Posted on 07/22/2008 10:46:40 AM PDT by jmc813
Estelle Getty, the diminutive actress who spent 40 years struggling for success before landing a role of a lifetime in 1985 as the sarcastic octogenarian Sophia on TV's "The Golden Girls," has died. She was 84. Getty, who suffered from advanced dementia, died at about 5:30 a.m. Tuesday at her Hollywood Boulevard home, said her son, Carl Gettleman of Santa Monica. "She was loved throughout the world in six continents, and if they loved sitcoms in Antarctica she would have been loved on seven continents," her son said. "She was one of the most talented comedic actresses who ever lived." "The Golden Girls," featuring four female retirees sharing a house in Miami, grew out of NBC programming chief Brandon Tartikoff's belief that television was ignoring its older viewers. Three of its stars had already appeared in previous series: Bea Arthur in "Maude," Betty White in "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" and Rue McClanahan in "Mama's Family." The last character to be cast was Sophia Petrillo, the feisty 80-something mother of Arthur's character.
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RIP Estelle...she WAS that show.
Yep.
She played the mother, but was the youngest of them all, IIRC.
RIP Estelle, you will be missed. You always made me laugh.
I knew that she was very ill but her death is a shock. I enjoyed that show.
A true Estelle - ism! LOL, brings back memories!
Seems like she was playing an 80 year old twenty years ago, so I am surprised she was still around. She was very funny. RIP.
i was a kid when that show was on but i loved it. it was relaxingly funny. and it reminded me of the older people in my family so i watched it. i can’t believe she was so young when it aired! RIP...
HATED the show. LOVED her. RIP.
Estelle was brilliant as Sophia.
RIP, lovely lady.
RIP Sophia Petrillo... I always enjoyed the show...
You can still watch Golden Girls on Lifetime channel. During the weekdays, 6am-7am and nights, 10pm-11pm. I watch everyday. One of my favorite shows. Plus Frasier is on after them in the am and before them in the pm. A nice 2 hr block of shows.
RIP Estelle, thanks for the laughs.
Actually, Rue McClanahan is the youngest at 74. Bea Arthur and Betty White are both 86.
What great memories!
I still watch the “Golden Girls”, the ORIGINAL “Sex in the City”, and a thousand times better!
RIP, Estelle.
IIRC, several years ago I saw the GG cast on a show and without the make up, she looked like the youngest one of the group. I also remember a thread over a year ago ago about her deteriorating condition.
Yep.
I immediately went to IMDB to check.
Born in 1923.
She was great and Betty White was fantastic, as well.
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