mental_flossmourns the loss of Beatrice Arthur , who snuff it of malignant neoplastic disease Saturday at the age of 86 ( and conjoin cast mate Estelle Getty in that big Shady Pines in the sky ) . Arthur ’s complete life will certainly be the subject field of many news post in the next few days , so we do n’t really demand to say you that she was born Bernice Frankel . Or that , even though she ’d been starring on Broadway for many twelvemonth , she did n’t receive mainstream recognition until she put down the office of outspokenMaudeat the years of 50 . We ’ll leave alone those point to the Other Guys and give our own respects to Bea in terms of her most enduring persona , that of Dorothy Zbornak onThe Golden Girls .
Thank You for Being a Friend
Brandon Tartikoff arrest the idea forThe Golden Girlswhile visiting his aged aunt . His aunty ’s neighbor was also her best friend , and he was amuse at how they remained pals even though they constantly brabble with one another . When vagabond the show , Lee Grant was first offer the role of Dorothy , but she refuse to play a cleaning woman previous enough to have grandchild . Oddly enough , the original production notes describing Dorothy Zbornak list her as " a Bea Arthur type . " Producers did n’t think she ’d be interested , however , and it took some metre before they got the bright melodic theme to offer her the part .
The Golden Girlswas notorious for its insidious intimate reference book and double - entendres . Viewers always knew what Dorothy was refer to whenever she uttered her hallmark " Whoa ! "
Shady Pines
Poor Dorothy . Among theGirls , she was vote Least probable to pull a humanity . And that included her mother , 80 - something Sophia Petrillo , in the premix . It ’s a tribute to Bea Arthur ’s natural endowment as an actress that she could start the gamut from " 60 - plus cleaning lady giggling like a love - struck ingà © nue " to " relentless but interested roommate " to " indignant by the innuendo but will ultimately play along as a fake lesbian on a local television receiver show " all within one scenery . And of course , as always , when Dorothy feels corner by her mother , she unleash her ultimate arm : The nursing home .
It’s Me, Stan.
Very pickyGolden Girlsviewers might observe that Dorothy and Stan endured a " shotgun nuptials " once recent high schooling graduate Dorothy discovered that she was with child . From the get-go of the series , Dorothy often refer having been marital to Stan for 38 years before they divorced . Yet whenever the couple ’s children , Kate and Michael , appeared on the show , neither look to be even 30 . How did the writing staff excuse this disagreement ? According to more than one show runner , the writers never thought the show would live on in syndication , and did n’t feel that viewers would keep tablet on such " minor " details .
“Not Now, Ma!”
Dorothy ’s intelligence and keen intellect took center degree in the final conniption of " The Case of the Libertine Belle , " an sequence centered around a murder whodunit weekend .
verbalise of Dorothy ’s smarts , who could forget herhilariousJeopardy!audition ? That ’s a favourite of themental_flossstaff , natch .
What areyourfavorite Dorothy moments ? What about her best conversational seed - back ? As a tribute to Bea , please post your favoriteGolden Girlsmoments so that the rest of us can nod in realization and chuckle along . Thanks !
