Rue McClanahan was an American model and actress, best known on television as Vivian Cavender Harmon on CBS’ Maude, Aunt Fran Crowley on NBC’s Mama's Family, and Blanche Devereaux on NBC’s The Golden Girls, for which she won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series.

Theatre credits include his Broadway debut as Alicia Hopper/Lorna in The Best Laid Plans and and Sally Weber in Jimmy Shine (Brooks Atkinson Theatre), Madame Morrible in Wicked (Gershwin Theatre), Countess de Lage in The Women (American Airlines Theatre), Hannah Warren/Diana Nichols/Gert Franklyn in California Suite (Eugene O’Neill Theatre), and Harriet in Sticks and Bones and Louise/Marian in Father’s Day (John Golden Theatre); and Off-Broadway, as Terry Guteman in After-Play (N.Y.C. Center Stage), Caitlin in Dylan and Mrs. Allen in Dark of the Moon (Mercer Arts Center), and her OBIE Award-winning performance as Faye Precious in Who’s Happy Now? (Village South Theatre).