Actress Rue McClanahan, best known for her role in the TV comedy series Golden Girls, has died at the age of 76, her manager told People magazine today.
Ms McClanahan, who played fun-loving southern belle Blanche Devereaux in the 1980s sitcom, died of a stroke, manager Barbara Lawrence told the magazine.
"She passed away at 1 am this morning. She had a massive stroke," Ms Lawrence said.
The actress suffered a minor stroke stroke last November while recovering from bypass surgery. Ms Lawrence said that at the time of her death the actress "had her family with her. She went in peace."
Ms McClanahan, who was married six times, won an Emmy award for her work on Golden Girls. She also appeared in the 1970s television series Maude, and played Madame Morrible in the hit Broadway musical Wicked in 2005.
Her death leaves Betty White (88) as the only surviving member of the Golden Girls main cast following the deaths of Bea Arthur in 2009 and Estelle Getty in 2008.
Reuters