Powerful Facts About Bea Arthur, The Formidable Golden Girl

The Power Of Bea Arthur

Whether from her days on Broadway, through her performance as Maude Findlay or as one of the iconic Golden Girls, Bea Arthur was a star known by generations of viewers. As an actress, she was formidable, commanding the screen with a droll power. As a person, however, she preferred her privacy. All in all, Arthur was known to have an attitude that often got her in trouble.  

1. She Faced Adversity From Early On

Bea Arthur came into the world as Bernice Frankel. She grew up in Brooklyn, raised by her Jewish parents, Rebecca and Philip Frankel. From the moment she was born, she was different. By age 12, Arthur had become the tallest girl in her school at 5'9". But that wasn't all. Her mother was born in Austria, and her father was born in Poland. Although Bea was undeniably a daughter of America, she felt the call of her European ancestors as trouble began to brew.

 Martin Mills, Getty Images

2. She Took Charge

Bea Arthur was born in May of 1922, which made her just 17 years old when WWII broke out in 1939. When America joined the conflict two years later, she was a young woman on the edge of turning 20. But her youth didn't stop her from becoming one of the first members of the United States Marine Corps Women’s Reserve in 1943, paving the way for women in the armed forces. 

 United States Marine Corps photographer, Wikimedia Commons

3. She Had A Wild Personality

Arthur’s personality was full of contradictions. She was serious, professional, and proper. However, she was also honest to a fault with a tendency to become argumentative. These traits made her an interesting fit for the Marines. In one assessment, they noted that Arthur was “Officious—but probably a good worker if she has her own way”!  And Arthur did get her own way, in the end.

 Jack Mitchell, Getty Images

4. She Met Someone

Although Arthur joined the Marines in order to do her part in the growing conflict, it had an unexpected and lasting impact on her life. It was during this time that Arthur met Robert Alan Aurthur. Robert Aurthur would go on to become a screenwriter and producer. However at the time of their meeting, he was merely a fellow Marine, serving as a combat correspondent. 

 TV studio, Wikimedia Commons

5. She Found Love

It was love at first sight, or something very similar. Arthur joined the Marines in 1943. By 1944, she had married Robert Aurthur and legally changed her name to Bernice Aurthur. A year later, in 1945 the Marine’s gave her an honorable discharge, though not before they promoted her to staff sergeant. Arthur may have left the Marines behind, but her time there left a mark on her life forever. 

 Ron Galella, Getty Images

6. She Couldn’t Find Her Path

Before Arthur left for the Marines, she had a job. However, she chose to join the Marine’s instead. Now that her service was complete, she had to find a new direction for herself. Although, she initially studied and qualified to be a licensed medical technician, that career simply did not call to her; Arthur had a different passion that she needed to pursue.

 Michael Ochs Archives, Getty Images

7. She Knew It Was Wrong

Bea Arthur was an actress, and it only was a matter of time before she realized it. Following her certification, Arthur did a brief summer internship at a hospital. That was all it took for Arthur to realize that working as a lab tech was not for her. In 1947, she returned to New York City and enrolled in The New School’s School of Drama. She’d taken her first steps in her journey to success.

 WWD, Getty Images

8. Her Life Shifted

While Arthur’s acting career was beginning to flourish, her personal life was shifting; it wasn’t falling apart, exactly, but it was changing into something different. In 1950, Arthur and her husband, Robert Authur divorced. The marriage may have ended, but Bea kept his name—or a variation of it, anyway. It was around this time that “Bernice Frankel” officially became “Bea Arthur”.  Divorce, however, wasn’t the end for Arthur. It was the beginning. 

 Ron Galella, Getty Images

9. She Met Someone Else

It did not take long for Arthur’s career to begin to bloom. Following her days at The New School, Arthur joined an off-Broadway group connected to the Cherry Lane Theater. It was somewhere around this time that she made a new friend: Gene Saks. Saks was a fellow actor who would go on to take up directing. He was also the next step in Arthur’s journey.

 Michael Ochs Archives, Getty Images

10. She Traded Up

Arthur and Robert divorced in 1950. Arthur and Saks married the same year, though she never took his name. It seemed that Arthur had learned the value of carving out her own identity. Following their marriage, Arthur and Saks’ careers thrived. Both Saks and Arthur appeared on television throughout the 1950s, and Arthur supported a flourishing Broadway career during that time as well. Something, however, was missing.

 Ron Galella, Getty Images

11. She Kept To Herself

Despite being known for loud characters who spoke their mind, Arthur was quite private when it came to her own life. If she experienced struggles conceiving during the 50s or was merely not interested in parenthood yet, it is unclear. However, by the 1960s, Saks and Arthur were ready for the next stage of their lives. They adopted two sons. Their eldest, Matthew, was born in 1961 and their youngest, Daniel, was born in 1964.  Arthur and Saks continued to balance their careers with parenting.

 Michael Ochs Archives, Getty Images

12. She Was On the Cusp

Arthur’s Broadway career continued to flourish throughout the 60s. In 1964, she originated the role of Yente the Matchmaker in Fiddler on the Roof when it premiered on Broadway. In 1966, she would step into one of her defining roles—but not without some disappointment first.

 Michael Ochs Archives, Getty Images

13. She Didn’t Get The Part

In 1966, Arthur’s husband Saks was directing a new musical: Mame. Arthur auditioned for the title role. However, if there were any concerns Saks would show a bias towards his wife, he removed them when the role did not go to Arthur. Instead, Angela Lansbury would step into the title role, leaving Arthur on the metaphorical sidelines.

 MGM, Wikimedia Commons

14. She Found Something Better

While Arthur did not get the role that she had hoped for in Mame, she was not left completely out in the cold. Arthur played the role of Vera Charles. It was a supporting role, but one that would launch Arthur’s career to new levels. She won a Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for that very role. It would not be the last time that Arthur appeared in Mame; she would reprise the role for film some years later. 

 Ron Galella, Getty Images

15. She Took A Chance

During the 1970s there was one name that was larger than any other when it came to television production: Norman Lear. Lear would go on to produce many of the iconic films of the 70s and 80s. However, in 1971, Lear only had a small handful of failed film credits to his name when All In The Family aired. Despite this, Arthur took a chance. 

 PBS Television, Wikimedia Commons

16. She Was A Force

Arthur accepted the role of  “Maud Findlay”. It was a guest appearance that would air in December 1971 as part of the series' second season. Outspoken, passionate, and liberal, the writers wrote Maud to be the opposite of the series lead, Archie Bunker. Maud would also become the quintessential essence of a “Bea Arthur” performance. 

 CBS, All in the Family (1971-1979)

17. She Was Captivating

Although Maude was merely a guest star in a solo episode of All in the Family, she made an impression that no one could ignore. Viewers adored her. CBS executives couldn’t deny her. In Arthur’s recollections, from that single performance, the executives asked, “Who is that girl? Let's give her, her own series”. And they did. 

 CBS, All in the Family (1971-1979)

18. She Launched New Paths

Using an episode of All in the Family as a “backdoor pilot”, Maude aired in September 1972. It followed Arthur’s Maude and Walter Findlay, her character's fourth husband. Maude was unique in its episode formatting. Although there were other series regulars, many episodes featured only Maude and Walter. Most importantly, Maude never backed down from the controversial topics.

 CBS, Maude (1972-1978)

19. She Took A Stand

Maude quickly gained a reputation for never shying away from hard-hitting topics that other shows may have skirted around or avoided altogether. During its six-year run, Maude covered themes such as divorce, addiction, spousal mistreatment, menopause, Vietnam, mental health, and gay rights. However, few episodes of TV have ever made as much of a scandal as 1972’s two-part special, “Maude’s Dilemma”. 

 CBS, Maude (1972-1978)

20. She Courted Controversy

Even today, discussions that involve a woman’s body are rare and somewhat controversial when presented on TV. They were almost unheard of on television in the 1970s. In “Maude’s Dilemma”, Maude discovers that she is pregnant. At the age of 47, this is an unexpected and, frankly, unwanted wrench in Maude’s life. 

 CBS, Maude (1972-1978)

21. She Spoke Of Taboo Topics

The entire two-part episode, follows Maude, her family, and her friends, as she attempts to come to terms with what she wants to do. In the end, Maude, along with the support of her husband, decides that raising a baby is the wrong choice for their current stage of life. She decides to terminate the pregnancy. 

While already a controversial topic, this episode couldn’t have aired at a more contentious time.

 CBS, Maude (1972-1978)

22. She Made Timely Media

When the episode aired around Thanksgiving of 1972, ending a pregnancy had been legal in states like New York and California for the past two or three years. However, it was still illegal in much of the country. Moreover, “Maude’s Dilemma” aired two months before they announced the Roe v. Wade decision—and viewer reactions were extreme.

 CBS, Maude (1972-1978)

23. She Made History

Although “Maude’s Dilemma” aired as intended with CBS, many regional affiliates of the network refused to participate in the episode. For some of the country, a repeat or Thanksgiving special aired instead of “Maude’s Dilemma”. This was the first time in history any CBS station refused to air an episode of an ongoing series. However, by August 1973, it seemed the scandal had worn off. All networks aired it during the rerun season—and a new challenge had emerged. 

 CBS, Maude (1972-1978)

24. She Couldn’t Keep Up

Despite several years of success, Maude couldn’t keep up with the changing times. As the 70s started to come to an end, Maude struggled to compete with comedies like Laverne & Shirley and Three’s Company. It seemed that America was done with hard-hitting topics; they wanted their television to allow them to escape, and Maude, with her strong stances, didn't fit the bill.

 CBS, Maude (1972-1978)

25. She Abandoned Ship

Seeing the writing on the wall, Lear attempted to change directions in the final season of Maude. They dedicated the last three episodes to an arc that saw Maude elected as congresswoman, and moving to Washington. However, not long after those episodes aired, Arthur announced her intention to leave Maude, ending the show.  Arthur would see a similar ending within her own life that same year.

 CBS, Maude (1972-1978)

26. Her Marriage Was In Trouble

Despite 28 years of marriage and two sons who were not quite grown yet, Arthur and Saks's marriage was in trouble. As the calendar flipped from 1977 to 1978, the pair decided their relationship was beyond saving. They divorced that year. While Saks went on to remarry, Arthur would remain without another significant relationship for the rest of her life—not that she needed it. 

Despite being in her late 50s, Arthur’s career was still growing—and the best was still to come. 

 Warner Bros., Getty Images

27. She Got Lost

Following the conclusion of Maude, Arthur’s career entered a brief period of inactivity. She made a handful of guest appearances and attempted to launch another sitcom, Amanda’s, that did not make an impact. She even returned to the stage. However, none of it stuck. Arthur was merely passing time, holding in wait until her next big opportunity came up—one she wasn't quite sure would happen at this point. 

 ABC, Amanda's (1983)

28. Her Career Was About To Change

Unbeknownst to Arthur, her next opportunity was already brewing in August 1984. The setting was Burbank, California, and NBC was filming a television special designed to introduce their upcoming season. Selma Diamond and Doris Roberts, two actresses in prominent shows at the time, performed a skit spoofing Miami Vice. It’s premise? Miami Nice, two old people living in Miami. 

This simple skit would change the course of Arthur’s career.

 Kathy Hutchins, Shutterstock

29. Her Career Depended On Others

Present that day, watching Diamond and Roberts ham it up was Warren Littlefield, the senior vice president of NBC. This skit sparked a vision: a series based on the premise of the Miami Nice skit—middle-aged women living together and getting into misadventures. For those of you familiar with classic television, that premise may just ring a few bells.

 DFree, Shutterstock

30. She Needed A Chance

Miami Nice went through several changes once it was in development. Littlefield met with a couple of producers, who got a writer. Originally the women of Miami Nice were meant to be in their 40s. The writer, Susan Harris, came back with a pilot that involved women in their 60s. However, she impressed Littlefield. This pilot would become Golden Girls. It just needed a cast. 

But it didn't come as easy for Arthur as you may think.

 NBC, The Golden Girls (1985-1992)

31. She Almost Lost Out

It is impossible to imagine now. However, Golden Girls almost happened without Bea Arthur. Estelle Getty was cast first to play Sophia Petrillo. Then they brought on Rue McClanahan and Betty White, though not in the roles that you would expect. The cast was set. However, they needed their Dorothy—and Bea Arthur wasn’t exactly on anyone’s radar.

 NBC, The Golden Girls (1985-1992)

32. She Needed A Failure

When Harris had been writing the script, she had envisioned Dorothy as a “Bea Arthur” type. However, the producers had a different vision in mind. They wanted Elaine Stritch for the part. The series would have looked quite different if not for one critical fact: Stritch completely failed her audition. The program needed someone else. Arthur’s name began being passed around, but there was one problem.

 s_bukley, Shutterstock

33. She Didn’t Want The Role

Arthur was the obvious solution to their new problem. Harris had practically written the role with Bea Arthur in mind. However, they thought that Arthur didn’t want the part. How were they going to get their final star? Well, they would use their secret weapon. They’d send in Rue McClanahan of course. 

 Studio Publicity, Wikimedia Commons

34. She Feared Repeating The Past

McClanahan and Arthur had worked together during Maude. The producers thought that this connection would be to their advantage, but it was quite the opposite. Arthur loved the script, but she did have a concern: she didn’t want to repeat Maude. She felt that her role and McClanahan’s roles were too similar to the past, one she had no interest in repeating—and for good reason, too. 

 CBS, Maude (1972-1978)

35. Her Cast Mates Swapped

You see, although McClanahan and White were cast first, they were not initially cast in the roles they ended up with. McClanahan was originally cast as Rose, thanks to her similar character on Maude, and White was cast as Blanche, again due to a similar character she’d played on The Mary Tyler Moore Show. Eventually, the director they hired for the pilot suggested that the two switched roles—saving the show in more ways than one. 

 NBC, The Golden Girls (1985-1992)

36. She Gave In

It was only after she heard that McClanahan and White had switched roles that Arthur agreed to the show. The cast was set, and The Golden Girls was ready to rock the world, going on to become one of the highest-praised television shows of all time. However, things behind the scenes were not as golden.

 NBC, The Golden Girls (1985-1992)

37. She Was Different

Despite her talent, Bea Arthur was an “oddball”. She was set in her ways, and no one could convince her to break from them. She had no tolerance for birds or chewing gum. Her Golden Girls contract stated she could walk around set barefoot so long as she didn’t sue if she became injured because she hated shoes so much. These tendencies started to get in the way of her working relationships—especially with one coworker in particular.

 NBC, The Golden Girls (1985-1992)

38. She Was Contrary

Audiences all across the globe adored actress Betty White. Her cheerful disposition endeared her to the hearts of many. However, it might have been this very cheerful disposition that irked Arthur. In one interview, White insisted Arthur found her a pain, citing her positive attitude as the source of the problem: “Sometimes if I was happy, she’d be furious”. Though there may have been more to it.

 NBC, The Golden Girls (1985-1992)

39. She Liked A Feud

Arthur’s eldest son, Matthew Saks let his knowledge of his mother shed some light on the so-called feud between the two actresses, and he didn’t let his love for his mother cloud his judgment. In his opinion, Arthur, “unknowingly carried the attitude that it was fun to have somebody to be angry at”—and White was an easy target.

 NBC, The Golden Girls (1985-1992)

40. Her Differences Got In The Way

Betty White and Bea Arthur, while both talented, were very different actors. Arthur’s background was in the theater. Even her days with Norman Lear mimicked that theatrical acting. White, on the other hand, used a more subtle means of acting. She cut her chops with Mary Tyler Moore; it was more about character. There was, however, one thing in particular that drove Arthur absolutely crazy.

 NBC, The Golden Girls (1985-1992)

41. She Was A Professional

Again, Matthew provided some insight into his mother’s state of mind when they were filming The Golden Girls. Betty White liked to talk to the audience between takes. Arthur couldn’t stand this. Due to her background in acting, she felt it was unprofessional. She hadn’t anything against talking to fans, but she felt in between takes was the wrong time and place. Thankfully, though, things weren’t all tension between White and Arthur.

 NBC, The Golden Girls (1985-1992)

42. They Were Friends At One Point

In the early days of The Golden Girls, it seems that White and Arthur got along, with Matthew even going as far as saying that White and his mother were friends. They lived near each other and would commute to work together. Their costar, McClanahan even recalled that there was a time when Arthur wouldn’t go to lunch with her unless White came too. That, however, all changed in 1986.

 Joe Seer, Shutterstock

43. She Was Jealous

By the end of The Golden Girls, all of the lead actors would be recognized with an Emmy for their work on the show. However, Betty White was the first person to receive the honor in 1986. McClanahan remarked in her memoir that this enraged Arthur, even stating Arthur called White a “choice word”. Matthew has a slightly more sympathetic view towards his mother at that moment.

 NBC, The Golden Girls (1985-1992)

44. She Was A Snob

When Matthew reflects on this point in his mother’s life, he can see where his mother was coming from, even if he does not say if he agrees with it or not. As Matthew tells it, “I think she felt she was more of an actress than Betty. Mom came from Broadway. Betty starred on a game show at one point”. It seemed there was no coming back for Arthur and White after this.

 NBC, The Golden Girls (1985-1992)

45. She Valued The Show

Still, despite the so-called “feud”, The Golden Girls continued to thrive. According to Matthew, Arthur had never been all that close to anyone. She preferred her solitude. But even if White annoyed her to no end, she didn’t let it get in the way of the show. McClanahan’s memoir recalls, “Things got pretty spicy once in a while, but what mattered most to each of us individually and all of us as a group: the chemistry worked”. The show was more important to all of them—until things took a drastic turn once again.

 NBC, The Golden Girls (1985-1992)

46. She Ruined Everything

After seven seasons of The Golden Girls, Arthur shocked the world by announcing that she would be leaving the show. In the years since, she has cited various reasons for this, including feeling that it was time to go. She felt the writing was not as good as it once had been, and she wanted to leave while it was still favorable. However, the real reason may be much darker. 

 NBC, The Golden Girls (1985-1992)

47. She Couldn’t Take It

The Golden Girls often made jokes at the expense of the characters. White, Getty, and McClanahan found it easier to ignore, but Arthur struggled more. This was likely because while the other actresses’ jokes related to their characters, jokes about Dorothy always linked back to Arthur’s appearance: that she was big, and that she was ugly. In the end, Arthur couldn’t keep doing it.

 s_bukley, Shutterstock

48. She Was Essential

While Arthur may have felt that The Golden Girls had reached its natural conclusion, the other actresses did not. White has gone on record stating she felt the show ended prematurely. They attempted to carry on the story with the remaining three actresses in a spinoff titled, The Golden Place. Unfortunately, it was short-lived. Without Arthur, the magic just wasn’t the same. 

 CBS, The Golden Palace (1992-1993)

49. She Gave To Others

Although Arthur would continue to act in the years following The Golden Girls, even gaining recognition for some of her roles, she never appeared in a major production again. In her later life, she devoted her time and energy to activism, particularly for the LGBTQ+ youth. Of her work with the Ali Forney Center, Arthur said, “These kids at the Ali Forney Center are dumped by their families because they are lesbian, gay or transgender—this organization is saving lives”. 

 NBC, The Golden Girls (1985-1992)

50. She Was An Icon

Bea Arthur passed of lung disease in April 2009. The world mourned her. Broadway dimmed its lights for one minute in her honor, and a public tribute was held. To date, only two other actresses have received more Emmy nominations, and two different actresses more Golden Globe nominations than her. Arthur’s talent was undeniable, and she has left a legacy behind her that is difficult to eclipse. 

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 Everett Collection, Shutterstock

Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12