Rue McClanahan Remembered: Part 1

It is heartbreaking... Her career spanned seven decades. The world knows her for her famous roles on "Maude", "Mama's Family" and "The Golden Girls" but she also made many many guest appearances and also appeared in a few films. In the early 1970's she appeared on a few daytime soap operas "Another World", "Where the Heart is" and "Love of Life." Early on during her days in New York she appeared on Broadway which brought her to the attention of a gentleman named Norman Lear. By 1972 Lear tapped the actress to make a guest appearance on his hit show "All in the Family." As the creator and producer of the program Lear was bringing world topics to the television audience every week. In her "All in the Family" appearance she played Mrs. Ruth Rempley, one half of a "swinging" couple. Vincent Gardenia was present as her husband Curtis. Shortly after that performance she found herself working opposite Beatrice Arthur on another Norman Lear sitcom - "Maude." But more about "Maude" in part two... Some of her lone guest appearances include "Mannix", "Lou Grant", "Trapper John, M.D.", "Fantasy Island", "Gimme a Break!", "Alice", "Promised Land", "Murphy Brown", "Touched by an Angel", "Hope & Faith", "Newhart", "Burke's Law" (1960's & 1990's versions), "Whoopi", "King of the Hill", "Charles in Charge", "Boy Meets World", "The Love Boat", "The Love Boat: The Next Wave", "Spider-Man" and "Columbo." In 1997 she was part of the magnificent group that made up the cast of the movie Out to Sea. Starring Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau the film also featured Dyan Cannon, Gloria DeHaven, Elaine Stritch, Hal Linden, Donald O'Connor and Estelle Harris... She returned to the stage as far back as 2005 when she appeared in Wicked. In part two- -"Maude" & "Mama's Family"

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