The Forgotten Actress Club: "Rue McClanahan"

Inducted into "The Forgotten Actress Club":

RUE McCLANAHAN

Let's face it Rue McClanahan will always be remembered best as a "Golden Girl". Even though she made an impression beforehand in "Maude" and "Mama's Family"-- both curiously including her "The Golden Girls" co-stars. However, it was as Blanche Devereaux, a saucy southern belle that loved men as much as her own mirror reflection, for which she won an Emmy Award. "The Golden Girls" is still the only television show in history to earn Emmy's for all its central players. It is an undeniable classic. A classic that was unfortunately cut a season or two too short by the departure of Bea Arthur-- perhaps to staple her place as the most important lead character (the way the show had started out). Regardless, the sitcom stands the test of time, framing the 4 friends equally, never separate.

It is easy to stereotype each of "The Golden Girls" into personality categories, perhaps that is why audience members were able to relate so strongly to the 4 very different characters. On the surface it was easiest to sterotype Blanche's character as a one-noted bimbo. Thankfully Rue gave the character much more depth. She was particularly fantastic in dramatic sequences. In an episode where Baby Emily is left possibly abandoned in the girls' care, Blanche contemplates another chance at raising a child. With regret in the aging beauty's face she owns up to taking her life over her own children in the past. The effect this has is nothing short of heartbreaking-- one of those terrifying realizations of years of damage. In her case brought on by countless sexual encounters and Miami socialiting. There is a memorably scene near the end of the episode where she agonizingly tries to talk to her daughter over the phone, nearly begging her for a visit. From this phone monologue alone, and knowing as an actress Rue was not "actually" talking to someone on the other line-- her Emmy is well deserved.

Blanche was the glue that held "The Golden Girls" together. Without her charm and her literal open-door friendship to the 3 other roomates-- they would never have known eachother to begin with. This makes her importance in the series just as strong as the often-thought-of-lead Bea Arthur, the scene-stealer Estelle Getty, and the sudden surge of "Betty White is everywhere!" Rue had perhaps some of the most memeroable bits: from deflating tit's to the brunt of a murder mystery dinner theatre joke-- one of the series best episodes. The comedic zeal her character exudes mixed with her ability to be unexpectedly dramatic despite fighting a cardboard framed character are why she deserves this induction into the "Forgotten Actress Club"-- Rue McClanahan was nothing short of a great actress.

Sadly, Rue passed away from a stroke on June the 3rd, 2010. She was 76 years old... leaving longtime friend Betty White to hold the torch as the final Golden Girl.

Long live Blanche.