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.
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.
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.
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.
