American character actress Madlyn Rhue was one of television's most prolific actresses and has starred in everything from sitcoms to soap operas to drama series and films for nearly 40 years. Her beautiful looks, natural red hair and brown eyes got her the attention of television producers and she found herself guest starring on such series as
Rawhide (1959),
Cheyenne (1955),
Star Trek (1966),
Hawaii Five-O (1968),
Charlie's Angels (1976) and
Fantasy Island (1977). She did several theatrical motion pictures, most notably
Operation Petticoat (1959),
He Rides Tall (1964),
Kenner (1968) and
It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963). In 1977, she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, which she battled for nearly 25 years. However, the disease never got her down; she continued to work in numerous television films and was co-starring on such series and soap operas as
Executive Suite (1976),
Fame (1982) and
Days of Our Lives (1965) and had a recurring role on
Murder, She Wrote (1984). By 1997, Rhue was unable to work, and she spent her last years at the Motion Picture and Television Country Home retirement center in Woodland Hills, California. She passed away from pneumonia and multiple sclerosis there at age 68 on December 16, 2003.
Murder, She Wrote(1984)as Jean O'Neill, Doris West
A Mother's Justice(1991)as Lois Greenfield
Trial by Jury(1988)as Judge
Houston Knights(1987)as Annie Hartung
L.A. Law(1986)as Judge Wyatt
A Man Called Sledge(1970)
Fame(1982)
Hour Magazine(1980)as Self
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson(1962)as Self - Guest, Self
Hollywood Connection(1977)as Self
The Alan Hamel Show(1976)as Self
Match Game PM(1975)as Self - Panelist
Robservations - The Show About Something(2018)as Marla McGivers
10th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards(2004)as Self - In Memoriam
Kolchak: Crackle of Death(1974)as Maria Hargrove (segment: "Firefall")
