Rue McClanahan, best known for her portrayal of Blanche Devereaux on the Emmy-award winning series The Golden Girls reveals her life in and out of the spotlight in a laugh-out-loud funny memoir about love, marriage, men, and getting older that is every bit as colorful as the characters she played. Raised in small-town Oklahoma in a house “thirteen telephone poles past the standpipe north of … past the standpipe north of town,” Rue developed her two great passions—theater and men—at an early age. She arrived in New York City in 1957 with two-weeks worth of money in her pocket, hustled her way into a class with the legendary Uta Hagen, and began working her way up in the acting world against the vibrant, free-spirited backdrop of the sixties. That’s when she met and married Husband #1—a handsome rogue of an aspiring actor who quickly left her with a young son. Still, she was determined to make it on the stage and screen—and in the years that followed, rose to the top of the entertainment world with a host of adventures (and husbands) along the way.
From her roles on Broadway opposite Dustin Hoffman and Brad Davis, to her first television appearances on Maude and All in the Family, to the Golden Girls era and beyond, My First Five Husbands is the irresistible story of one woman’s quest to find herself. Rue is proof that many things can and do get better with age—and that, if she keeps her wits about her, even a small-town girl can make it big.
People always ask me if I’m like Blanche. And I say, ‘Well, Blanche was an oversexed, self-involved, man-crazy, vain Southern Belle from Atlanta—and I’m not from Atlanta!’” —Rue McClanahan
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Best kind of autobiography. It was like listening to an old friend.
Wow! Why would anyone write a book like this? Did she ever stop and proof read it so that she could see just how bad this book makes her look? I’m not talking about sex by the way as there isn’t much in that catagory but it makes her look really bad in every other aspect imaginable! First and foremost, she was a disgrace as a mother, if she …
I was kind of disappointed. The southern voice used by the author seemed contrived.
Laugh out loud along with Rue! What a life!
If you ever wished to know what it’s like trying to get a start in show business, this is an excellent book. If you like Rue McCallahan and want to know about her life, this is a good book. (Go to Wikipedia to learn about the years after the book was printed).
I found the book entertaining and informative, if not exciting.
This book started out slow … too much about her childhood, but it got more interesting as I read on. Not too much about The Golden Girls, which was a little disappointing, but I learned alot about Rue’s career. All in all, a pretty good read.
Throughout this book I could just hear Rue’s voice chatting about all her loves. It’s a very conversational memoir and I enjoyed it thoroughly.
I loved this book! Rue’s life was extremely interesting and she didn’t hold back any information. I love how real and open she was.
Really pretty sad…did she ever feel truly loved and cherished?
I loved this book! I’ve always liked Rue’s work and her wit. I learned a great deal about theatre and how the entertainment industry works. I read it in one day, a very easy read and very humorous.
Rue McClanahan’s memoir shows off the times and experiences of her career in acting with joy and few excuses. Light-hearted, light reading, and fun.
Rue McClannahan is one in a million.
I’m trying, ok! So far I’ve read a few chapters, but I keep stopping to read something that holds my attention better. She writes in a very chatty, personal way, but I just can’t seem to get engaged with her book yet.
Love her sense of humor.
My First Five Husbands is an excellent read. Rue tells her story in sometimes heartwarming, sometimes hilarious anecdotes. It’s interesting to see how and when a determined actress got her start, and to learn about television personalities from the seventies and eighties. I have great respect for Rue, however I wish she had made the book more of …
Too flighty
Meh
Fun and a quick read
Repeated to many things
Who knew that Blanche DuBois was a mirror of Rue McClanahan!? Such a fun read!