Remembering the Comedic Genius of Rue McClanahan

The death of actress Rue McClanahan on 3 June 2010 has been met with sadness and grief from people of all ages and backgrounds. Thanks to the extreme popularity of her work as Blanche Devereaux on the classic television comedy "The Golden Girls", McClanahan achieved a level of fame that is difficult for any actress to realize, much less maintain over several decades. While her brilliant sense of timing and the ability to draw an audience in and become personally invested in her characters was amply displayed on "Golden Girls", Rue McClanahan's rich talents were also integral to the success of several other series.

After establishing herself in the theater during the decades of the 1950's and 1960's, McClanahan made the transition to the small screen. Her first role of note was in 1970, taking on the part of Caroline Johnson in the popular soap opera "Another World". The part introduced Rue to a number of fans during her fourteen month run with the series. While her work in the soap opera was anything but comedic, the fast pace that is common with soap productions helped her adapt to working in television in several key ways, including the ability to learn a script with lighting speed.

Those early soap fans were no doubt delighted when McClanahan resurfaced in prime time in 1972, as she took on the character in a new and somewhat controversial nighttime comedy entitled "Maude". As Vivian Harmon, the best friend to Maude (played by Bea Arthur), Rue has the chance to really work with some of the best television performers of the era. Fans of the series will recall how well her Vivian served as the perfect foil for the sometimes volatile Maude, even when the two characters clashed.

One of Rue McClanahan's most underrated comedy roles was that of Fran Crowley on the 80's television series, "Mama's Family". Portraying Fran as an uptight spinster who rents a room in her sister Thelma's house, Fran has ambitions of becoming a world renowned writer, and is constantly working on her manuscript. Thelma often belittles Fran's literary efforts, including her reporting for a local publication that is sometimes described as fit only for the bottom of a birdcage. While Fran and Thelma often lock horns, the love between the two is ever present, and on more than one occasion, they come to each other's rescue without a moment's hesitation. Fans will also note that Rue worked with another Golden Girl on this series; Betty White has a recurring role as Fran's social climbing niece, Ellen.

The advent of "The Golden Girls" brought Rue the television fame she so richly deserved. For seven glorious seasons, the ensemble cast of the show delighted audiences with the richness of the characters and how four completely different women could come to be as close as sisters. McClanahan made the role of Blanche her very own, imbuing the character with a heart that was so big that the only thing that loomed greater in the glory that was Blanche Devereaux was her merry pursuit of any man who caught her eye. Even after the series ended, McClanahan continued to play Blanche in a short-lived series called "The Golden Palace", a show that mercifully is not readily available today.

After the end of "The Golden Girls", Rue McClanahan continued to show up as a guest star on a number of series, as well as making several made-for-television movies. Her sincerity and her wit continued to shine through every interview she gave to the press, and fans looked forward to every personal appearance the actress made, up to an including her appearance with Bea Arthur and Betty White at the 2008 TV Land Awards, where the three accepted a Pop Culture award for "The Golden Girls".

The magic created by Rue McClanahan is still with us, and available each time we watch a repeat of any of the shows she graced with her presence. Even as fans all over the world mourn the loss of this great actress, they can take comfort in the fact that as long as television exists, and there is an Internet, Rue's work will live on and continue to inspire, delight, and bring some laughter into the lives of people all over the world.