ...
'' (1983–84), McClanahan portrayed '' Aunt Fran Crowley'', an uptight spinster sister to Mama Thelma Harper (
Vicki Lawrence Vicki Lawrence (born Vicki Ann Axelrad, March 26, 1949), sometimes credited as Vicki Lawrence Schultz, is an American actress, comedian, and singer. She is best known for her character Thelma Harper, Mama (Thelma Harper). Lawrence also originate ...
). Fran was a journalist for the local paper. Also in the cast was McClanahan's future ''Golden Girls'' costar Betty White. McClanahan and White appeared before the show was canceled by NBC after two seasons and then retooled for first run syndication. On ''
The Golden Girls ''The Golden Girls'' is an American sitcom created by Susan Harris that aired on NBC from September 14, 1985, to May 9, 1992, with a total of 180 half-hour episodes, spanning seven seasons. The show's ensemble cast stars Beatrice Arthur, Betty ...
'' (1985–92) and its short-lived spin-off '' The Golden Palace'' (1992–93), McClanahan portrayed man-crazed
Southern belle "Southern belle" () is a colloquialism for a debutante or other fashionable young woman of European heritage in the planter class of the Antebellum South, particularly as a romantic counterpart to the Southern gentleman. Characteristics Th ...
Blanche Devereaux, owner of the house she lived in and rented out to her three roommates and best friends: Dorothy Zbornak (Arthur), Rose Nylund (White), and Sophia Petrillo ( Estelle Getty). McClanahan received four
Emmy Award The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the year, each with their own set of rules and award categor ...
nominations for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for her work on the show, winning the award in 1987. She appeared as a leader of Al-Anon in a 1970s informational film called ''Slight Drinking Problem'', in which
Patty Duke Anna Marie Duke (December 14, 1946 – March 29, 2016), known professionally as Patty Duke, was an American actress. Over the course of her acting career, she was the recipient of an Academy Awards, Academy Award, two Golden Globe Awards, three ...
played the enabling and eventually self-empowered wife of an alcoholic. In feature films, she appeared in '' The Rotten Apple'' (1961) and '' Walk the Angry Beach'' (1968). She appeared in the Walter Matthau-
Jack Lemmon John Uhler Lemmon III (February 8, 1925 – June 27, 2001) was an American actor. Considered proficient in both dramatic and comic roles, he was known for his anxious, middle-class everyman screen persona in comedy-drama films. He received num ...
comedy '' Out to Sea'' (1997). On television, she appeared as
Matilda Joslyn Gage Matilda Joslyn Gage ( Joslyn; March 24, 1826 – March 18, 1898) was an American writer and activist. She is mainly known for her contributions to women's suffrage in the United States, but also campaigned for Native American rights, aboli ...
, mother-in-law of L. Frank Baum in the made-for-TV movie ''
The Dreamer of Oz ''The Dreamer of Oz: The L. Frank Baum Story'' is a 1990 American television film, made-for-television biographical film starring John Ritter as L. Frank Baum, Lyman Frank Baum, the author who wrote the 1900 novel ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'' ...
'' (1990). She also made guest appearances on TV game shows including ''
The $10,000 Pyramid ''Pyramid'' is an American game show franchise that has aired several versions domestically and internationally. The show was developed by Bob Stewart. The original series, ''The $10,000 Pyramid'', debuted on CBS on March 26, 1973, and spawned ...
'', ''
Hollywood Squares ''Hollywood Squares'' (originally ''The Hollywood Squares'', later stylized as ''H2: Hollywood Squares'') is an American game show in which two contestants compete in a game of tic-tac-toe to win cash and prizes. The show originally aired as a ...
'', and ''
Tattletales ''Tattletales'' is an American game show produced by Mark Goodson, Goodson-Bill Todman, Todman Productions in association with Fremantle (company), Fremantle. The program had two runs on the CBS daytime schedule between February 1974 and June ...
''. She made guest appearances on ''
Murder, She Wrote ''Murder, She Wrote'' is an American crime drama television series, created by Peter S. Fischer, Richard Levinson and William Link, starring Angela Lansbury, and produced and distributed by Universal Television for the CBS network. The series f ...
'', '' Charles in Charge'' and ''
Newhart ''Newhart'' is an American television sitcom that aired on CBS from October 25, 1982, to May 21, 1990, with a total of 184 half-hour episodes spanning eight seasons. The series stars Bob Newhart and Mary Frann as an author and his wife, respe ...
''. In the early 1990s, McClanahan appeared as Margaret Becker in a trilogy of made-for-television films: '' Children of the Bride'', '' Baby of the Bride'', and '' Mother of the Bride''. She voice-acted in cartoons, voicing Scarlett in the 1997 Fox Christmas special '' Annabelle's Wish''. She played the role of Steve's grandmother in the
Blue's Clues ''Blue's Clues'' is an American interactive educational television, educational children's television series created by Traci Paige Johnson, Todd Kessler, and Angela Santomero, Angela C. Santomero. It premiered on Nickelodeon's Nick Jr. block ...
video ''Blue's Big Treasure Hunt'' (1999). On '' Spider-Man: The Animated Series'', she appeared in the 1994 episode "Doctor Octopus: Armed And Dangerous" as Anastasia Hardy. She played a biology teacher in 1997's ''
Starship Troopers ''Starship Troopers'' is a military science fiction novel by American writer Robert A. Heinlein. Written in a few weeks in reaction to the US suspending nuclear tests, the story was first published as a two-part serial in ''The Magazine of ...
''. She voiced the role of Bunny in a 2007 episode of ''
King of the Hill ''King of the Hill'' is an American animated sitcom created by Mike Judge and Greg Daniels that initially aired on Fox Broadcasting Company, Fox from January 12, 1997, to September 13, 2009, with four more episodes airing in First-run syndicati ...
'', "Hair Today, Gone Today." In 2009, she appeared in an episode of ''
Law & Order ''Law & Order'' is an American police procedural and legal drama television series created by Dick Wolf and produced by Wolf Entertainment and Universal Television, launching the ''Law & Order'' franchise. ''Law & Order'' aired its entire ...
'' as a woman who had an affair with
John F. Kennedy John Fitzgerald Kennedy (May 29, 1917 – November 22, 1963), also known as JFK, was the 35th president of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963. He was the first Roman Catholic and youngest person elected p ...
. On Broadway, McClanahan appeared in the all-woman cast of ''The Women'' in 2001-2002, alongside Cynthia Nixon, Jennifer Coolidge, among others. She replaced Tammy Grimes as "The Visitor from New York" (Hannah Warren) in the
Neil Simon Marvin Neil Simon (July 4, 1927 – August 26, 2018) was an American playwright, screenwriter and author. He wrote more than 30 plays and nearly the same number of movie screenplays, mostly film adaptations of his plays. He received three ...
comedy '' California Suite'' from April 4, 1977, until the show closed on July 2 of that same year. In 2003, she appeared alongside
Mark Hamill Mark Richard Hamill (; born September 25, 1951) is an American actor. He is best known for starring as Luke Skywalker in the ''Star Wars'' franchise, and the Joker (character), Joker in various animated DC Comics projects, starting with ''Batm ...
in the
two-hander A two-hander is a term for a play, film, or television programme with only two main characters. The two characters in question often display differences in social standing or experiences, differences that are explored and possibly overcome as t ...
'' Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks'' at the Coconut Grove Playhouse in Miami, Florida. She chose not to continue with the production and was replaced by
Polly Bergen Polly Bergen (born Nellie Paulina Burgin; July 14, 1930 – September 20, 2014) was an American actress, singer, television host, writer, and entrepreneur. She won an Emmy Award in 1958 for her performance as Helen Morgan (singer), Helen ...
for the Broadway performances. The same year, she appeared in the musical romantic comedy film '' The Fighting Temptations'' as Nancy Stringer, which costarred Cuba Gooding, Jr.,
Beyoncé Knowles Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter ( ; born September 4, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and businesswoman. With a career spanning over three decades, she has established herself as one of the most culturally significant figu ...
, Mike Epps, and
Steve Harvey Broderick Stephen Harvey Sr. Also aired August 16, 2015. (born January 17, 1957) is an American comedian, television host, actor, writer, and producer. He hosts ''The Steve Harvey Morning Show'', ''Family Feud'', ''Celebrity Family Feud'', '' ...
. On Broadway, she replaced Carole Shelley as Madame Morrible in the musical ''Wicked'' on May 31, 2005. She played the role for eight months until January 8, 2006. She was replaced by Carol Kane on January 10, 2006. Her autobiography, ''My First Five Husbands ... and the Ones Who Got Away'', was released in 2007. In June 2008, ''
The Golden Girls ''The Golden Girls'' is an American sitcom created by Susan Harris that aired on NBC from September 14, 1985, to May 9, 1992, with a total of 180 half-hour episodes, spanning seven seasons. The show's ensemble cast stars Beatrice Arthur, Betty ...
'' was awarded the Pop Culture award at the Sixth Annual TV Land Awards; McClanahan accepted the award with co-stars Arthur and White. McClanahan's final acting role was as Peggy Ingram in the cable series '' Sordid Lives'' on the
Logo A logo (abbreviation of logotype; ) is a graphic mark, emblem, or symbol used to aid and promote public identification and recognition. It may be of an abstract or figurative design or include the text of the name that it represents, as in ...
network, which premiered July 23, 2008.


Activism

An
animal rights Animal rights is the philosophy according to which many or all Animal consciousness, sentient animals have Moral patienthood, moral worth independent of their Utilitarianism, utility to humans, and that their most basic interests—such as ...
advocate and vegetarian, McClanahan was one of the first celebrity supporters of
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA; ) is an American animal rights nonprofit organization based in Norfolk, Virginia, and led by Ingrid Newkirk, its international president. Founded in March 1980 by Newkirk and animal rights ...
. She supported Alley Cat Allies, a nonprofit advocacy organization dedicated to transforming communities to protect and improve the lives of cats, and appeared in a
public service announcement A public service announcement (PSA) is a message in the public interest disseminated by the media without charge to raise public awareness and change behavior. Oftentimes these messages feature unsettling imagery, ideas or behaviors that are des ...
for the organization in early 2010. McClanahan was a supporter of
gay rights Rights affecting lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) people vary greatly by country or jurisdiction—encompassing everything from the legal recognition of same-sex marriage to the death penalty for homosexuality. Not ...
, including advocating for
same-sex marriage Same-sex marriage, also known as gay marriage, is the marriage of two people of the same legal Legal sex and gender, sex. marriage between same-sex couples is legally performed and recognized in 38 countries, with a total population of 1.5 ...
in the United States. In January 2009, she appeared in the star-studded ''Defying Inequality: The Broadway Concert—A Celebrity Benefit for Equal Rights''.


Personal life and death

McClanahan was married six times, and had a son, Mark Bish, born in 1958, from her first marriage to Tom Bish.Her fourth husband, Gus Fisher, who appeared alongside her on the popular TV game show ''
Tattletales ''Tattletales'' is an American game show produced by Mark Goodson, Goodson-Bill Todman, Todman Productions in association with Fremantle (company), Fremantle. The program had two runs on the CBS daytime schedule between February 1974 and June ...
'' in 1976, died on February 22, 2004. McClanahan lived in the Encino and Studio City neighborhoods of
Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...
for several years, before moving to
New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
in 1994. She would live there for the rest of her life. In June 1997, McClanahan was diagnosed with breast cancer, for which she was treated successfully. On November 4, 2009, McClanahan underwent triple bypass surgery after being hospitalized for cardiac related symptoms. An event scheduled for November 14, 2009, to honor her lifetime achievements, ''Golden: A Gala Tribute to Rue McClanahan'', at the Castro Theatre in San Francisco, California, had to be postponed. On January 14, 2010, ''
Entertainment Tonight ''Entertainment Tonight'' (or simply ''ET'') is an American Broadcast syndication, first-run syndicated news broadcasting news magazine, newsmagazine program that is distributed by CBS Media Ventures throughout the United States and owned by Par ...
'' reported that while recovering from surgery, the actress suffered a minor stroke. In March 2010, fellow ''Golden Girls'' cast member Betty White reported on ''
The Ellen DeGeneres Show ''The Ellen DeGeneres Show'' is an American first-run syndicated talk show that was hosted by Ellen DeGeneres. The show ran for nineteen seasons from September 8, 2003, to May 26, 2022, in which it broadcast 3,339 episodes. It was produced by ...
'' that McClanahan was doing well and that her speech had returned to normal. McClanahan died on June 3, 2010, at age 76, at
NewYork–Presbyterian Hospital The NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital (abbreviated as NYP) is a nonprofit academic medical center in New York City. It is the primary teaching hospital for Weill Cornell Medicine and Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. The hospi ...
after she suffered a
brain hemorrhage The brain is an organ (biology), organ that serves as the center of the nervous system in all vertebrate and most invertebrate animals. It consists of nervous tissue and is typically located in the head (cephalization), usually near organs for ...
. White told ''Entertainment Tonight'' that McClanahan was a "close and dear friend." McClanahan was survived by her sixth husband, Morrow Wilson (from whom she separated in 2009); her son from her first marriage, Mark Bish (of
Austin, Texas Austin ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Texas. It is the county seat and most populous city of Travis County, Texas, Travis County, with portions extending into Hays County, Texas, Hays and W ...
); her sister, Melinda Lou McClanahan (of Silver City, New Mexico); and other family, including her niece, actress and author Amelia Kinkade. No funeral service was held for McClanahan; her family created an official memorial page on Facebook, and memorial services were held during the summer of 2010 in New York and Los Angeles. On June 10, 2010, her New York apartment went on the market for an asking price of $2.25 million. In February 2017, a ''Golden Girls–''themed eatery named Rue La Rue Cafe, owned by McClanahan's close friend Michael La Rue (who inherited many of the star's personal belongings and in turn decorated the restaurant with them), opened in the Washington Heights section of the New York City borough of
Manhattan Manhattan ( ) is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the Boroughs of New York City, five boroughs of New York City. Coextensive with New York County, Manhattan is the County statistics of the United States#Smallest, larg ...
. However, after less than a year in business, the cafe closed in November 2017.


Awards and nominations


Filmography


Film


Television


Book

* McClanahan, Rue. (2007) ''My First Five Husbands..And the Ones Who Got Away''. New York: Crown Archetype.


References


External links

* * * * * * * *
The Official Rue McClanahan Memorial Page on Facebook

McCLANAHAN, EDDI RUE (1934–2010)
in the Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture {{DEFAULTSORT:Mcclanahan, Rue 1934 births 2010 deaths 20th-century American actresses 20th-century American comedians 21st-century American actresses 21st-century American comedians 21st-century American memoirists Actresses from New York City Actresses from Oklahoma American LGBTQ rights activists American film actresses American memoirists American musical theatre actresses American people of Choctaw descent American people of Irish descent American soap opera actresses American stage actresses American television actresses American women comedians American women memoirists California Democrats Comedians from Oklahoma Methodists from Oklahoma New York (state) Democrats Oklahoma Democrats Outstanding Performance by a Lead Actress in a Comedy Series Primetime Emmy Award winners People from Ardmore, Oklahoma People from Carter County, Oklahoma People from Encino, Los Angeles University of Tulsa alumni Writers from Manhattan Writers from Oklahoma