HOLLYWOOD SAYS
GOODBYE
MAY 13, 1922 - APRIL 25, 2009
BEA ARTHUR
Bea Arthur is an Emmy Award-winning American actress and comedienne famous for
her husky voice, prominent stature (standing at almost five-foot-ten), and caustic wit.
She is also a qualified medical technician and was one of the first women volunteers for
the U.S. Marine Corps during World War II.Arthur was born on May 13, 1923, as Bernice Frankel, to par-
ents, Philip and Rebecca Frankel. Though she was born in New York, she grew up in Maryland . Arthur has
appeared in a few movies, but most of her acting work has been for stage and television.In 1964 she be-
came famous for her role as Yente the Matchmaker in the original Broadway production, Fiddler on the
Roof. In 1966 she worked on the Broadamusical Mame, which was directed by her second husband, Gene
Saks, whom she married on May 28, 1950. The couple had two children together before their divorce in
1978.In 1971 Arthur appeared as a guest in the hit sitcom All in the Family as Maude Findlay. This guest
appearance led to her own series, Maude, in 1972. During its six year run, the show dealt with controver-
sial topics for the era, including abortion, and earned Arthur an Emmy for her work. In 1978 she appeared
in the television special The Star Wars Holiday Special.In 1985 Arthur appeared in a new sitcom called The
Golden Girls; she played Dorothy Zbornak, a past middle-age substitute teacher who lived in Miami, Florida
with four other women. The show; which co-starred Betty White, Rue McClanahan, and Estelle Getty; be-
came an immediate hit and ran for seven seasons until it was cancelled after Arthur left the show.AfterThe
Golden Girls Arthur kept a low profile and only appeared in a couple of movies: For Better or Worse in
1996 and Enemies of Laughter in 2000.In 2002 she made a return to Broadway with her one-woman show
Bea Arthur on Broadway: Just Between Friends. The performance earned her a Tony Award nomination for
Best Special Theatrical Event.Arthur is a committed animal rights activist and has taken part in numerous
campaigns for PETA. She has even gone so far as to boycott Kentucky Fried Chicken because of their mal-
treatment of chickens.Arthur lives on a ranch in California and is said to dislike watching her own perform-
ances on television and film. She is best friends with Angela Lansbury, whom she met while filming Mame,
and is also friends with actress Shirley MacLaine.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38