Languish.org

General Category => Off the Record => Topic started by: Korea on April 27, 2009, 08:42:01 AM

Title: RIP BEA
Post by: Korea on April 27, 2009, 08:42:01 AM
QuoteAnd then there were two.

Golden Girls star Bea Arthur died this morning in Los Angeles. She was 86. This is actually a bit of a shock. Not that 86 is young, but she always seemed healthy and spry, even in the last few years, doing her stage show and guest starring on various TV shows and endless specials.

The other day I listed my favorite TV shows of all-time, and I really should have included The Golden Girls on that list. This was a consistently funny, clever, entertaining sitcom. A classic, really, spawning a lot of great one-liners and situations. It was also a breeding ground for some writers and producers who would become famous for other projects later, including Marc Cherry and Mitchell Hurwitz (as well as many veteran writers and directors). It's still a very special show to me. I used to find myself up at 1AM watching several episodes on Lifetime.

Besides The Golden Girls, Arthur starred in Maude (a spinoff after appearing as the character on All in the Family), Dave's World, Studio One, Kraft Television Theatre, Caeser's Hour, and Great Performances. She also had a memorable guest role on Malcolm in the Middle as Dewey's babysitter.

Boy, Hunter sure will be sad.  :cry:
Title: Re: RIP BEA
Post by: grumbler on April 27, 2009, 08:45:56 AM
She was generally so good as a character actor that you just didn't even think of her as Bea Arthur.  As a star, she was less impressive.

RIP
Title: Re: RIP BEA
Post by: Caliga on April 27, 2009, 08:47:04 AM
Thank you for being a friend. :cry:
Title: Re: RIP BEA
Post by: Neil on April 27, 2009, 09:10:27 AM
I enjoyed her work, although I found the actress herself to be politically intolerable.
Title: Re: RIP BEA
Post by: The Minsky Moment on April 27, 2009, 09:14:10 AM
I am sorry for the family's loss.

But I am relieved to find out that the Bureau of Economic Analysis is still alive and well.
Title: Re: RIP BEA
Post by: Caliga on April 27, 2009, 09:15:09 AM
Quote from: Neil on April 27, 2009, 09:10:27 AM
I enjoyed her work, although I found the actress herself to be politically intolerable.

Agree, but I still really appreciated her work.  I believe I had previously stated on Languish that Dorothy was my favorite Golden Girl (with Sophia a close second).
Title: Re: RIP BEA
Post by: DontSayBanana on April 27, 2009, 09:39:53 AM
Damn. That's two down, and Rue McClanahan doesn't look well, either. :(
Title: Re: RIP BEA
Post by: BuddhaRhubarb on April 27, 2009, 12:30:47 PM
RIP Bea.
Title: Re: RIP BEA
Post by: Ancient Demon on April 27, 2009, 02:09:13 PM
The funny thing is Bea Arthur was actually older than Estelle Getty who played her mother on Golden Girls (I only discovered that recently), yet their roles were convincing nonetheless.

RIP
Title: Re: RIP BEA
Post by: jimmy olsen on April 27, 2009, 02:12:27 PM
 :(

RIP
Title: Re: RIP BEA
Post by: vinraith on April 27, 2009, 03:42:00 PM
A good comedian, a good actress, and a good woman. RIP Bea, you were a hell of a Femputer.
Title: Re: RIP BEA
Post by: C.C.R. on April 27, 2009, 04:22:17 PM
And then there's Maude...

:(
Title: Re: RIP BEA
Post by: Korea on April 27, 2009, 09:50:17 PM
Quote from: The Minsky Moment on April 27, 2009, 09:14:10 AM
I am sorry for the family's loss.

But I am relieved to find out that the Bureau of Economic Analysis is still alive and well.

:D