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, black/dark brown hair and hazel eyes got her the attention of television producers and she found herself guest starring on such series as _"Rawhide" . 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.
Diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1977.
After going public with her MS, she was asked to participate in a National Multiple Sclerosis Society ad campaign. She initially turned it down, telling the Los Angeles Times that she had thought that the organization wanted her to do what she called "poor me" ads. She changed her mind after learning that the campaign would feature people with MS doing everything from scuba diving to skydiving. The 1988 ad showing Rhue in her wheelchair noted that she "cant walk so well anymore, but she can still perform." It was headlined, "Even with MS, Madlyn Rhue Is On a Roll."
After landing the role in "Houston Knights" , she placed a full-page ad in Variety headlined, "See the new Madlyn Rhue".
The last television series Rhue appeared on was "Murder, She Wrote" , in which she played the recurring character of a librarian. Series star Angela Lansbury reportedly had heard that Rhue was in danger of losing her Screen Actors Guild medical coverage because she was short of meeting the annual earnings requirement. Landsbury created the librarian character for Rhue and brought her in every three or four episodes so she could meet the requirements.
Ex-daughter-in-law of Carleton G. Young.
Passed away one year after her ex-husband Tony Young. Young died of lung cancer in 2002.
Both Rhue and her former husband, Tony Young , were guest stars on the original "Star Trek" series. He was with France Nuyen in "Star Trek" {Elaan of Troyius (#3.13)} and she was Ricardo Montalban s characters (Khan Noonien Singh), love interest in "Star Trek" {Space Seed (#1.22)} .
Besides playing Ricardo Montalban s love interest in "Star Trek" {Space Seed (#1.22)} , she also played his wife in "Bonanza" {Day of Reckoning (#2.7)} .
Close friends with Suzanne Pleshette and Faye Michael Nuell.
Was a conservative Republican who supported the presidencies of Richard Nixon , Gerald Ford , Ronald Reagan , George Bush , and George W. Bush.
During her appearance on "The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson" (October 18, 1974) she said she is half Jewish, half Catholic.
We each have two lives. The one we learn by and the one we live after,that. .
