We Remember Bea Arthur

Posted April 25, 2009

AFTRA lost a true Golden Girl May 13 when TV, film and stage actress Bea Arthur passed away at the age of 86.

Arthur was a legendary comedic talent who coupled a sharply sardonic wit with an enormously warm and generous heart. She brought smiles and laughs to millions of viewers around the world through her Emmy Award-winning performances on the hit AFTRA programs “Maude” and “The Golden Girls,” both of which continue to delight viewers even now.

Although comedy shows, “Maude” and “The Golden Girls” tackled some of the more serious issues of the day. In her first major sitcom role, Arthur's character, Maude Findlay, faced some of the same tough decisions that many watchers were dealing with. Most notably, the 1972 two-part show, “Maude’s Dilemma,” depicted Maude’s struggle and eventual conclusion to terminate a late-in-life pregnancy and aired two months before the Roe v. Wade U.S. Supreme Court decision.

In the same way its parent program “All in the Family” played on Archie Bunker’s insular racism, “Maude’s” exaggerated liberal values exhibited Arthur's ability to give sincere performances as a character that had us all in stitches.

Arthur was nominated for an Emmy five times for “Maude,” including one Emmy win in 1977 for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series.

As part of the ensemble cast of “The Golden Girls,” Arthur and her co-stars, Betty White, Rue McClanahan and Estelle Getty, tackled the issues of gay marriage, gender identity, sexual harassment and HIV/AIDS. Her role as Dorothy Zbronak garnered four Emmy nominations, including one win.

She also won a Tony award for her performance as Vera Charles in the musical “Mame,” which she recreated for the big screen version that starred Lucille Ball.

Arthur's artistic influence spans the generations. She was a luminary and a jester with equal grace and dignity.

The entertainment industry lost a true star with Arthur's passing. She was a brave performer, a kind soul and a truly talented comedienne. Her memory will live on through the many brilliant and provocative characters she played throughout her incredible legacy in television, film, and on the stage.

AFTRA Partners & Events