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What do you get when you put four clever, irrepressible old ladies in one house in Miami? More Emmy wins and award nominations than you can shake a stick at! Click through to catch up with Blanche, Dorothy, Rose and Sophia since the show ended in 1992.![Betty_White_Then_2]()
The granddaughter of Greek and Danish immigrants, Betty was born in Oak Park, IL, and grew up in Los Angeles, CA, when her family moved there during the Great Depression. Betty got her acting start as a model before moving over talk-show hosting, becoming the first woman to win a Daytime Emmy Award in the Outstanding Game Show Host category. Before playing Rose Nylund on ‘The Golden Girls,’ Betty was best known for playing Sue Ann Nivens on ‘The Mary Tyler Moore Show.’![Betty_White_Now]()
Rose Nylund became the defining role of Betty’s career. The only remaining survivor of ‘The Golden Girls,’ despite being the oldest of the four actresses, Betty keeps busy with frequent guest star appearances on a huge range of TV shows. She even has a new sitcom, ‘Hot in Cleveland,’ coming out in June 2010. Come to think of it - there aren't many actors of any age as hot as Betty right now! Betty has won a total of six Emmy Awards during her 70 years in show biz, and has been married three times, with the first two marriages ending in divorce. Her third marriage, to TV host Allen Ludden, lasted until his death in 1981.![Bea_Arthur_Then]()
Born in New York City, Beatrice ‘Bea’ Arthur got her start in off-Broadway and Broadway shows like "Fiddler on the Roof" and "Mame." Arthur guest-starred on "All in the Family" as Edith Bunker’s outspoken liberal cousin Maude Findlay, which led to her starring role in the spin-off series "Maude." The show dealt with controversial topics, including Bea's character having an abortion.![Bea_Arthur__1922___2009_]()
Bea’s performance as divorcee Dorothy Zbornak on "The Golden Girls" earned her an Emmy. Her departure from the show in 1992 hastened the end of the still popular sitcom. After "The Golden Girls," Bea toured in a successful one-woman show and appeared in several films and as a guest star in numerous TV shows. In 2002 Bea returned to Broadway with the show "Bea Arthur on Broadway: Just Between Friends,"’ for which she earned a Tony Award nomination, and in 2005 she put her acidic wit to use in a hilariously popular Comedy Central roast. She passed away in April 2009.![Rue McClanahan Then]()
Rue’s portrayal of Southern belle Blanche Devereaux on ‘The Golden Girls’ made sense – Rue was a Southern girl herself, born and raised in Oklahoma, the daughter of Irish and Choctaw Indian parents. She got her acting start in off-Broadway and Broadway productions, winning a 1969 Obie Award for her performance in ‘Who’s Happy Now?’ and eventually transitioned to TV roles. Rue’s friendship with fellow "Golden Girls" actress Bea Arthur goes back to her role on the controversial TV show "Maude." Bea played the title character and Rue played her best friend, Vivian Harmon.![Rue McClanahan (1934 - 2010)]()
Rue won an Emmy for her role as the man-eating Blanche, owner of the house where the four "Golden Girls" lived. After the show ended, Rue appeared on a number of TV shows and movies. She used her celebrity to champion causes she cared about, including PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals). Rue recently returned to Broadway, playing ‘Madam Morrible’ in the New York production of ‘Wicked.’ Her book, ‘My First Five Husbands,’ came out in 2007. She passed away June 3, 2010.![Estelle Getty Then]()
The daughter of Jewish immigrants living in New York City, Estelle started acting in Yiddish theater. She transitioned to Broadway, notably playing Harvey Fierstein's mother in the show ‘Torch Song Trilogy.’ Her defining role, as Sophia Petrillo, on ‘The Golden Girls’ earned her an Emmy. The role was especially challenging for Estelle because she was actually younger than Bea Arthur, who played her daughter. Heavy make-up and wigs helped Estelle fit the part. Bea Arthur once called their mother-daughter relationship “one of the greatest comic duos ever.”![Estelle_Getty__1923___2008_]()
After "The Golden Girls," Estelle starred in two "Golden Girls" spin-off shows: "The Golden Palace" and "Empty Nest," and appeared in several movies. When Estelle’s young nephew, Steven Scher, contracted AIDs, she nursed him until his death. Estelle married Arthur Gettleman in 1946, and they remained married until his death in 2004. The couple had two sons. Estelle passed away in 2008, having suffered from dementia for the last few years of her life.Then/Now: "Golden Girls"
The classic sitcom featured some of the funniest ladies in Hollywood. With the recent death of cast member Rue McClanahan, let’s look back at the brilliant careers of all four of the show's TV icons.
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- Then/Now: "Golden Girls"
