Quick Snaps: Rue McClanahan in Austin

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Rue McClanahan

Television and theater star Rue McClanahan was in Austin last weekend for the Breast Cancer Resource Centers of Texas (BCRC) annual benefit. She kept several hundred attendees entertained and engaged with stories about acting onstage, how she met her current husband Morrow Wilson, and how she discovered that she had cancer.

Although best known for her role as Blanche Devereaux in Golden Girls, McClanahan has also appeared on the big screen throughout her acting career including the comedy Out to Sea (1997) and Starship Troopers (1997).  I asked Ms. McClanahan about her Starship Troopers experience, and she stated that she'd loved working with that nice Dutch director, Paul Verhoeven.

At the end of the keynote speech, the audience and Rue participated in the creation of a new "no talking during the movie" bumper for the Alamo Drafthouse. I won't reveal the details, but suffice to say Rue handled it firmly and elegantly.

 

BCRC Ray,  Phyllis Rose and Norma Crippen

KEYE's Michelle Valles served as the emcee and Ray Combs was the auctioneer for the live auction portion, which included three-day tickets to the Austin City Limits Music Festival, along with tickets to SCARE for a CURE with behind-the-scenes tour. Funds raised at this annual event support the BCRC programs, which include peer-to-peer counseling, helpline, counseling, and even emergency help for travel to appointments. It was humbling and inspiring to see a roomful of women who are surviving cancer and the community who support them.

[Photo credits: Rue McClanahan at BCRC Annual Brunch; Ray Combs, Phyllis Rose, Director of Volunteer Services, Norma Crippen, co-founder of SCARE for a CURE, by Debbie Cerda on Flickr]