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Personal Info
Known For
Acting
Birthday
February 21, 1934
Died
June 3, 2010
Place of Birth
Healdton, Oklahoma, USA
Also Known As
- Patti Leigh
- Patty Leigh
- Rhue McClanahan
- Ру МакКлэнахан
Rue McClanahan
1.3 Popularity
Biography
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.
Known For
9.0
Self / Blanche Devereaux (archive footage)
The Golden Girls: 40 Years of Laughter and Friendship
2025
10.0
Blanche Devereaux (voice) (archive sound)
Golden Girls 3033
2022
10.0
Blanche Devereaux
Forever Golden! A Celebration of the Golden Girls
2021
10.0
Self (archive footage)
The Golden Girls: Ageless
2021
7.3
Self (archive Footage)
Betty White: First Lady of Television
2018
1.0
Self (archive footage)
Gaze
2010
7.3
Self
Celebrity Ghost Stories
2009
7.2
Kay
Generation Gap
2008
6.9
Peggy Ingram
Sordid Lives: The Series
2008
6.5
Helen Ludwick
Back to You & Me
2005
Credits
The Golden Girls: 40 Years of Laughter and Friendship
as Self / Blanche Devereaux (archive footage)
2025
9.0
Golden Girls 3033
as Blanche Devereaux (voice) (archive sound)
2022
10.0
Forever Golden! A Celebration of the Golden Girls
as Blanche Devereaux
2021
10.0
The Golden Girls: Ageless
as Self (archive footage)
2021
10.0
Betty White: First Lady of Television
as Self (archive Footage)
2018
7.3
Gaze
as Self (archive footage)
2010
1.0
Celebrity Ghost Stories
as Self
2009
7.3
Generation Gap
as Kay
2008
7.2
Sordid Lives: The Series
as Peggy Ingram
2008
6.9
Back to You & Me
as Helen Ludwick
2005
6.5
🎬
The Tony Danza Show
as Self
2004
6.1
Wonderfalls
as Millie Marcus
2004
7.7
Hope & Faith
as Sylvia
2003
5.3
The Fighting Temptations
as Nancy Stringer
2003
5.7
Whoopi
as Marian
2003
8.7
Miracle Dogs
as Katherine Mannion
2003
6.0
The Golden Girls: Their Greatest Moments
as Self / Blanche Devereaux
2003
6.0
The Golden Girls: Lifetime Intimate Portrait Series
as Blanche Devereaux (archive footage)
2003
9.4
The Women
as Countess DeLage
2002
0.0
NBC 75th Anniversary Special
as Self
2002
0.0
Nuncrackers
as Reverend Mother
2001
9.0
The Moving of Sophia Myles
as Mary-Margaret
2000
0.0
Ladies Man
as Aunt Lou
1999
7.2
🎬
Safe Harbor
as Grandma Loring
1999
6.0
The Lot
as Priscilla Tremaine
1999
0.5
A Saintly Switch
as Aunt Fanny
1999
6.8
Rusty: A Dog's Tale
as Edna Callahan
1998
5.6
🎬
Border to Border
as Mrs. Kirby
1998
6.0
Love Boat: The Next Wave
as Abigail Jordan
1998
5.0
Nunsense 3: The Jamboree
as Mother Superior
1998
0.0
Starship Troopers
as Biology Teacher
1997
7.1
Annabelle's Wish
as Scarlett (voice)
1997
6.5
The View
as Self
1997
4.3
This World, Then the Fireworks
as Mom Lakewood
1997
5.0
Out to Sea
as Mrs. Ellen Carruthers
1997
5.7
Lugosi: Hollywood's Dracula
as Self
1997
8.0
King of the Hill
as Bunny (voice)
1997
7.4
Dear God
as Mom Turner
1996
5.5
Promised Land
as Valerie Carter
1996
6.1
Innocent Victims
as Marylou Hennis
1996
5.0
Remember WENN
as Dusty Foxx
1996
8.0
A Holiday to Remember
as Miz Leona / Clay's Aunt
1995
4.7
Spider-Man
as Mrs. Hardy (voice)
1994
8.3
Touched by an Angel
as Amelia Bowthorpe Archibald
1994
7.2
Touched by an Angel
as Lila Winslow
1994
7.2
A Burning Passion: The Margaret Mitchell Story
as Grandma Stephens
1994
7.0
Burke's Law
as Jinxy Duke
1994
6.7
Nunsense 2: The Sequel
as Rev. Mother Superior Sister Mary Regina
1994
6.0
Intimate Portrait
as Self
1993
4.5
Message from Nam
as Beatrice Andrews
1993
5.1
Boy Meets World
as Bernice Matthews
1993
8.3
The John Larroquette Show
as Rue McClanahan
1993
6.7
Nunsense
as Rev. Mother Mary Regina
1993
6.8
Mother of the Bride
as Margaret Becker Hix
1993
5.8
The Golden Palace
as Blanche Devereaux
1992
6.2
Baby of the Bride
as Margaret Becker Hix
1991
5.9
Nurses
as Blanche Devereaux
1991
7.0
The Dreamer of Oz
as Matilda Joslyn Gage
1990
7.3
To My Daughter
as Laura Carlson
1990
0.0
Children of the Bride
as Margaret Becker
1990
6.8
Law & Order
as Lois McIntyre
1990
7.4
After the Shock
as Sherra Cox
1990
5.8
Night of 100 Stars III
as Self
1990
4.0
The Earth Day Special
as Blanche Devereaux
1990
6.3
Modern Love
as Mrs. Evelyn Parker
1990
3.8
Rue McClanahan: The Cat Care Video Guide
as Herself
1990
10.0
The Wickedest Witch
as Avarissa
1989
5.0
The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
1989
5.0
The Man in the Brown Suit
as Suzy Blair
1989
5.1
🎬
Take My Daughters, Please
as Lilah Page
1988
0.0
Mickey's 60th Birthday
as Self
1988
6.7
Empty Nest
as Blanche Devereaux
1988
5.8
🎬
Liberace
as Frances Liberace
1988
6.0
The Little Match Girl
as Frances Dutton
1987
4.5
Picnic
as Flo Owens
1986
1.0
The NBC All Star Hour: Let's All Be There
1985
0.0
The Golden Girls
as Blanche Devereaux
1985
7.6
Crazy like a Fox
as Angie
1984
7.1
Charles in Charge
as Irene Pembroke
1984
6.1
Murder, She Wrote
as Miriam Radford
1984
7.5
Cover Up
1984
6.6
Mama's Family
as Frances Marie Crowley
1983
7.6
The Skin of Our Teeth
as Fortune Teller
1983
10.0
Newhart
1982
7.1
The Day the Bubble Burst
as Barbara Arvey
1982
2.0
American Playhouse
1982
6.2
Darkroom
1981
7.2
Gimme a Break!
1981
6.6
Word of Honor
as Maggie McNeill
1981
6.0
Gridlock
as Adele Sherman
1980
6.0
Here's Boomer
as Thelma
1980
5.3
Topper
as Clara Topper
1979
5.0
Trapper John, M.D.
1979
6.5
🎬
$weepstake$
1979
0.0
Rainbow
as Ida Koverman
1978
0.0
Apple Pie
as Ginger-Nell Hollyhock
1978
6.0
Grandpa Goes to Washington
1978
5.0
Sergeant Matlovich vs. the U.S. Air Force
as Mat's Mother
1978
3.5
Having Babies III
as Gloria Miles
1978
4.0
A Different Approach
1978
6.3
The Love Boat
as April Dunlevy
1977
6.3
The Love Boat
as Mary Hubble
1977
6.3
The Love Boat
as Doris Simpson
1977
6.3
Lou Grant
1977
7.3
Alice
1976
7.1
Blade
as Gail
1973
5.4
The Rimers of Eldritch
as Cora Groves
1972
0.0
Maude
as Vivian Harmon
1972
6.7
Some of My Best Friends Are...
as Lita Joyce
1971
3.9
Hogan's Goat
as Josey Finn
1971
6.0
Columbo
as Verity Chandler
1971
8.1
They Might Be Giants
as Daisy Playfair
1971
7.0
Great Performances
as Josey Finn
1971
5.8
Great Performances
as Cora
1971
5.8
Great Performances
as Faye Precious
1971
5.8
All in the Family
as Ruth Rempley
1971
7.8
The People Next Door
as Della
1970
5.8
Where the Heart Is
as Margaret Jardin #2
1969
3.0
Mannix
1967
6.7
Angel's Flight
as Dolly
1965
4.3
🎬
How to Succeed with Girls
as Lorena (as Patty Leigh)
1964
6.0
Another World
as Caroline Johnson
1964
5.2
Five Minutes to Love
as Sally 'Poochie'
1963
3.8
The Mike Douglas Show
as Self
1961
5.4
Five Minutes to Live
as Pamela
1961
5.4
🎬
The Grass Eater
1961
0.0
🎬
Just Between Us
1961
0.0
Hollywood After Dark
as Sandy
1961
1.7