Mark Bish is the name of the son of the late actress, Rue McClanahan. He is also known for appearing as himself in TV series documentaries, Intimate Portrait (2000) and Autopsy: The Last Hours Of (2019).
His mother, Rue was an American actress and comedian best known for her roles on television as Vivian Harmon on Maude (1972–78), Aunt Fran Crowley on Mama’s Family (1983–84), and Blanche Devereaux on The Golden Girls (1985–92), for which she won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series in 1987.
Early Life
Mark was born on October 2, 1958, in Ardmore, Oklahoma, in the United States of America. He is also known as Mark Thomas Bish. Apart from being a celebrity kid, he is also known for his work in Biosphere 2 (1991), Intimate Portrait (1990), and Autopsy: The Last Hours of (2014).
His father Tom Bish was a stage actor in New York City; & his mother is a television actress Rue McClanahan. He is also step son of well-known actor Morrow Wilson.
Mark Bish Profile
- Full name: Mark Bish
- Date of birth: October 2, 1958
- Place of birth: Ardmore, Oklahoma, in the United States of America
- Nationality: American
- Famous for: Being the son of the late actress, Rue McClanahan.
Celebrity Mom Rue McClanahan
The stage actress in the 1950s, McClanahan was plucked from the stage by Norman Lear for roles in All in the Family (1971) and later Maude (1972). For two years (1982 – 1984), she played “Aunt Fran” on Mama’s Family (1983) until her character was killed off and she joined the cast of Golden Girls. She hit her comedic stride as a sharp-tongued oversexed Southern belle on The Golden Girls (1985).
Rue was born on February 21, 1934, in Healdton, United States. She was born to Dreda Rheua-Nell (Medaris), a beautician, and William Edwin McClanahan, a building contractor. She was spotted by television executive Norman Lear. Later Lear cast her in a number of television shows, including All in the Family (1971) with Carroll O’Connor and Maude (1972) with Bea Arthur. In addition to lending her talents to a number of made-for-TV films, McClanahan has also appeared on the big screen in recent years co-starring with Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau in the comedy Out to Sea (1997) and with Casper Van Dien in Starship Troopers (1997). McClanahan also spends her time joining and helping organizations against cancer, AIDS, and cruelty against animals.
Rue married Tom Bish in 1958 and they together shared a son called Mark Bish. But the marriage did go long. After 1 year they separated. Afterward, she was married to multiple personalities like Norman Hartweg (1959 – 1961), Peter DeMaio (1964 – 1971), Gussie Sam Fisher (6 November 1976 – 4 August 1979), Tom Keel (1984 – 1985) (divorced), and Morrow Wilson.
His Mother Died Due to a Brain Hemorrhage
McClanahan was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1997. She had a lumpectomy and five months of chemotherapy. During that time, she did a series of lectures entitled “Aging Gracefully” for breast-cancer support groups.
On June 3, Rue McClanahan died after Mark Bish, her son from her first marriage, decided to take her off life support. Morrow Wilson, who McClanahan separated from in 2009 after 12 years of marriage, tells Life & Style “In truth, there really was no choice.”
Morrow says that McClanahan’s health woes began in November after a precautionary stress test revealed she would need bypass surgery. McClanahan was supposed to be presented with a lifetime achievement award at the “Golden: A Gala Tribute to Rue McClanahan” event in November, but her appearance was postponed for her surgery.
While recovering, she suffered a stroke. “The people in her life now say it was minor, but that stroke was massive,” Morrow says. “But she got out of the hospital and went home. She was having around-the-clock nursing care, with speech therapy and occupational therapy. We all thought she was on the road to a full recovery. McClanahan died on June 3, 2010, at the age of 76 years at New York-Presbyterian Hospital after suffering a brain hemorrhage.
Forensic pathologist, Dr. Michael Hunter who examined Rue’s medical reports said the actress’ consumption of such medicine could have increased her chances of having a stroke. He also said Mark’s mother had undergone knee surgery, which could have also contributed to her clotting.
Mark Bish’s Net Worth
Except for a few real-life TV projects, very few are mentioned of this 64-year-old celebrity kid. Some believe that Mark deals with modern as well as abstract painting but the news is not confirmed yet. He appeared in TV series documentaries, Intimate Portrait, and Autopsy: The Last Hours Of. He also worked as a production assistant for Dirk Wayne Summers’s directed film Biosphere 2.
However, his estimated net worth is still under review. On the other hand, her mother Rue McClanahan’s estimated net worth of around $ 5 million at the time of her death. Mark did have the support of her millionaire mother throughout his early adulthood. She apparently helped him with rent and vehicles as well as all other accommodations.
5 Facts On Mark Bish That Might Surprise You!
- Mark’s mother, Rue McClanahan’s acting career spanned over decades.
- His father Tom Bish was diagnosed with advanced liver disease.
- His mother’s third husband, Peter DeMaio didn’t have a healthy relationship with Mark.
- He appeared as himself in the TV series documentaries, Intimate Portrait (2000) and Autopsy: The Last Hours Of (2019).
- In her book, My First Five Husband And The Ones Who Got Away, Rue McClanahan mentions her son, Mark having a steady girlfriend, a pretty little blonde who was a born-again Christian.
