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| Golden Girls star Bea dies at 86 | |
| (about 12 hours later) | |
| The death of popular actress Bea Arthur, who starred in the US television sitcom The Golden Girls, has been reported in Los Angeles. | The death of popular actress Bea Arthur, who starred in the US television sitcom The Golden Girls, has been reported in Los Angeles. |
| Arthur, who played the on-screen daughter to the late Estelle Getty, died at home of cancer at the age of 86, a family spokesman said. | |
| She was also famous for the sitcom Maude, first creating the character in the comedy series All In The Family. | She was also famous for the sitcom Maude, first creating the character in the comedy series All In The Family. |
| Arthur also won an Tony Award for the musical Mame. | Arthur also won an Tony Award for the musical Mame. |
| The tall, deep-voiced actress's razor-sharp delivery of comedy lines made her a TV star, the Associated Press news agency notes. | The tall, deep-voiced actress's razor-sharp delivery of comedy lines made her a TV star, the Associated Press news agency notes. |
| She won Emmy Awards for both The Golden Girls and Maude. | She won Emmy Awards for both The Golden Girls and Maude. |
| Dan Watt, her personal assistant for six years, announced the death, saying she had died peacefully. | Dan Watt, her personal assistant for six years, announced the death, saying she had died peacefully. |
| "She was a brilliant and witty woman," he recalled. | "She was a brilliant and witty woman," he recalled. |
| "Bea will always have a special place in my heart." | "Bea will always have a special place in my heart." |
| The 'new girl' | The 'new girl' |
| Arthur first appeared in All In The Family as Edith Bunker's loudly outspoken, liberal cousin, Maude Finley. | Arthur first appeared in All In The Family as Edith Bunker's loudly outspoken, liberal cousin, Maude Finley. |
| "Miami Nice" with The Golden Girls | "Miami Nice" with The Golden Girls |
| She proved a perfect foil for blue-collar bigot Archie Bunker (Carroll O'Connor), and their blistering exchanges were so entertaining that producer Norman Lear fashioned Arthur's own series. | She proved a perfect foil for blue-collar bigot Archie Bunker (Carroll O'Connor), and their blistering exchanges were so entertaining that producer Norman Lear fashioned Arthur's own series. |
| In a 2008 interview with AP, Arthur said she had been lucky to be discovered by TV after a long stage career, recalling with bemusement CBS executives asking about the new "girl". | In a 2008 interview with AP, Arthur said she had been lucky to be discovered by TV after a long stage career, recalling with bemusement CBS executives asking about the new "girl". |
| "I was already 50 years old," she said. | "I was already 50 years old," she said. |
| "I had done so much off Broadway, on Broadway, but they said: 'Who is that girl? Let's give her her own series.'" | "I had done so much off Broadway, on Broadway, but they said: 'Who is that girl? Let's give her her own series.'" |
| Maude was an instant hit when it aired in September 1972. | Maude was an instant hit when it aired in September 1972. |
| Golden Girls (1985-1992) was another groundbreaking comedy, finding surprising success in a television market increasingly skewed toward a younger audience. | Golden Girls (1985-1992) was another groundbreaking comedy, finding surprising success in a television market increasingly skewed toward a younger audience. |
| The series concerned three retirees - Arthur, Betty White and Rue McClanahan - and the mother of Arthur's character, Estelle Getty, who lived together in a Miami apartment. | The series concerned three retirees - Arthur, Betty White and Rue McClanahan - and the mother of Arthur's character, Estelle Getty, who lived together in a Miami apartment. |
| In contrast to the violent Miami Vice, the comedy was nicknamed Miami Nice, AP recalls. | In contrast to the violent Miami Vice, the comedy was nicknamed Miami Nice, AP recalls. |
| As Dorothy Zbornak, Arthur seemed as caustic and domineering as Maude. | As Dorothy Zbornak, Arthur seemed as caustic and domineering as Maude. |
| She was unconcerned about the similarity of the two roles. | She was unconcerned about the similarity of the two roles. |
| "Look, I'm five feet nine [1.75m], I have a deep voice and I have a way with a line," she told an interviewer. | "Look, I'm five feet nine [1.75m], I have a deep voice and I have a way with a line," she told an interviewer. |
| "What can I do about it? I can't stay home waiting for something different. I think it's a total waste of energy worrying about typecasting." | "What can I do about it? I can't stay home waiting for something different. I think it's a total waste of energy worrying about typecasting." |
| Tall at 12 | Tall at 12 |
| HAVE YOUR SAY Her work has inspired me. I learned that there is nothing to fear in ageing, that it is attractive to be an intelligent woman with a sharp tongue, and that a little humour can brighten any day. Janiene Langford, Santa Barbara, USA Your tributes to Bea Arthur | HAVE YOUR SAY Her work has inspired me. I learned that there is nothing to fear in ageing, that it is attractive to be an intelligent woman with a sharp tongue, and that a little humour can brighten any day. Janiene Langford, Santa Barbara, USA Your tributes to Bea Arthur |
| Arthur was born Bernice Frankel in New York City in 1922 and when she was 11 her family moved to Cambridge, Maryland, where her father opened a clothing store. | Arthur was born Bernice Frankel in New York City in 1922 and when she was 11 her family moved to Cambridge, Maryland, where her father opened a clothing store. |
| At 12 she had grown to full height, but she dreamed of being a petite blond movie star like June Allyson. | At 12 she had grown to full height, but she dreamed of being a petite blond movie star like June Allyson. |
| One advantage of being tall and deep-voiced, however, was that she was chosen for the male roles in school plays. | One advantage of being tall and deep-voiced, however, was that she was chosen for the male roles in school plays. |
| After an early, brief marriage which gave her the name Arthur, she married Broadway actor and future Tony-winning director Gene Saks in 1950, with whom she had two sons. | After an early, brief marriage which gave her the name Arthur, she married Broadway actor and future Tony-winning director Gene Saks in 1950, with whom she had two sons. |
| They divorced in 1978. | They divorced in 1978. |
| The actress is survived by her sons and two granddaughters. No funeral services are planned. | The actress is survived by her sons and two granddaughters. No funeral services are planned. |