Golden Girl Rue McClanahan dies aged 76

RUE McCLANAHAN, the Emmy-winning actress who brought the sexually liberated Southern belle, Blanche Devereaux, to life on the hit TV series The Golden Girls, has died aged 76.

Her manager Barbara Lawrence said McClanahan died of a stroke on Thursday. She had undergone treatment for breast cancer in 1997 and later lectured to cancer support groups on “ageing gracefully”. In 2009, she had heart bypass surgery.

McClanahan had an active career in off-Broadway and regional stage shows in the 1960s before she was tapped for TV in the 1970s for the key best friend character on the hit series Maude, starring Beatrice Arthur. After that series ended in 1978, McClanahan landed the role as Aunt Fran onMama’s Family in 1983.