Golden Girl Rue McClanahan Suffers Cardiac Illness

Golden Girl Rue McClanahan has been taken to the hospital to be treated for an acute cardiac illness and underwent bypass surgery. While not in critical condition, she will remain in the hospital.

McClanahan was scheduled to appear at San Fransisco's Castro Theatre next week at a tribute event in her honor, but has now been forced to cancel her appearance.  In a statement she says:

"My darlings, I'm just devastated that I am going to have to miss my own tribute at the Castro Theatre. Unfortunately, my doctor has laid down the law, and I'm currently having some maintenance on the old ticker. Trust me, I'd much rather be in San Francisco having fun and being adored by all of you."

The event, which had been scheduled for November 14, has subsequently been cancelled and tickets are being refunded.

McClanahan began acting on Off-Broadway in New York City in 1957, and her Broadway debut in 1969 when she portrayed Sally Weber in the original production of John Sebastian and Murray Schisgal's musical Jimmy Shine with Dustin Hoffman in the title role.  She went on to star on Broadway in Father's Day, Sticks and Bones, California Suite, The Women, and Wicked. McClanahanthen found primetime success in Maude, broadcast from 1972 to 1978, playing Maude's (Bea Arthur) best friend, Vivian Harmon; and, of course, in The Golden Girls, broadcast from 1985 until 1992 as Southern Belle Blanche Devereaux. She received an Emmy Award in 1987 for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for her work on The Golden Girls.