Golden Girls Star Rue McClanahan Dies at 76

[Ian David]

Source: People

By Charlotte Triggs and Stephen M. Silverman
Thursday June 03, 2010 11:15 AM EDT

Golden Girl Rue McClanahan, 76, has died.

"She passed away at 1 a.m. this morning," her manager, Barbara Lawrence, tells PEOPLE. She had a massive stroke."

McClanahan, who played Blanche Deveraux on the still-popular '80s sitcom Golden Girls, had suffered a minor stroke earlier this year while recovering from bypass surgery. Lawrence added that at the time of her death Thursday, McClanahan “had her family with her. She went in peace.”

Still in syndication, Golden Girls ran on NBC from 1985 to 1992. Only last year, McClanahan's costar, Beatrice Arthur, died from cancer. Estelle Getty died in 2008. Surviving star Betty White is currently enjoying a remarkable resurgence in her career, having recently hosted Saturday Night Live.






Read more: http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20390844,00.html

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Hat-tip to: http://twitter.com/BreakingNews/status/15332594785


See Also:

Marriage Equality, as per Sophia Petrillo
Topic started by ccharles000 on Aug-18-09 10:36 PM (3 replies)
Last modified by bumblebee1 on Aug-18-09 11:15 PM
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=385&topic_id=356198

[Captain Hilts]

1. Damn. Say 'Hi' to Bea for me! nt

[Ian David]

6. She was younger than McCain. n/t

[Captain Hilts]

8. McCain is too old and unhealthy to be Prez. Same for Specter as senator. nt

[joeybee12]

2. NOOOOOOOOOO!

:cry: :cry: :cry:

[TwilightGardener]

3. Oh, man. Arnold and Blanche, within a week.

[bigwillq]

4. RIP

:(

[foxfeet]

5. R.I.P. Ms. McClanahan.

[Jennicut]

7. Oh, I used to love watching her on Golden Girls...and I was a kid then!

She was always funny. RIP.

[cbdo2007]

19. I know how you feel. This week has made me feel really old, and I'm only 32.

All my favorite tv stars from when I was a kid are dying off!

[Jennicut]

21. Yup, I am 34. First Gary Coleman and now this.

:(

[4_TN_TITANS]

53. I feel the same....

Actors and actresses that I watched all through childhood are dropping like flies. Or when I see pics of them now, I really feel old. I'm only 40. Joyce Dewitt and Suzanne Summers were supposed to be young hot babes forever!

[OhioChick]

9. Awwww.....Sad to hear

RIP Blanche

[no_hypocrisy]

10. You gotta feel bad for Conrad Bain.

He worked with both Gary Coleman (Different Strokes) and Rue McClanahan (Maude). Just like family.

[Bluenorthwest]

11. She was a nice lady

She was also hilarious on Maude, also with Bea. Peace, ladies, and thanks for all the ice cream.

[proudohioan]

12. RIP Ms. Mclanahan! n/t

[MinneapolisMatt]

13. I love her!

So sad. :(

[BumRushDaShow]

14. R.I.P.

Sigh... Guess Betty White is all that is left to hold down the fort for this wonderful group of actresses.

R.I.P. dear lady. O8)

[hamsterjill]

37. Betty and Rue

I read somewhere recently that Betty and Rue had an ongoing joke - calling or writing one another when the other was under the weather saying something like "die, you bitch, so I can be the last one standing" (paraphrased).

They must've had a special friendship.

Blanche was my favorite Golden Girl!!! Safe passage, Rue, and thanks for all of the laughter!

[hyphenate]

39. I can believe that!

They had/have the gift of humor that lasts forever.

[Are_grits_groceries]

15. Bye!

RIP
You'll always be a Golden Girl....

[Phoonzang]

16. And that's number three. R.I.P. nt

[krispos42]

17. This is sad.

She was excellent on that show. :-(

[activa8tr]

24. I never realized she was 12 years younger than Betty White ! n/t

[The Backlash Cometh]

47. We all should be sending our love to Betty White.

So she understands how important she is to us. This is going to be a difficult week for her.

[AndyA]

18. I can't even begin to imagine how many times this wonderful lady made me laugh.

What an incredible actress, with an uncanny ability for spot on, perfect timing.

I once heard Lucille Ball say that comedy was more difficult than drama, because with comedy your timing must be perfect. The Golden Girls was one of those stand out shows that could make you laugh, cry, and make you mad all in the same episode. It dealt with topics other shows would not touch at the time.

Even though it's been out of production for almost 20 years, the message is as relevant today as it was back then.

RIP, Rue. Thank you for all the great memories.

[calico1]

54. Sonny Bono, get off my lanai! :) n/t

[Constance Craving]

20. Oh My . . .

My husband and I were just watching Golden Girls yesterday afternoon . . . Blanche had gotten them tickets to see Mr. Burt Reynolds, she booked them into a shoddy hotel and they (blanche, dorothy and rose) were arrested as prostitutes! I was thinking while watching how happy I was to know that two of them were still kicking . . . and now, not so much. I loved her on all her shows Maude, Golden Girls and Mama's Family included. . . she will be missed.

[HillWilliam]

22. .

:cry:

Rest well, Ms McClanahan. You are missed.

[tqla]

23. Thanks for the laughs Rue!!!

[Blasphemer]

25. How sad... she was a fantastic actor and activist... R.I.P. Ms. McClanahan! nt

[AndyA]

26. Just realized something...

2008 - Estelle Getty
2009 - Bea Arthur
2010 - Rue McClanahan


There's a disturbing pattern developing. :(

[SILVER__FOX52]

27. My mother

loved that show.

[dixiegrrrrl]

28. But...it was only yesterday...seems like,

Spunky lady.

Sigh........

[SoapBox]

29. Entertain everyone!

...Rue, my best to you! Entertain friends and fans alike forever...here and "there".

Best regards to your family.

[glinda]

30. awwwwwwwww.

[David__77]

31. Sad.

I may be delusional, but I just feel like 76 is too soon to go.

[Lasher]

32. A classy lady.

And a classy sitcom. We will remember her well.

[totodeinhere]

33. Goodbye Blanche. Now only Rose is left.

As we mourn the loss of Rue, let's be thankful that we still have Betty White.

[Ian David]

34. Betty White Releases Statement on Rue McClanahan's Death

Betty White Releases Statement on Rue McClanahan's Death

The last surviving Golden Girl, Betty White, mourns the death of her friend:

"Rue was a close and dear friend. I treasured our relationship. It hurts more than I even thought it would, if that's even possible."

McClanahan died early this morning after suffering a massive stroke. She was 76.

More:
http://www.towleroad.com/2010/06/betty-white-releases-statement-on-rue-mcclanahans-death.html

[calico1]

36. Not only a great actress...

She was also an animal rights activist.

Very sad news.

Betty White, who is the oldest of them all, is the only one left.

I love that show so much I bought the DVD collection.

[The Backlash Cometh]

48. I guess Rose has the last laugh.

St. Olaf: good water, clean air.

[SeattleGirl]

35. RIP, Ms. McClanahan

Thanks for all the laughs!

[hyphenate]

38. What a shock

this is. And relatively young! Now Betty is the last one, and she's a remarkable 88 (and a half!) and as popular now as she ever was.

Damn.

What a blow (I'm sure to many, actually) this is to animal rights activists--every single one of the Golden Girls was quite active in many different areas of animal welfare and rights. And with the passing of Gretchen Wyler a few years ago, animals have been losing their champions of many years.

Rest sweet, Rue.

[nichomachus]

40. If you missed her

in the short-lived Sordid Lives series (on Logo), you missed a great performance. She was really good -- and even raunchier than she was on GG.

What a great actress!

RIP

[jamesatemple]

41. Rue was a CLASS act!

As most may remember, Rue's character on "Golden Girls" was that of a woman with, shall we say, libertine views toward sex. And she played to part to perfection. In fact, I may be the only fan of hers who remembers that, during a Larry King interview, a caller with a voice that sounded to me like that of a teen aged boy asked Rue when she got her first "fuck". King was absolutely struck dumb at first, recovered to say, "I think he asked when you got your first job". And that super classy, nonplussed actress replied, "NO HE DIDN'T!", and laughed the whole thing off.

The incident does sound like something that couldn't possibly happen on national television; hopefully, one or two others in this group can confirm that it did take place.

[MissDeeds]

42. So sorry to hear of her passing

Ms McClanahan and her cohorts on "The Golden Girls" made the golden years feisty and vital. Thanks for the laughs, and all you did on behalf of animals, Ms M.

RIP.

[Freddie Stubbs]

43. At least she didn't have to go to Shady Pines

;)

[KamaAina]

44. Guess Mom won't be seeing her on the bus any more

seriesly, Mom lives on the Upper East Side, and once saw Rue riding a bus on First or Second Avenue!

I'll miss her (Rue, that is)... :(

[Arrowhead2k1]

45. Just one more left. nt

[Drunken Irishman]

46. Horrible news...

[Bluebear]

49. Thank you for being a friend.

:cry:

[quiet.american]

50. Thanks for the memories, Rue - you will be missed!

I'll never forget the days of looking forward to NBC Saturday nights - couldn't get enough of The Golden Girls -- and I was in my twenties at the time!

[yurbud]

51. I remember her from MAUDE too.

[donheld]

52. What a loss!