9.0
The Golden Girls: 40 Years of Laughter and Friendship - A Special Edition of 20/20
2025
Bea Arthur
Acting
Born May 13, 1922Died April 25, 2009New York City, New York, USA
Biography
Beatrice Arthur (born Bernice Frankel; May 13, 1922 – April 25, 2009) was an American actress and comedian. Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York City, Arthur began her career on stage in 1947, attracting critical acclaim before achieving worldwide recognition for her work on television beginning in the 1970s as Maude Findlay in the popular sitcoms All in the Family (1971–1972) and Maude (1972–1978) and later in the 1980s and 1990s as Dorothy Zbornak on The Golden Girls (1985–1992). She won several accolades throughout her career, beginning with the 1966 Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for playing Vera Charles in Mame. She won Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series in 1977 for Maude and 1988 for The Golden Girls. Arthur has received the third most nominations for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series with nine; only Julia Louis-Dreyfus (11) and Mary Tyler Moore (10) have more. She was inducted into the academy's Television Hall of Fame in 2008. Her film appearances include Lovers and Other Strangers (1970) and the film version of Mame (1974). In 2002, she starred in the one-woman show Bea Arthur on Broadway: Just Between Friends. An obituary described Arthur as "the tall, deep-voiced actress whose razor-sharp delivery of comedy lines made her a TV star." She served in the U.S. Marine Corps Women's Reserve in World War II.
Movies
See All
7.0
Henry Fonda for President
2025
5.7
Rock Hudson: All That Heaven Allowed
2023
10.0
Forever Golden! A Celebration of the Golden Girls
2021
0.0
Broadway: Beyond the Golden Age
2021
10.0
The Golden Girls: Ageless
2021
7.3
Betty White: First Lady of Television
2018
8.4
O.J.: Made in America
2016
6.6
Comedy Central Roast of Pamela Anderson
2005
8.2
Broadway's Lost Treasures II
2004
0.0
The Best of So Graham Norton
2004
6.8
The Golden Girls: Their Greatest Moments
2003
7.0
Broadway: The Golden Age, by the Legends Who Were There
2003
9.4
The Golden Girls: Lifetime Intimate Portrait Series
2003
6.0
Enemies of Laughter
2000
5.7
The N.Y. Friars Club Roast of Jerry Stiller
1999
A Benefit Celebration: A Tribute to Angela Lansbury
0.0
A Benefit Celebration: A Tribute to Angela Lansbury
1996
4.7
For Better or Worse
1995
9.0
Jerry Herman's Broadway at the Hollywood Bowl
1994
4.3
Night of 100 Stars III
1990
6.1
The Earth Day Special
1990
9.5
My First Love
1988
6.8
Mickey's 60th Birthday
1988
8.0
Irving Berlin's 100th Birthday Celebration
1988
6.0
Happy Birthday, Bob: 50 Stars Salute Your 50 Years with NBC
1988
7.0
Jay Leno's Family Comedy Hour
1987
6.0
Happy 100th Birthday, Hollywood
1987
All Star Party for Clint Eastwood
6.0
All Star Party for Clint Eastwood
1986
8.0
Walt Disney World 15th Anniversary
1986
0.0
The NBC All Star Hour: Let's All Be There
1985
P.O.P.
0.0
P.O.P.
1984
5.8
Night of 100 Stars
1982
6.7
History of the World: Part I
1981
0.0
The Beatrice Arthur Special
1980
4.0
The Sensational Shocking Wonderful Wacky 70's
1980
3.4
The Star Wars Holiday Special
1978
5.9
Mame
1974
5.1
Lovers and Other Strangers
1970
6.2
That Kind of Woman
1959
8.0
The Gift of the Magi
1958
TV Shows
See All
10.0
Golden Girls 3033
Back to the Grind
0.0
Back to the Grind
7.2
Comedy Central Roasts
The Terry and Gaby Show
7.0
The Terry and Gaby Show
8.1
Curb Your Enthusiasm
8.5
Malcolm in the Middle
4.2
Beggars and Choosers
8.4
Futurama
7.4
So Graham Norton
8.8
Emily of New Moon
4.3
The View
5.7
Judge Judy
6.2
Ellen
4.5
Intimate Portrait
6.5
Dave's World
6.4
The Golden Palace
7.0
Boulevard Bio
5.9
Empty Nest
7.6
The Golden Girls
a.k.a. Pablo
6.7
a.k.a. Pablo
6.8
Amanda's
6.9
Saturday Night Live
6.9
Saturday Night Live
8.3
People's Choice Awards
7.0
Dinah!
6.9
Maude
7.8
All in the Family
7.6
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
5.8
The Mike Douglas Show
0.0
Tony Awards
The George Gobel Show
7.8
The George Gobel Show
Max Liebman Presents
0.0
Max Liebman Presents
7.0
Omnibus
8.8
Hallmark Hall of Fame
5.4
Studio One
9.0