Blanche Elizabeth Devereaux is a nymphomaniac, (even her initials spell BED!). By her own admission she has had over 143 relationships. She hails from the "deep south"! Her family home is in Atlanta, Georgia, (which is incidentally where the Centre for Disease Control is!). Her father "Big Daddy" appears in several episodes. She was married to George, but now a widow, she shares her Miami Beach home with the other three girls. She has a gay brother called Clayton who appears twice in the series. She has to cope with the other girls continual gibes at her for the many relationships. In one episode she was described as having been under more sailors than a nautical toilet! She has also been called many names, including shore-leave, slut-puppy and the human lughe! In the German version, Blanche's full name is Blanche Elizabeth Trudy Tamara. Why? Well, it was so her initials would spell BETT, the german word for BED. Old jokes die hard!

In one episode, when Blanches mother comes to stay, she reveals Blanches middle name to be Marie however. I hope this is just a mistake caused by the number of different writers. Personally I prefer Elizabeth as BED is funnier than BMD!

Actress Rue McClanahan was born on the 21st February 1935 in Healdton, Oklahoma. She was a New York stage actress on Broadway in the 1960's, appearing in shows such as "Father's Day". Norman Lear plucked her from the stage for roles on TV's "All In the Family" and "Maude" where she played Vivian Cavander Harmon.

Prior to the Golden Girls, both Betty White and Rue McClanahan occasionally co-stared in the comedy series "Mama's Family", which was a spinoff of the "Carol Burnett Show". Rue played Aunt Fran Crowley, who was the sister of the show's star, Mama (thelma) Harper, played by Vicki Lawrence.

She was originally offered the part of Rose in "The Golden Girls". "The part of Rose was ninety percent mine. But I'd played that role before, I wanted to be Blanche. I knew immediately how to play her, the attitude, body language, her mannerisms and accent. I connected with her straight away. I wanted it so badly."

Rue has been married six times. She met her latest, actor Morrow Wilson whilst they were both in the same play in the spring of '97 and were married on Christmas day in 1997! She owns a television production company and has launched a line of clothing called, "Very Rue"

She has recently toured with the plays "Nunsense" and "Nunsense 2" which were an "absolute riot" by all accounts!

She has recently undergone radiation treatment after having been diagnosed with breast cancer.

You can write to Rue at:- 9454 Wilshire Blvd, #405, Beverly Hills, CA 90212-2907