Finally completed this blog started last week.
Another sad day. One of my favourite TV stars Bea Arthur passed away on the 25th April, 2009. She had been suffering from cancer. She was best known for being one of the Golden Girls. In 2008, another Golden Girl, Estelle Getty also passed away ( read my blog on Estelle here ).
Bea Arthur was born Beatrice Frankel. She took the last name of her first husband Aurthur , with the first "u" removed. Bea started off as a medical lab techician and that bored her. She decided to enroll in Erwin Piscator's Dramatic Workshop of the New Shcool for Social Research to fullfill her desire to be an actress (one of fellow students include Marlon Brando - the Godfather) .
Bea as Dorothy Zbornak in the Golden Girls.
Before she was famous for her TV works, she was a theatrical actress. There are many works on her résumé.
1947: Yerma
1948: The Taming of the Shrew (as Kate) ; The Six characters in search of an author (as the mother) ; The owl and the pussycat (as the mother).
1949: Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme (as the Marchioness) ; Yes is for a Very Young Man (as Constance); The Creditors (as Telka); Heartbreak House (as Hessione).
1951: Personal Appearance (as Jessie); Candle Light (as Baroness) ; Love or Money (as Lita); Voice of the Turtle (as Olive).
1953: The New Moon (as Clotilde Lombaste); The Threepenny Opera (as Lucy Brown).
1955: Shoestring Revue ; Seventh Heaven (as Madame Suze).
1957: Nature's Way (her first comedy play, as Nadine Fesser).
1958: Ulysses in Nighttown (as Bella).
In 1959, Beatrice acted in her first movie: That Kind of Woman.
Beatrice was in her semi-retirement from the theatre in the 60s but still engaged in some theatrical works:
1960: Cherry Lane (as the gay divorcee).
1962: Elaine may play a matter of position (Mrs. Miller).
1966: Mame (with Angela Lansbury , famous for the role of Jessica Fletcher in Murder She Wrote)
In 1970, she appeared in the movie Lovers and Other Strangers.
Not really interested in any TV roles, she was casted as Maude in the hit TV series All in the family while visiting her husband in New York in 1971. Maude, unlike the main character Archie Bunker, is outspoken and a liberal as opposed to the prejustice and narrow-mindedness of Archie, played by Carroll O' Connor (passed away in 2001) who also appeared with Beatrice in the play Ulysses in Nighttown.
The character of Maude was so well-received, a spin-off TV show Maude was created in 1972. The show was socially provocative and touched many real social issues at a time. These include drugs, unwanted pregancy , race relations, woman's liberation, pornography, alcoholism and many controversial topics. The show was cancelled after 6 years when Beatrice decided to leave the show.
Her last TV work was of course, the Golden Girls (1985), my most favourite TV show of all time. Beatrice co-starred with Rue McClanahan (as Blanche); Betty White (as Rose); Estelle Getty (passed away last year, as Beatrice's TV mother , Sophia). The show was about three widowers and one divorcee living together in Miami. The show touched many real social issues just like Maude and was an instant hit. The show is hilarious with many well-written stories and characters besides the "Girls". My favourite is Sophia. Beatrice portrayed Dorothy , a divorcee living with her mother Sophia, both characters are sarcastically funny though with different personalities. It ran for 7 years and was again cancelled when Beatrice decided to leave the show. Beatrice explained that she left the show at its best. After the show, there was the Golden Palance , basically the Golden Girls without Dorothy (Beatrice) : After Dorothy left Miami with her husband in Atlanta, Blanche decided to run a hotel near the Miami beach. However, the Golden Palance lasted only one season (1992 -1993).
If you haven't seen the show, check it out on Youtube. There are many hilarious episodes.
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_type=&search_query=%22the+golden+girls%22&aq=f
Dorothy finally got married in the last episode of the Golden Girls.
The other girls are listening to Rose's ridiculous St. Olaf stories.
At this table, the "Girls" have consumed over 100 cheesecakes during the 7-year run of the Golden Girls.
In the episode when the Girls got the flu: See no Evil; Hear No Evil; Speak no Evil.
Sophia fakes a smile congratulating a boxer-turned-actor Cuban immigrant (not in the picture).
One of the best photos of the Girls.
From left to right: Beatrice Arthur; Rue McClanahan and Betty White.
During the period between 2001 and 2006, Beatrice was on a tour in her own one woman show called "And then there's Bea" with Billy Goldenberg. Later the name of the show was changed to "Bea Arthur on Broadway, Just Between Friends with Billy Goldenberg at the Piano".
Some trivia about Bea:
- A qualified medical techician.
- was already 5'9" when she was 12.
- served in the second War War (one of the first few women served in the War).
- Beatrice does not like cheesecake unlike the character she played in the Golden Girls - Dorothy.
- started the career in comedy because the manager at the lounge where she was a lounge singer told her to find another career because the performance wasn't well-received.
- she didn't like watching her own TV shows and movies.
- she just wanted to be blonde , beautiful and 5'2" tall.
Also, Herb Edelman who played Dorothy's divorced husband, passed away in 1996. I first knew him in the movie Yakuza starring Robert Mitchum and Ken Takakura (Black Rain). Incidentally, Herb played Woody in Maude starring Beatrice. Herb had been in many TV series including Murder She Wrote, the Love Boat, Cagney and Lacey, Matlock, Beauty and the Beast.
Stan (Herb Edelman) and his traffic cone "Monkey" which was suggested by his psychiatrist in order for Stan to "separate" from Dorothy for good.
Stan and his toupee.
I shall miss Bea's husky voice and singing.
Estelle and Bea will be greatly missed. Thank you for the laughter~~~~~
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