Writer and producer Linda Bloodworth-Thomason created a sitcom with this kind of image as a "four women" show, which became Designing Women on CBS. Estelle Getty, who portrayed Sophia, was a year younger than Bea Arthur, who played Dorothy, Sophias daughter. The oldest character in Golden Girls is Sophia (Estelle Getty), who is thought to be about 80 years old at the start of the series. Its probable it examined a lot of the same scenarios as previous episodes. After the retirement home where Dorothys mother, Sophia Petrillo, lived burned down in the pilot episode, the three were joined by Dorothys 80-year-old widowed mother, Sophia Petrillo. In New Zealand, the series aired on TVNZ and is replayed on public holidays and it is shown on Jones!. It could also be because the show was trying to emphasize the idea that age is just a number and that life does not end at a certain age. "[47] Getty died in 2008, the result of dementia with Lewy bodies. "[62], Bea Arthur had a preference for wearing loose-fitting clothing, like slacks and long sweaters, along with sandals, because she hated wearing shoes. The Golden Girls: How the Classic Sitcom Ended, Christina Ricci's Wednesday Addams Is Iconic for Pushing Boundaries. For simplicity, because the program lasted seven seasons, each season is treated as a different year for the purpose of simplicity. Levin had been suggested by then-NBC president Brandon Tartikoff based on Levin's groundbreaking portrayal of a recurring gay character, Eddie Gregg, on NBC's Emmy-winning drama Hill Street Blues. In "The Golden . Rue McClanahan was the youngest of the Golden Girls, according to Parade. After the pilot, the character of Coco was eliminated from the series. Its a tiny marvel, looking back, that the Golden Girls magnificent casting came together as well as it did. Rose was probably closer to 51 than her stated age of 55, and Sophia was likely closer to 79 than her stated age of 77. While the characters' ages on the series seemed fairly clear-cutBlanche, Rose and Dorothy were in their mid-50s, while Sophia was Dorothy's widowed, elderly motherit may surprise fans to know that the actual ages of the actresses playing them were completely different. They decided that a separate cook would distract from their friendship. Estelle Getty, however, was 62 in 1985, making her 17 years younger than the character she portrayed. In fact, the two were less than four months apart in age. Susan Harris developed a spin-off centering on the empty nest syndrome. Both Rue McClanahan and Betty White came into consideration, as the series Mama's Family, in which the two co-starred, had been cancelled by NBC. Estelle Getty auditioned and won the role as the feisty mother of character Dorothy Zbornak, due, in part, to the rave reviews she garnered in her off-Broadway role reprisal for the 1984 Los Angeles run of Torch Song Trilogy. The basic facts to work with are that The Golden Girls began in 1985 and ended in 1992, both in real life and in-world. When the show initially aired, NBC took a chance. Airing from 1985 to 1992 with seven seasons in total, The Golden Girls was a smash hit during the entirety of its run. In the first season of Golden Girls, it is revealed that Rose (Betty Whites character) was 55. When Arthur first received the script for The Golden Girls, she loved the concept of having senior women as the stars of the show. Details on Betty White and Bea Arthur's Off-Screen Feud", "CNN Official Interview: Betty White: Bea Arthur was not fond of me", "Marc Cherry Shares His Memories of Writing for Golden Girls", "Golden Girls weren't so chummy off the screen, star's son reveals", "Estelle Getty, 'Golden Girls' Matriarch, Dies at 84", "Estelle Getty of 'Golden Girls' Dies at 84", "Bea Arthur's son says she 'wasn't really close to anybody' despite 'Golden Girls' fame", "The Changing Face of Modern Television: When Costume Design Costars", "Bea-ing Stylish: Former "Golden Girl" Bea Arthur Talks About Comfort Clothes, Going Barefoot and Her Famous "Maude" Wardrobe", "7 Must-Have Items from Rue McClanahan's Estate Sale", "30 Things You Never Knew About 'The Golden Girls', "The Golden Girls Creators On Finding a New Generation of Fans", "The Queen Mother Loved The Golden Girls So Much That She Requested a Live Performance from the Cast", "Preview 2: The Golden Girls Arrive on Logo April 13th", "Fathom Events to Celebrate Nearly 40 Years of "The Golden Girls" This September", "The Golden Girls 25th Anniversary Complete Collection", "The Golden Girls - The Complete First Season [DVD] [1985]", "The Golden Girls - The complete Season 2 [DVD] [1986]", "The Golden Girls - Season 3 - Complete [DVD]", "TV Weekend; 3 of the Golden Girls in a New Home", "Thank You For Being a Friend brings the Golden Girls to the stage as puppets", "TVE comienza a rodar 'Juntas, pero no revueltas', su versin de 'Las chicas de oro', "TVE presenta el remake: 'Volvemos a la sitcom pero con valor seguro', "Altin Kizlar'in Setine Gizli Kamera Koymak Gerek", "Heard the one about the US sense of humour? The series starred Stephanie Hodge and a set of other young nurses. "[60] Anna Wyckoff of the Costume Designers Guild wrote, "Evans took the direction from the producers to create a vibrant look for the four mature leads, and ran with itredefining what 'dressing your age' looked like. ", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Golden_Girls&oldid=1139544706, "Thank You for Being a Friend" (instrumental), "I was running all over the house grabbing anybody who would listen. "[45], Estelle Getty's stage fright, which affected her from the beginning of the show, grew worse as the show went on. Rue McClanahan. Bea Arthur as Dorothy Zbornak in the 1985 sitcom The Golden Girls (Credit: NBC). The Golden Girls received critical acclaim throughout most of its run, and won several awards, including the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series twice. [111], Golden Girls 3033 is an animated pilot created by Mike Hollingsworth. [57], The show's designer, Ed Stephenson, took inspiration from his time living in Florida to design a "Florida look" for The Golden Girls house set. Life. ISBN978-0-06-242290-3. If technically supported by the home television, this system allowed their audience to watch the show either in the dubbed German version (by default) or the original English version. Dorothy is revealed to be a Leo in another episode, which means she was born in July or August of 1932, making her character 53 years old at the time the series began. It was produced by Witt/Thomas/Harris Productions, in association with Touchstone Television. Though Harris had created the character of Dorothy with a "Bea Arthur type" in mind, Littlefield and the producers initially envisioned actress Elaine Stritch for the part. [48][49] Her co-stars, in an interview, said that her disease had progressed to the point that she was not able to hold conversations with them or recognize them. As of December 1, 2021, every episode was made available to stream on Disney+. "[45], After season three, Arthur had expressed her growing dissatisfaction with the disparaging jokes made about her physical appearance, which were often in the scripts. Theme: Newsup by Themeansar. Betty White was actually the oldest Golden Girl. Sophia then recounts to Dorothy the account of the night Dorothy was conceived in Season 3, Episode 5, Nothing to Fear But Fear Itself. Sophia claims it happened in 1931, so Dorothy was most likely born in 1932, based on her sign. [43] Mitchell Hurwitz also served as writer for the show in its last two seasons. Ellen Albertini Dow played Sophia's friend Lillian and an unnamed hospital patient with a flower cart. Golden Girls Forever: An Unauthorized Look Behind the Lanai. Audiences can figure things out with a little detective work. The show promptly received a full order of 12 episodes. [30] Stritch's audition flopped, however, and under the impression that Arthur did not want to participate, Harris asked McClanahan if she could persuade Arthur, with whom she worked previously on the CBS sitcom Maude, to take the role. Covering the hottest movie and TV topics that fans want. Prior to that, when old people were shown on television, you could almost smell them., Estelle Getty as Sophia Petrillo, Bea Arthur as Dorothy Zbornak, Rue McClanahan as Blanche Devereaux, and Betty White as Rose Nylund in the 1985 sitcom The Golden Girls (Credit: NBC). An instant ratings hit, The Golden Girls became an NBC staple on Saturday nights. White, Betty (2010). The Golden Girls will always be remembered as a show that put a spotlight on senior women in a way no other show had done before. [54] The model used for exterior shots of the house from the third season through the end of the series was part of the backstage studio tour ride at Disney's Hollywood Studios. 3. The show was aired as a bilingual broadcast using a two-channel sound system (Zweikanalton). [109] The production ended because the producers failed to secure the rights and received a cease-and-desist order by the creators of the original television show. Blanche Devereauxs age had been a mystery and a recurrent joke for most of the Golden Girls, and it had been saved until last. [124] The eatery closed in November 2017 after less than a year of operation.[125]. According to the calculations, Dorothy was 53 at the start of the series, according to the, Blanche was 17 in 1949, according to Season 3, Episode 25, , Blanche lied to her housemates about her age so easily (and Sophia promptly called her out and said shed be 70 when the kid graduated), its reasonable to, Fun Things to Do for Mothers Day Filled With Activities, Hilarious Thanksgiving Puns for Your Friends and Family, 60 Sweet Merry Christmas Wishes for Mothers 2021 Update, Applauding Employee Appreciation Quotes Befitting for Hardworking Staff, Heart Warming One Month Anniversary Wishes Latest Update 2021, Adorable Thanks for Birthday Wishes Messages to Send Someone. All four cast members got Emmy nominations for their roles in the Golden Girls. RELATED: Christina Ricci's Wednesday Addams Is Iconic for Pushing Boundaries. It ran from September 1992 to May 1993 and also starred Cheech Marin and Don Cheadle. As such, this social belief is shown on our screens in the Sex and the City reboot, whereas Golden Girls portrayed societal norms of the 1980s. Getty figured it would be her last chance to find television or film work. Although the women's ages were rarely disclosed, some deductive work may be used to approximate how old each Golden Girl was at the commencement of the series. Roses age is the easiest to determine, owing to Dorothy revealing it in Season 1, Episode 22, Job Hunting. Dorothy exposes Roses age is exposed during a chat in which Rose describes her problems finding a new career after leaving her prior one at the grief counseling center. Because none of the other Golden Girls explicitly disclose their ages, the logical process begins with Dorothy. Unlike anything we had ever seen on television before, The Golden Girls featured an ensemble cast of four older single women (Bea Arthur, Betty White, Rue McClanahan and Estelle Getty) sharing. ISBN978-1-4516-1369-8. At some point, they would gather around the kitchen table and discuss the problem, sometimes late at night and often while eating cheesecake, ice cream, or some other dessert. The doorway from the living room, with the alcove and baker's shelf just inside, was designed to give the illusion that the actors were walking into and out of the kitchen. How Old Were the Golden Girls Supposed to Be?,The Golden Girls' ages were never quite revealed on screen. Betty White, who died on December 31, 2021, at the age of 99, was best known for her role as the wonderfully naive Rose Nylund in the NBC comedy The Golden Girls. There are no tricks. Estelle Getty reprised her role as Sophia in The Golden Palace, which only lasted for one season. Rose Nylund is a character from the sitcom television series The Golden Girls and its spin-off, The Golden Palace. Sophia was 86 by the series' end. Designing Women began competing against The Golden Girls. Apparently, writer Susan Harris envisioned a Bea Arthur type when conceptualizing the character of Dorothy. Thats also the same reason why she refused to reprise her role in the spin-off series The Golden Palace, which featured Betty White, Rue McClanahan, and Estelle Getty. This indicates that Sophia was likely close to her real-life age. Reportedly, White doubted that she could effectively play the role of Rose. This means that she was 63 years old by the time the show premiered in 1985. These ages seem to contradict what is stated in the show, suggesting that the characters may actually be younger than their stated ages. Eager not to be typecast, they took the suggestion of Sandrich and switched roles at the last minute. For instance, in the series finale, it is revealed that Blanche was born in 1931, which would make her 54 at the beginning of the show. Though Littlefield nixed their idea, he asked if they would be interested in delivering a pilot script for Miami Nice, instead. To portray Sophia Petrillo, Getty was required to wear makeup and a wig to appear visibly older than her co-stars. Click Registration to join us and share your expertise with our readers.). Rose is said to be in her mid-50s, suggesting that she was between 55 and 59. This could be because the writers wanted to create an atmosphere of timelessness, allowing the show to appeal to viewers of all ages. Rose, who was born in 1934, would have been around 51, while Sophia, who was born in 1906, would have been 79. This program, on the other hand, was centered on a group of older ladies. Blanche was 17 in 1949, according to Season 3, Episode 25, Mothers Day, when she and her mother reminisce about one of Blanches dates. New York: Harper Collins. She joined the show after Estelle Getty, who was the first actress to be cast in The Golden Girls. In Germany, airing of the show started in January 1990, only months before the German reunification, by German public broadcaster ARD in the late evening programme on their main channel Das Erste. It also won three Golden Globe Awards for Best Television Series Musical or Comedy. Sue Ann Nivens in The Mary Tyler Moore Show. Dorothy, meanwhile, is stated to be in her early 50s, which could mean that she was anywhere between 50 and 54. Afterwards, Getty had returned to New York, but gained permission from her manager to return to California in early 1985. [33] The character of Sophia was thought by the creators to enhance the idea that three retirement-aged women could be young. [55] Producers used this residence for exterior shots during the first two seasons. Among all of the great roles she played over the course of her legendary career, the late, great Betty Whitewho passed away on Dec. 31, 2021, at the age of. In this article, we will explore the evidence and try to uncover the true ages of the Golden Girls. By tape day, she was unreachable. According to the calculations, Dorothy was 53 at the start of the series, according to the calculations. As a tribute to the success of The Golden Girls, all four actresses were later named Disney Legends as part of the class of 2009.[78]. In a 1988 interview, Getty commented on her phobia and expressed how working with major stars, such as Arthur and White, made her even more nervous. McClanahan said, "Betty and I loved word games, and we would play word games every day,". Born on January 17, 1922, Betty White was the oldest of the four main stars. Iconic Golden-era Hollywood actress Scarlett OHara was also reportedly an inspiration for the role. [28], The pilot included a gay houseboy, Coco (Charles Levin), who lived with the girls. All the lead actresses won Emmy awards for their performances on the show. Both Betty White and Bea Arthur were 63 when The Golden Girls premiered, coinciding with the fan theory. The hot young It Girl neighbor downstairsthe new Carrie Bradshaw if you will, a bruising realizationdrops the slur. Styles New Movie News, Movie Trailers & upcoming Movie Reviews. Another brief run of the show began on 27 April 2020 till summer 2020 on Channel 5, but only showed episodes up to the season-four finale and is returning to Channel 4 starting from early 2022. Both the Hallmark Channel and WE tv picked-up the reruns in March 2009. The pilot takes audio from the sitcom and sets it against a futuristic background inspired by The Jetsons. However, her popularity with audiences caused Sophia to become a main character in the series. Hurwitz later created Arrested Development for Fox and later for Netflix. But one of the questions that has always been asked is: how old were the Golden Girls characters supposed to be? She loves spending quality time with her friends, family, and puppy Luna! She was also 63 years old by the time The Golden Girls premiered in 1985. It was popular for addressing a demographic that rarely saw the spotlight on television or in Hollywood: senior women. Although Sophia appears to be much older than the other girls in the show, Getty was actually younger than both Bea Arthur and Betty White. In Southeast Asia, Rewind Networks began airing reruns of The Golden Girls on its HD channel, HITS, in 2013. She took to writing her lines on props at which she could glance easily, like the wicker purse Sophia always carried with her. [5] Terry Tang of the Associated Press reported that the series continues to attract new fans in the 21st century and characterized it as an example of a sitcom that has aged well. The basic facts to work with are that The Golden Girls began in 1985 and ended in 1992, both in real life and in-world. In the original Sex and the City, Samatha Jones (Kim Cattrall) was in her late 40s/ early 50s, but Cattrall decided not to be a part of the reboot. ", This page was last edited on 15 February 2023, at 17:40. [5] Terry Tang of the Associated Press reported that the series continues to attract new fans in the 21st century and characterized it as an example of a sitcom that has aged well.[6]. [74] The show was the anchor of NBC's Saturday line-up, and almost always won its time slot, as ABC and CBS struggled to find shows to compete against it, the most notable being ABC's Lucille Ball sitcom Life With Lucy in the beginning of the 198687 season although it aired at 8:00, an hour earlier. In Canada, Corus Entertainment's digital specialty channel, DejaView, aired reruns of The Golden Girls until 2017. [112], In 2017, a Golden Girls-themed eatery, Rue la Rue Cafe owned by Rue McClanahan's close friend Michael La Rue, who inherited many of the star's personal belongings and in turn decorated the restaurant with them, opened in the Washington Heights section of the New York City borough of Manhattan. Carrie's age range in "And Just Like That." puts her in the same age range as the characters in "The Golden Girls" season one, according to TODAY with Hoda & Jenna. Getty was the first actress to be cast, and her role was intended to make the rest of the characters appear younger. Interestingly enough, Estelle Getty suffered from stage fright and would often freeze on camera during the filming of The Golden Girls. The show ran for seven seasons from 1985 to 1992 and featured four women in their golden years living together in Miami. McClanahan deliberately exaggerated her accent, stating, "I played Blanche the way I felt Blanche. Ironically, the actress who played Sophia, Estelle Getty, was a year younger than Bea Arthur, who played her daughter, Dorothy. [7][8], The first episode features a cook/butler named Coco (played by Charles Levin), but the role was dropped before the second episode. It was, however, more than a fringe, Its a tiny marvel, looking back, that the Golden Girls magnificent casting came together as well as it did. [59], Costume designer Judy Evans created distinctive looks for each of the four actresses to suit their characters' personalities and to reflect the Florida setting. Until April 2006, Lifetime played the series as a virtual season eight, airing the series in between the conclusion of the final season and the syndicated roll-over to season one. 2023 Wording Vibes - WordPress Theme by Kadence WP, Although the womens ages were rarely disclosed, some deductive work may be used to, The Golden Girls began in 1985 and concluded in 1992, both in real life and in the fictional realm. It won three Golden Globe Awards for Best Television Series and two Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Comedy Series. Shoes Accessories, Copyright Your Next Shoes 2010 - 2023 |, The 9 Best Classic and Designer High Top Sneaker Brands, How to Spot Fake Converse Shoes: 10 Ways to Tell Real All Star Sneakers, Sabrina Carpenter Presents K-Pop Twice With Breakthrough Award in Racy Mini Dress Amidst Shawn Mendes Dating Rumors, The Cast of Creed III: What 7 Actors Look Like in Real Life, Aubrey Plaza and Jenna Ortega Steal the Show at SAG Awards With Hilarious Deadpan Presentation, Next in Fashion Season 2 Cast: Gigi Hadid Promotes Netflix Show in 5 Stunning Outfits, Jessica Simpson Shares Adorable Photo With Mini-Me Daughter Birdie Mae on Instagram. Betty White was 63 years old when the show premiered in 1985, yet she managed to play a younger persona perfectly. [62] Evans generally dressed the actresses in expensive pieces and high-quality fabrics, despite the recurring theme that the four characters were struggling with money, because, "The main idea was to make them look good. Estelle Getty portrayed the role of Sophia Petrillo, the mother of Dorothy Zbornak (Bea Arthurs character). Arthur and White worked well together in shared mutual respect, but they did not pursue a personal friendship with one another outside of The Golden Girls set. The character of Blanche Devereaux appeared in a total of 8 seasons and a total of 204 full episodes in both The Golden Girls (total of 7 . Privacy Policy, Brands Actors How old were The Golden Girls supposed to be? Initially, White was considered for the role of Blanche Devereaux, which eventually went to Rue McClanahan. The company expected the show to appeal to older female viewers. According to McClanahan, by the end of season three, Getty's anxiety had become a serious problem, and she had increasing trouble memorizing her lines. [70][self-published source?] The show was a hit with viewers of all ages. Luckily, Susan Harris didnt lose her spark after Soap concluded, as she included much of the humor and sharp wit that made Soap popular in The Golden Girls as well. However, Season 3, Episode 25, "Mother's Day," confirms Blanche was 17 in 1949, when she and her mother reminisce about one of Blanche's dates. I think we pushed that [the jokes about Arthur's appearance] a little bit far and I think she let it be known she didn't love that. She thought an accentuated Southern accent would be sexy and strong and attractive to men. Season 2, Episode 25, "A Piece of Cake," reveals Sophia celebrated her 50th birthday in 1956, putting her at 79 at The Golden Girls' beginning. Lifetime, which held the rights to The Golden Girls at the time, aired reruns of The Golden Palace in the summer of 2005, and again in December of that year. The series also ranked among the Nielsen ratings' top ten for six of its seven seasons. According to Cherry, the writers' room was "a competitive atmosphere. Join 1000s of subscribers and receive the best Vintage News in your mailbox for FREE, Heres How the Royal Family Gets Its Money, These 12 Cities Have Changed A Lot Over Time, Police arrest a 72-year-old suburban grandfather suspected of being the Golden State Killer, Im not dead yet: some Buddhist monks followed self-mummification, Project Azorian: Howard Hughes secret mission, 1960s U.S. satellite that started transmitting again in 2013, The Walk of Shame in Game of Thrones historical inspiration, The only unsolved skyjacking case in U.S. history might have a break, Kurt Gdel became too paranoid to eat and died of starvation, Little Ease: One of the most feared torture devices in the Tower of London, The humble English girl who became Cora Pearl, Walt Disney softened the original Snow White story. Hi, I'm Happy Sharer and I love sharing interesting and useful knowledge with others. [67], The Golden Girls was shot on videotape in front of a live studio audience. She was born on July 25, 1923, making her 62 years old by the time the sitcom premiered. Soap lasted for four seasons and was marred by controversy due to Harriss insistence on including content that dealt with themes of sexuality, religion, and race. In 2022, we no longer believe that women need to lose their purpose once they hit the big 5-0. Here We Go Again: My Life in Television. The producers of The Golden Girls decided to cast Bea Arthur, Betty White, and Rue McClanahan after seeing them act alongside each other in shows like Maude (1972-1978) and Mamas Family (1983-1984). In reality, all but one of the principal cast members of the Golden Girls had enormous age gaps between their true ages and the ages of their roles. As of 2016, it was the 17th-most watched television finale. Beginning July 3, 1989, NBC added daytime reruns of the show, replacing long-running Wheel of Fortune (which had moved to CBS) on the NBC schedule at 11:00am(EST); it ran until September 1990. She had established this signature look while playing Maude, and Evans honored it in her designs for Dorothy. She wanted to be a Southern heroine, like Vivien Leigh. This suggests that her character was likely around the same age. [24] Produced to introduce the network's 198485 season schedule, two actresses appearing on NBC shows, Selma Diamond of Night Court and Doris Roberts of Remington Steele, appeared in a skit promoting the upcoming show Miami Vice as Miami Nice, a parody about old people living in Miami. Rose went so far as to search through official records to find out, only to learn it was "deleted by authority of the governor." How old were The Golden Girls supposed to be? (Photo Credit: New Line Cinema/ HBO/ MovieStills DB and MovieStills DB). You have a lot of table reads where the actors will mess it up because they don't understand what the characters are doing, or they misinterpret. Then, in Season 3, Episode 5, "Nothing to Fear But Fear Itself," Sophia tells Dorothy the story of the night Dorothy was conceived. Featuring an all-male cast in drag, The Golden Girls: Live! [81], Forever Golden: A Celebration of The Golden Girls released in select movie theaters across North America via Fathom Events on September 14, 2021, marking the show's 36th anniversary. None of the other Golden Girls outright state their ages, so Dorothy is where the deductive work begins. The Golden Girls is one of the most beloved and enduring sitcoms of all time. McClanahan was 51 years old by the time The Golden Girls premiered, and she was 58 when it concluded. After reruns on different regional channels of the ARD Network, the show later aired on private channels RTL, VOX, Super RTL, Disney Channel and RTLup. In "And Just Like That.", Miranda and Charlotte are 54, while Carrie is 55. . It won three Golden Globe Awards for Best Television Series and two. [82], Buena Vista Home Entertainment has released all seven seasons, with edits, of The Golden Girls on DVD in Region 1 and Region 4 with the first four being released in Region 2. Why is Good UI/UX Design Imperative for Business Success? In conclusion, the evidence suggests that the Golden Girls characters were actually younger than their stated ages. (season two, episode five). Blanche was probably around 50, Dorothy was likely in her late 40s, Rose was probably closer to 51, and Sophia was likely closer to 79. [64] Rue McClanahan had a special clause written into her contract allowing her to keep her costumes, which were mostly custom-made for her, utilising expensive fabrics. Sarah Jessica Parker and Betty White, both of whom play a 55-year-old woman. Celebrities The women had a homosexual cook named Coco who lived with them at first, but after the premiere episode, the character was never seen again. The shows executives were unsure how the public would react to the eccentric program because older women in leading roles were rarely seen on television. Their fears were allayed when the preview screening garnered a standing ovation and the program was instantly renewed for 12 more Golden Girls episodes.