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'Beatrice Arthur' (born 'Bernice Frankel', May 13 1922), also billed as 'Bea Arthur', is an Emmy and Tony Award winning American comedian, actor and singer.
She is known for her distinctive deep voice, acid wit and prominent stature, standing almost 5 ft 10 in (1.77 m).^[1]
In an ongoing career spanning six decades (beginning in 1947) and encompassing film, television, and theater, Arthur's trademark roles were as the title character on the 1970s sitcom
''Maude'', and as a part of the ensemble on the long-running sitcom ''The Golden Girls''.

Contents

Biography

Career

Theatre roles

Television roles

In popular culture

Television credits

Theatre performances

Filmography

References

External links

Biography

Arthur was born in New York City to parents Rebecca (1902-1986) and Philip Frankel. In the 1930s, the family moved to Maryland, where they owned a women's clothing shop. After attending the now-defunct Blackstone College in Blackstone, Virginia, Arthur became a medical technologist before World War II.
Arthur was married twice - first briefly to Robert Alan Arthur, an author, whose surname she kept. Her second marriage (1950-1978) was to director Gene Saks, with whom she adopted two sons, Matthew (b. 14 July 1961), an actor and Daniel (b. 8 May 1964), a set designer. The Saks' marriage ended in divorce in 1978.^[2]
She primarily lives in the Greater Los Angeles Area and has sublet her apartment on Central Park West in New York City and her country home in Bedford, New York.

Career

Theatre roles

Arthur began her career as a member of the off Broadway theater group at The Cherry Lane Theatre in NY in the late 1940s. Actors Anthony Franciosa and Robert Herrell were also members at that time.
On stage, her roles included "Lucy Brown" in the 1954 Off-Broadway premiere of Kurt Weill's ''Threepenny Opera'', "Yente the Matchmaker" in the 1964 premiere of ''Fiddler on the Roof'' on Broadway, and a 1966 Tony Award-winning portrayal of "Vera Charles" to Angela Lansbury's ''Mame'' (she recreated the role in the unsuccessful film version opposite Lucille Ball in 1974). In 1981, she appeared in Woody Allen's ''The Floating Lightbulb''.
Two decades later, she toured the U.S. with a one-woman show in which she made a triumphant return to Broadway. 2002's ''Bea Arthur on Broadway: Just Between Friends'', a collection of stories and songs (with musician Billy Goldenberg) and based on her life and long career, was nominated for a Tony award for Best Special Theatrical Event, but lost to ''Elaine Stritch At Liberty''.

Television roles

Arthur is perhaps best known for two long-running roles she portrayed on television; the title role on the popular sitcom ''Maude'' in the 1970s, and a starring role on ''The Golden Girls'' in the 1980s and 1990s.
In ''Maude'', she played Maude Findlay, an outspoken liberal living in the affluent community of Tuckahoe, Westchester County, New York, with her husband, Walter (Bill Macy) and divorced daughter Carol (Adrienne Barbeau).
The show was a spinoff from ''All in the Family'', on which Arthur had appeared a couple of times in the same role, playing Edith Bunker (Jean Stapleton)'s cousin, a feminist, and antithesis to the bigoted, conservative Archie Bunker (Carroll O'Connor, who described Maude as a "New Deal fanatic").
In ''The Golden Girls'', she played Dorothy Zbornak, a divorcée and substitute teacher who lived in a Miami, Florida, house owned by Blanche Devereaux (Rue McClanahan). Her other roommates included widow Rose Nylund (Betty White) and Dorothy's Sicilian mother, Sophia Petrillo (Estelle Getty). (Getty is actually a year younger than Arthur in real life, and was heavily made up to look significantly older.) Dorothy had an acidic sense of humor and was prone to making witty, biting wisecracks, often directed at the man-hungry Blanche or dimwitted Rose.
She made a guest appearance on American cartoon ''Futurama'', in the Emmy-nominated episode ''Amazon Women in the Mood'' as the voice of the Femputer who ruled the giant Amazonian women.
She appeared in an episode of ''Malcolm in the Middle'' as Dewey's unfortunate babysitter. She was nominated for a guest-star Emmy for her performance. She also showed up unexpectedly as Larry (Larry David)'s mother on ''Curb Your Enthusiasm''.

In popular culture

★ Arthur was seen throughout the 1980s in Canada as a regular character in Shoppers Drug Mart television commercials for a popular Canadian chain of pharmacies.

★ In the movie ''Airheads'' (1994) — with Brendan Fraser, Steve Buscemi and Adam Sandler — the main characters ask for naked pictures of Bea Arthur as part of an elaborate ploy to build an insanity defense.

★ Arthur is referenced in the song ''California'' by singer/songwriter Rufus Wainwright on his 2001 album, ''Poses'', with the lyric, "I don't know this sea of neon / Thousand surfers, whiffs of freon / And my new grandma Bea Arthur".

★ In the '' episode ''The Last Episode Ever'', Randal Graves admits to stalking the ''Golden Girls'', including "exposing myself to Bea Arthur".

★ In the ''Family Guy'' episode ''Ready, Willing and Disabled'' Bea Arthur is said to be playing the role of Peter Griffin in ''Rolling Courage: The Joe Swanson story''.

★ During "on-stage" banter following the theme song on the CD, Peter states that the sound stage on which Family Guy is shot (an in-joke that the characters on the show are actually real people who portray themselves on the show) is the same as the one used for the ''Golden Girls'', and that one night, when everyone was prepared to begin filming, Bea Arthur was nowhere to be found. The producer of the ''Golden Girls'' supposedly ran in and told everyone to cancel the shoot because Bea Arthur was in jail for exposing her penis to traffic after drinking too much. Brian then asks, "How can Bea Arthur have a penis?", to which Peter responds "Uhh ... a special permit?". This is not the first reference to Arthur's having a penis - at the 2005 Friars Club Roast for Pamela Anderson comedian Jeffrey Ross made a similar reference.

Television credits

★ ''Kraft Television Theatre'' (1951-1958) ★ ''Studio One'' (1951-1953) ★ ''Max Liebman Presents: Kaleidoscope'' (1955) ★ ''Caesar's Hour'' (regular performer 1954–1956) ★ ''The Seven Lively Arts'' (1958) ★ ''Omnibus'' (1958) ★ ''Hallmark Hall of Fame'' (1958) ★ ''The George Gobel Show'' (1959) ★ ''The Perry Como Show'' (1961) ★ ''All in The Family'' (1971 & 1972) ★ ''Maude'' (1972–1978) ★ ''The 45th Annual Academy Awards'' (1973) ★ ''The Mike Douglas Show'' (1974 & 1980) ★ ''The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson'' (1974-1975-1976-1977-1980-1985-1986-1990) ★ ''Dinah'' (1975 & 1976) ★ ''Saturday Night Live'' (1976 & 1979) ★ ''Cos'' (1976) ★ ''Laugh-In'' (1977) ★ ''CBS: On the Air'' (1978) ★ ''The Star Wars Holiday Special'' (1978) ★ ''The Mary Tyler Moore Hour'' (1979) ★ ''The Beatrice Arthur Special'' (1980) ★ ''Soap'' (1980) ★ ''The History of the World Part 1 (1981) ★ ''Omnibus'' (1981) ★ ''Nights of 100 Stars'' (1982) ★ ''Broadway Plays Washington on Kennedy Center Tonight'' (1982) ★ ''Amanda's'' (1983) (canceled after 4 months) ★ ''a.k.a. Pablo'' (1984) ★ ''P.O.P.'' (1984) ★ ''The Golden Girls'' (1985–1992) ★ ''Circus of the Stars #10'' (1985) ★ ''NBC 60th Anniversary Celebration'' (1986) ★ ''Walt Disney World's 15th Birthday Celebration'' (1986) ★ ''Late Night with David Letterman'' (1986) ★ ''The Kennedy Center Honors: A Celebration of the Performing Arts'' (1986) ★ ''The 13th Annual People's Choice Awards'' (1987) ★ ''This is Your Life" (1987) ★ ''The 41st Annual Tony Awards'' (1987) ★ ''Comic Relief '87'' (1987) ★ ''Family Comedy Hour'' (1987) ★ ''Irving Berlin's 100th Birthday Celebration'' (1988) ★ ''Circus of the Stars #13'' (1988) ★ ''Empty Nest'' (1989) ★ ''Aspel & Company'' (1990) ★ ''Night of 100 Stars III'' (1990) ★ ''The 42nd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards'' (1990) ★ ''Dame Edna's Hollywood'' (1991) ★ ''The Howard Stern Show'' (1992) ★ ''Guest Night'' (1992) ★ ''6th Annual Americam Comedy Awards'' (1992) ★ ''The Golden Palace'' (1992) ★ ''This Joint Is Jumpin' (1993) ★ ''The 47th Annual Tony Awards'' (1993) ★ ''Boulevard Bio'' (1993)

★ ''Sean's Show'' (1993) ★ ''Jerry Herman's Broadway at the Hollywood Bowl'' (1994) ★ ''Bob Hope: Happy 91st Birthday, Bob'' (1994) ★ ''50 Years of Funny Females'' (1995) ★ ''The 50th Annual Tony Awards'' (1996) ★ ''Dave's World'' (cast member 1996 & 1997) ★ ''The Rosie O'Donnell Show'' (1997) ★ ''The RuPaul Show'' (1998) ★ ''Ellen: A Hollywood Tribute Part 1" (1998) ★ ''The 53rd Annual Tony Awards'' (1999) ★ ''Beggars and Choosers'' (1999) ★ ''The Martin Short Show'' (1999) ★ ''So Graham Norton'' (2000) ★ ''Intimate Portrait: Rue McClanahan'' (2000) ★ ''Malcolm in the Middle'' Dewey's babysitter in the season one finale (2000) ★ ''E! True Hollywood Story: All in the Family'' (2000) ★ ''Intimate Portrait: Estelle Getty'' (2001) ★ ''Futurama'' as "Femputer" in "Amazon Women in the Mood" (2001) ★ ''Today'' (2001) ★ ''The View'' (2002) ★ ''CBS News Sunday Morning'' (2002) ★ ''The Rosie O'Donnell Show'' (2002) ★ ''Good Morning America'' (2002) ★ ''The Daily Show with Jon Stewart'' (2002) ★ ''The Big O! True West Hollywood Story'' (2002) ★ ''TV Most Censored Moments'' (2002) ★ ''TV Tales: The Golden Girls'' (2002) ★ ''Open Mike with Mike Bullard'' (2002) ★ ''Because I Said So'' (2002) ★ ''Inside TV Land: Taboo Tv'' (2002) ★ ''Intimate Portrait: Bea Arthur'' (2003) ★ ''TV Land Awards: A Celebration of Classic TV'' (2003) ★ ''Rove Live'' (2003) ★ ''Through The Keyhole'' (2003) ★ ''Broadway: The Golden Age by the Legends Who Were There'' (2003) ★ ''The Golden Girls Their Greatest Moments'' (2003) ★ ''Today with Des and Mel'' (2003) ★ ''Richard and Judy'' (2003) ★ ''The Terry and Gaby Show'' (2003) ★ ''The Second Annual TV Land Awards: A Celebration of Classic TV'' (2004) ★ ''The Best of So Graham Norton'' (2004) ★ ''Inside TV Land: Primetime Politics'' (2004) ★ ''TV's Greatest Sidekicks'' (2004) ★ ''Comedy Central Roast of Pamela Anderson'' (2005) ★ ''TV Land Confidential'' (2005) ★ ''Curb Your Enthusiasm'' as Larry David's mother on the season five finale (2005) ★ ''Entertainment Tonight'' (2006) ★ ''Biography: Bea Arthur'' (2006) ★ ''The View'' (2007) ★ ''TV Land Confidential'' (2007) ★ ''Entertainment Tonight'' (2007) ★ ''Back to the Grind'' (2007)

Theatre performances

★ ''Lysistrata'' (1947) ★ ''The Dog Beneath the Skin'' (1947) ★ ''Yerma'' (1947) ★ ''No Exit'' (1948) ★ ''The Taming of the Shrew'' (1948) ★ ''Six Characters in Search of an Author'' (1948) ★ ''The Owl and the Pussycat'' (1948) ★ ''Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme'' (1949) ★ ''Yes is for a Very Young Man'' (1949) ★ ''The Creditors'' (1949) ★ ''Heartbreak House'' (1949) ★ ''Gentlemen Prefer Blondes'' (1951) ★ ''Personal Appearance'' (1951) ★ ''Candle Light'' (1951) ★ ''Love or Money'' (1951) ★ ''The Voice of the Turtle'' (1951) ★ ''The New Moon'' (1953) ★ ''The Threepenny Opera'' (1954) ★ ''What's the Rush?'' (1955) ★ ''Shoestring Revue'' (1955) ★ ''Plain and Fancy'' (1955) ★ ''Seventh Heaven'' (1955) ★ ''Mistress of the Inn'' (1956) ★ ''The Ziegfeld Follies'' (1956) ★ ''Nature's Way'' (1957) ★ ''Ulysses in Nighttown'' (1958) ★ ''The Gay Divorcee at the Cherry Lane'' (1960) ★ ''A Matter of Position'' (1962) ★ ''Fiddler on the Roof'' (1964) ★ ''Mame'' (1966) ★ ''The Floating Lightbulb'' (1981) ★ ''La Fille du Regiment'' (1994) ★ ''Bermuda Avenue Triangle'' (1995-1996) ★ ''Angela Lansbury - A Celebration'' (November 17, 1996) (benefit concert) ★ ''After Play'' (1997-1998) ★ ''Strike Up The Band'' (2000) ★ ''An Evening with Bea Arthur'' in Westport, Connecticut (July 28-30, 2000) ★ ''And Then There's Bea'' United States Tour (April 24, 2001 - January 13, 2002) ★ ''Bea Arthur on Broadway: Just Between Friends'' in New York, New York (January 29, 2002 - April 14, 2002) ★ ''An Evening with Bea Arthur'' in Santa Fe, New Mexico (September 24, 2002) ★ ''And Then There's Bea'' in Melbourne, Australia (October 15-27, 2002)

★ ''And Then There's Bea'' in Sydney, Australia (October 29 - November 10, 2002) ★ ''Bea Arthur on Broadway: Just Between Friends'' in Toronto, Canada (November 20 - December 8, 2002) ★ ''And Then There's Bea'' in Johannesburg, South Africa (August 12-24, 2003) ★ ''And Then There's Bea'' in Cape Town, South Africa (August 26 - September 7, 2003) ★ ''Bea Arthur at The Savoy'' in London, England (September 15 - October 18, 2003) ★ ''An Evening with Bea Arthur'' in Los Angeles, California (January 31 - February 1, 2004) ★ ''An Evening with Bea Arthur'' in Saugatuck, Michigan (May 22-23, 2004) ★ ''A Celebration of Life'' in Washington, D.C. (May 26, 2004) ★ ''Bea Arthur at the El Portal'' in North Hollywood, California (August 5-8, 2004) ★ ''An Evening with Bea Arthur'' in Provincetown, Massachusetts (August 21, 2004) ★ ''An Evening with Bea Arthur'' in Columbus, Georgia (October 30, 2004) ★ ''An Evening with Bea Arthur'' in Nyack, New York (March 4-6, 2005) ★ ''An Evening with Bea Arthur'' in Forth Wayne, Indiana (April 17, 2005) ★ ''An Evening with Bea Arthur'' in Mount Pleasant, Michigan (April 19, 2005) ★ ''An Evening with Bea Arthur'' in Atlantic City, New Jersey (June 3-4, 2005) ★ ''An Evening with Bea Arthur'' in Holmdel, New Jersey (June 7, 2005) ★ ''An Evening with Bea Arthur'' in Las Vegas, Nevada (August 27, 2005) ★ ''An Evening with Bea Arthur'' in Hampton, Virginia (September 16-17, 2005) ★ ''An Evening with Bea Arthur'' in Alexandria, Virginia (September 22, 2005) ★ ''An Evening with Bea Arthur'' in Geneva, New York (September 24, 2005) ★ ''Bea Arthur Back on Broadway (at 95th Street)'' in New York, New York (November 21, 2005) ★ ''An Evening with Bea Arthur'' in San Francisco, California (January 7, 2006) ★ ''An Evening with Bea Arthur'' in Salem, Oregon (January 21, 2006) ★ ''Bea Arthur Back at the El Portal'' in North Hollywood, California (February 16-19, 2006) ★ ''An Evening with Bea Arthur'' in Scottsdale, Arizona (February 24-25, 2006) ★ ''An Evening with Bea Arthur'' in University Park, Illinois (March 19, 2006)

Filmography

★ ''That Kind of Woman'' (1959)

★ ''Lovers and Other Strangers'' (1970)

★ ''Mame'' (1974)

★ '' (1981) (cameo)

★ ''My First Love'' (1988)

★ ''For Better or For Worse'' (1996)

★ '' (1997) (cameo)

★ ''Enemies of Laughter'' (2000)

★ ''Broadway: The Golden Age, by the Legends Who Were There'' (2003) (documentary)

★ ''Broadway: Beyond The Golden Age'' (2008) (documentary)

References

1. She stated she was 5'9 1/2" on the March 20 2007 episode of ''The View''.
2. http://www.beatricearthur.com/biography.php ''Beatricearthur.com'' Retrieved on 05-07-07

External links

★

★ Playbill biography