'Golden Girl' Remembered With Love, Laughs

By PopEater / Wire Services Posted Sep 14th 2009 07:03PM

Memories of actress Bea Arthur filled Broadway's Majestic Theatre Monday as friends, family and co-stars recalled the tall, baritone-voiced and supremely funny actress who died last April of cancer at the age of 86. They remembered with love -- and a lot of laughter -- the star of television's 'Maude' and 'The Golden Girls' and provided a little R-rated humor too.

A large photo of Arthur, dressed in a stylish black suit stared down during the lengthy celebration, which was hosted by Angela Lansbury. The actress first worked with Arthur in 1966 in "Mame," playing Mame Dennis opposite Arthur's tart-tongued Vera Charles.

"On stage, yes, we were bosom buddies (the title of their famous 'Mame' duet) but it wasn't until years later after we both had successful TV series under our belts that we really got together," Lansbury recalled. "That's when we became ... bosom friends."

Rue McClanahan told of the time her 'Golden Girls' costar opened in her own 2002 one-woman Broadway show and graciously invited McClanahan and her husband, Morrow Wilson, to the opening-night performance and party afterwards. Admitting Arthur often wasn't at her best when she was drinking, McClanahan said an intoxicated Bea told Wilson when he introduced himself to her, "Rue, I love." But when McClanahan quoted Arthur's description of another costar ("Betty's a c---"), an audible gasp ricocheted through the crowd – before it erupted into the longest and heartiest laugh of the afternoon.

Other tributes included comments from comedian Rosie O'Donnell. She recalled the first time she met Arthur, going up to the actress at a West Side night spot and drunkenly singing the theme song from "Maude" to her (which O'Donnell also sang Monday). It was a bonding moment, according to the comedian."She really taught me and every other woman my age how to be a feminist at a time when that was a dirty word," O'Donnell said. "And without her, I think, there would not be as many funny women on television today."

Among the other participants were "Maude" producer Norman Lear, "Fiddler" lyricist Sheldon Harnick, Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara, and several of Arthur's television co-stars including Rue McClanahan and Adrienne Barbeau.

"No one seems less gone to me or more alive to me than Bea," said Lear, who also created the television classic, "All in the Family," which is where Arthur's character of the feminist, liberal Maude Findlay first appeared.

"I am sure that's because laughter lingers and no one made me laugh like Bea Arthur," the producer explained. "I have spent most of my life in the company of extraordinary laugh-makers, performers and writers, killers of the art, but Bea Arthur had me laughing in nooks and crannies of my body, places I didn't even know existed."

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Tags: bea arthur, BeaArthur, rosie odonnell, RosieOdonnell

Comments

(41)

Tuesday 15 September

By pronewolf

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I can rememeber my mom watching the Golden Girls when I was a kid.Whoever the one was that played the granny was awesome the others were just ok

Thursday 17 September

By justme

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The "Granny" was Estelle Getty and she passed as well! Clearly you were too young to rully get "golden girls" if you thought the others were just "OK". It was a classic show on Fridays. It ran with Empty Nest and Nurses.

By belle

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I guess you're just too young to know better. Estelle Getty played Bea Arthur's MOM(Sophia) on Golden Girls (FYI: The two actreses were actually about the same age).

By Hello, You Basta

You are referring to the lady named Estelle Getty who also died quite recently.

I loved "The Golden Girls" on a Saturday evening.
Brightened up my otherwise dull weekend.

Wednesday 16 September

By jenna

Her name was Estelle Getty. And she definitely was the funniest one on there..

By mzknitter

I loved 'Golden Girls" so much. I currently watch the re-runs...they are classic...to this day. The entertainment industry has lost a "jewel"

By KARY SILVA

I totally agree with you and I also watch the reruns. No matter how many times I see the same episode, I can tell you I laugh in the same places.
They were all great, but Bea was anatural comidean, just by the look in her eyes in the appropiate moment make me laugh so hard.
May she RIP, she was one Classy Lady

By Andi

It wasn't granny you moron, it was Dorothy's mother! Her name on the show was Sophia Petrillo, in real life she was Estelle Getty!

By mimi

Hey Andi,

Sophia Petrillo WAS a granny. Dorothy had children and that would make Sophia a grandmother. Guess you are the moron.

By GoldenGoyles

Andi your a double moron. Not only was Sophia Dorothy's mother, but Dorothy had 2 children, one of which had a daughter making Sophia a great grand mother.

By Billie

Andi, take it easy on pronewolf, she was a kid when the show aired.That doesnt make her a moron, it makes her young. You might want to check out a prescription of valium. These are just comments. I guess brains don't come with age. Having said that, the whole crew made that show work. That and the writer's.

By rexjohnvii

with them four on stage together, who needed writers.
today the shows need writers, but they could make there own show.

By Ashlee

Bea Arthur was the best! My sister just bought me the complete series for my birthday, and I am looking forward to many long hours of savoring her bone-dry wit.

By onic7

for: Ashlee
Loved your comment 'bone-dry wit.'

to add: Spoken like a true smart ass.
Most excellent. :)
Very nice Ashlee.

I forgot that Bea had died, but then we have had a lot of deaths recently (haven't we.) Not a question, just a fact. I would suggest you watch Mame, with Lucille Ball and Bea. They were wonderful in that. Bea gave a grand 'Give-a-show' in that production. Hat's off, and I'll give her a toast tonight (afterwork) for rememberance. cheers!

To Onic7: Thanks for the shout out! I take humor very seriously.

By Debbie

I watch Golden Girls whenever I get the chance. They bring such a humorous delight to everyday life. The "Girls" will forever live on in my book!

Friday 18 September

By Marie

Bea Arthur was the best. Her character of Dorothy plus all the other great roles she played will stay in everybody's memories for ever. We have lost a great talent. Here's to you Bea and I am sure you are making them laugh in heaven.

By Miriam

Bea Arthur and Estelle Getty are probably in the Great Beyond making others laugh... they were two classic comediennes! I still watch "Golden Girls" and have such a good time laughing... may God still give us their laughter for years to come!

By Kristine

What is incredible to me is that Bea's talent surpasses age. Kids in their early 20's love her as does anyone who saw her in Maude, or Mame. I loved Maude when I was a chid, and I never had a clue that it was controversial. It was just funny. Like Bea.

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