It's a sad day for Golden Girls fans, as word spread that actress Rue McClanahan passed away Thursday morning at the age of 76. Rue McClanahan was best known as Blanche Deveraux from theTheGolden Girlsseries, which aired from 1985 to 1992.
Rue McClanahan was the last of two remaining Golden Girls. Bea Arthur succumbed to cancer last year, while Golden Girl costar Estelle Getty died in 2008.Betty White remains healthy, having justhostedSaturday Night Live in May.
It's an odd thing to have such a strong connection to a fictional character. But the Golden Girls series touched the hearts of so many people. They weren't only friends and roommates, they were also America's grandmothers with sugar and spice. So who was Blanche Devereaux that Rue McClanahan made so famous? She was one of the four main characters on TheGolden Girls. In the pilot episode Blanche's last name was Hollingsworth. Writers changed Blanche's name to Devereaux in later shows by making Hollingsworth her maiden name.
Blanche Hollingsworth Devereaux grew up in Atlanta, Georgia, at her family's mansion, Twin Oaks. Her parents were the late Elizabeth Ann Bennett and Curtis "Big Daddy" Hollingsworth, the latter a revered man in his neck of the woods. She attended the fictional Miss McIver's Finishing School.
On the show, Blanche was portrayed as a promiscuous woman, with her initials spelling out the word "BED." She spent a great deal of her time with many men. Watch this video that shows the best and worst of Blanche Devereaux:
recommend
Facebook
Twitter
bookmark 
print
Comments: 2