[citation needed]. Betty White was 63 years old when the show premiered in 1985, yet she managed to play a younger persona perfectly. None of the other Golden Girls outright state their ages, so Dorothy is where the deductive work begins. It also won three Golden Globe Awards for Best Television Series Musical or Comedy. The Golden Girls was part of a series of Brandon Tartikoff shows that put an end to NBC's ratings slump, along with The Cosby Show, 227, Night Court, Miami Vice, and L.A. Law. McClanahan deliberately exaggerated her accent, stating, "I played Blanche the way I felt Blanche. "It was so exciting to be with four people with that chemistry. She reconsidered, however, after hearing that McClanahan and White had switched roles. This "created a great deal of stress and competitiveness amongst those of us who weren't in that inner sanctum. 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. [32], Getty, who went through a three-hour transformation to become Sophia, wore heavy make-up, thick glasses, and a white wig to look the part. "[62], Bea Arthur had a preference for wearing loose-fitting clothing, like slacks and long sweaters, along with sandals, because she hated wearing shoes. Although the womens ages were rarely disclosed, some deductive work may be used to approximate how old each Golden Girl was at the commencement of the series. The show was aired as a bilingual broadcast using a two-channel sound system (Zweikanalton). It wasnt until she was informed of Roses naivety that she gained the confidence to play the role and pull off the character. Assuming her child would graduate at 17, that would make Blanche 48 in 1986 and 47 at the start of the series. We will always remember Rue McClanahan, Betty White, Bea Arthur, and Estelle Getty for bringing joy into our lives and for being our friends. She expressed that she would not continue if changes were not made, but changes were made and jokes regarding Dorothy's physique appeared less often. "[47] Getty died in 2008, the result of dementia with Lewy bodies. She was portrayed by Betty White for 8 years, totalling 204 episodes.. Rose was supposed to be played by Rue McClanahan, while Blanche Devereaux, one of Rose's roommates, was to be played by White.However, Jay Sandrich, the director of the show, suggested that Betty and Rue switch . However, with some detective work, audiences can figure them out. On the other hand, Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker) is 55 in Just Like That, while Miranda (Cynthia Nixon) and Charlotte (Kristen Davis) are both supposed to be 54 years old. Arthur was born on May 13, 1922, making her the second oldest actress in the main cast. McClanahan insisted on the character having a thick Southern accent, a popular aspect of her character throughout the show. Bea Arthur as Dorothy Zbornak and Estelle Getty as Sophia Petrillo in the 1985 sitcom The Golden Girls (Credit: NBC). Casting director Judith Weiner had seen Torch Song Trilogy, and thought Getty was terrific in it. To portray Sophia Petrillo, Getty was required to wear makeup and a wig to appear visibly older than her co-stars. [24], Shortly afterward, he met with producers Paul Junger Witt and Tony Thomas, who were pitching a show about a female lawyer. She'd be walking around like Pig-Pen, under a black cloud. [25] NBC senior vice president Warren Littlefield was among the executive producers in the audience who were amused by their performance, and he envisioned a series based on the geriatric humor the two were portraying. 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. Rose is said to be in her mid-50s, suggesting that she was between 55 and 59. Sophia, Dorothys straight-talking mother, was the Golden Girls houses oldest figure. The women's ages were usually not explicitly stated, although some deductive work gives a pretty safe estimate of how old each Golden Girl was at the start of the series. Premiering in 1985, The Golden Girls was an instant smash, attracting a diverse audience for a then-novel concept depicting the lives of four older women sharing friendship, a home and a lot . Win free shoes, organize your shoe closet, see the latest styles + more, About ISBN978-1-4516-1369-8. Going off the idea that Season 1 takes place within the same year, Rose would have been 55 at the start of The Golden Girls as well, making her the oldest Golden Girl -- after Sophia, of course. 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 women's ages were usually not explicitly stated, although some deductive work gives a pretty safe estimate of how old each Golden Girl was at the start of the series. Cynthia Nixon, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kristen Davis in And Just Like That. (Photo Credit: MovieStills DB). 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. Unlock new opportunities and expand your reach by joining our authors team. Rose Nylund was 55 years old when the show premiered, as Dorothy stated in the Season 1 episode Job Hunting.. -- Thirty years ago today, "The Golden Girls" premiered on television. Between 1973 and 1977 White made several appearances on The Mary Tyler Moore Show as Sue Ann Nivens, the snobby, man-obsessed supporting character. Rose's age is the easiest to track down, thanks to Dorothy openly saying it in Season 1, Episode 22, "Job Hunting." During a conversation where Rose discusses her difficulty finding a new job after losing her previous one at the grief counseling center, Dorothy reveals that Rose is 55. Rose even went to the trouble of looking up the information in official documents, only to discover that it had been removed by authorization of the governor.. There was a lot of competition to get your words into the script. Chick Vennera played a prize fighter and TV reporter Enrique Mas. [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. [40] However, Arthur preferred that her three castmates and she all break for lunch together on workdays. 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. Blanche Devereaux, Dorothy Zbornak, and Sophia Petrillo managed the single life as seniors in Miami for seven seasons. Sophia, Dorothy's straight-talking mother, was the oldest character in the Golden Girls' house. Eager not to be typecast, they took the suggestion of Sandrich and switched roles at the last minute. It won three Golden Globe Awards for Best Television Series and two Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Comedy Series. [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. In 1989, Marc Sotkin, previously a writer on Laverne & Shirley and a producer on another Witt/Thomas series, It's a Living, assumed head writing responsibilities, and guided the show (to varying degrees) during what were its final three seasons. She had established this signature look while playing Maude, and Evans honored it in her designs for Dorothy. Characters from both shows made occasional crossover guest appearances on the other show, with the four girls guesting on Empty Nest and Mulligan, Dinah Manoff, Kristy McNichol, David Leisure, and Park Overall appearing on The Golden Girls in their Empty Nest roles. By Zachary Guida Jan 31, 2023 10 Ways Audience Popularity Gave TV Characters Greater Roles [41], The show was the second television series to be produced by the Walt Disney Company under the Touchstone Television label, and was subsequently distributed by Buena Vista International, Inc. (which holds as the ownership stake in Disney Channel Southeast Asia, now DisneyABC Television Group). Advertise How old were The Golden Girls supposed to be on the show? It's a classic. However, there is also some evidence to suggest that these ages may not be accurate. In "The Golden . Many episodes were edited to allow more commercials and for content. Social norms regarding women in their fifties have also changed since Golden Girls premiered. Actors How old were The Golden Girls supposed to be? Despite fan theories that the actresses were playing characters much younger than their actual age, Rue McClanahan's age in 1985 was 52, one year younger than her character on the show. The ages of the Golden Girls were never revealed on TV. On the other hand, the women in And Just Like That dress in a trendy, modern style. Before The Golden Girls, she was most renowned for creating the series Soap, which parodied daytime soap operas such as The Young and the Restless. ISBN978-0-06-242290-3. [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. 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. However, this older age makes sense because Sophia is Dorothys mother. Beginning in 1990, Marc Cherry served as writer and producer, years before creating Desperate Housewives, which ran on ABC from 2004 to 2012. These ages seem to contradict what is stated in the show, suggesting that the characters may actually be younger than their stated ages. [108] After the end of The Golden Palace, Getty joined the cast of Empty Nest, making frequent appearances as Sophia in the show's final two seasons. She is passionate about Princess Diana, the Titanic, the Romanovs, and Egypt amongst other things. Blanche was inspired by the popular fictional characters Blanche DuBois (from A Streetcar Named Desire, a famous 1947 Broadway play written by Tennessee Williams) and Vivien Leigh, who portrayed the same character in the 1951 film adaptation alongside Marlon Brando. [69] One of the other girls then told a story from her own life, which somehow related to the problem (though Rose occasionally regaled the others with a nonsense story that had nothing to do with the situation, and Sophia told outrageous, made-up stories). Rue McClanahan as Blanche Devereaux in the 1985 sitcom The Golden Girls (Credit: NBC). Betty Whites heartbreaking final post on her Instagram with the caption: My 100th birthday I cannot believe it is coming up, and People Magazine is celebrating with me! (Credit: Betty Whites Instagram). The Golden Girls is one of the most well-known television shows of all time. In order to try and determine the real ages of the Golden Girls, we need to look at other sources of evidence. Discover all about The Golden Girls cast from their names, ages and how old they were supposed to be in the showwho was oldest & youngest, and more. Please endeavor to share this article with family, friends, and colleagues. Your email address will not be published. [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. How old were the ladies on golden girls in real life? At the age of 86, Bea Arthur passed away from lung cancer in April 2009. 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. It was produced by Witt/Thomas/Harris Productions, in association with Touchstone Television. ", This page was last edited on 15 February 2023, at 17:40. Estelle Getty reprised her role as Sophia in The Golden Palace, which only lasted for one season. "[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. Sue Ann Nivens in The Mary Tyler Moore Show. Getty came to Weiner's mind soon after, when it became time to begin casting of The Golden Girls. Initially, White was considered for the role of Blanche Devereaux, which eventually went to Rue McClanahan. Rose's age is the easiest to track down, thanks to Dorothy openly saying it in Season 1, Episode 22, "Job Hunting." As one of the few times in television history where three shows from the same producer, set in the same city, aired back-to-back-to-back on the same network, the three shows occasionally took advantage of their unique circumstance to create storylines carrying through all three series, such as "Hurricane Saturday". At the request of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, who was reputedly a big fan, the cast of The Golden Girls performed several skits as their characters in front of her and other members of the British royal family at the 1988 Royal Variety Performance in London.[77]. Bea Arthur was not a part of the main cast but did guest star in a double episode, reprising her role as Dorothy.[106]. Empty Nest launched its own spin-off in 1991 set in Miami in the same hospital where Dr. Weston worked. Disney's Michael Eisner explains, "Estelle Getty made our three women into girls. Lets see how each actress was cast in their respective roles and how their careers continued after the show concluded. The Golden Girls Almost Had a Fifth Main Character - Here's Why He Was Dropped The Golden Girls broke boundaries with its main cast of older women, but it originally broke even more with the lost fifth member of the hit sitcom. However, with some detective work, audiences can figure them out. For example, Betty White, who played Rose, was 76 when the show first aired and 80 when it ended. "[45], Estelle Getty's stage fright, which affected her from the beginning of the show, grew worse as the show went on. After some careful math, viewers also figured out that Dorothy (played by Bea Arthur) was supposed to be 53. consisted of two back-to-back episodes of the sitcom: "Break-In" (season one, episode eight) and "Isn't It Romantic?" She was just as uptight as a human being could get. 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. Crypto Wallet Development: Types, Features, and Popularity, 5 Ways AI is Detecting and Preventing Identity Fraud. Airing from 1985 to 1992 with seven seasons in total, The Golden Girls was a smash hit during the entirety of its run. Ironically, the actress who played Sophia, Estelle Getty, was a year younger than Bea Arthur, who played her daughter, Dorothy. All the lead actresses won Emmy awards for their performances on the show. [9], The pilot was taped on April 17, 1985.[10]. As of 2016, it was the 17th-most watched television finale. Ironically, despite being the oldest actress in the show, Betty White was the last of the main stars to survive. When the show initially aired, NBC took a chance. (Note: Is this article not meeting your expectations? While RTL initially chose to cut some scenes for time, some of the gags remain incomprehensible for their broadcast and all subsequent reruns, only to be restored partially for the release of DVD in 2005. [41] To aid her retention, Getty tried hypnosis, and the show hired an assistant to run lines with her before taping; neither method worked. We hope this article on how old were the golden girls has been interesting and has also been able to bring back good memories. [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. Exploring the Basics, Benefits, and Policies, How to Contact Tesla: Customer Service Phone Number, Website, Social Media, Email & Live Chat, Bruce Willis Health Condition: Understanding the Actors Diet and Exercise Regimen, Exploring the Impact of Greg Gutfelds Vacation from Fox News. Dorothy, meanwhile, is stated to be in her early 50s, which could mean that she was anywhere between 50 and 54. [51], During season six, some uncertainty arose over whether Bea Arthur would commit to future seasons, or leave the show once her contract expired, to pursue other projects. An instant ratings hit, The Golden Girls became an NBC staple on Saturday nights. In fact, that's who I think she thought she was."[37]. How Old Were the Golden Girls Supposed to Be?,The Golden Girls' ages were never quite revealed on screen. 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. She is also the only living core cast member from the series. This faade, along with the Empty Nest house, sustained hurricane damage leading to Disney's 2003 decision to bulldoze the houses of "Residential Street" and construct its Lights, Motors, Action! [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. The Golden Girls began in 1985 and concluded in 1992, both in real life and in the fictional realm. How old was Sophia Petrillo on The Golden Girls? It is interesting to note that the ages of the characters are never directly addressed in the show. 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. Did Rue McClanahan have a Southern accent? She passed away after suffering complications from a stroke at 99 years old on December 31, 2021, just 17 days before her 100th birthday. The Golden Palace, a spinoff of the successful sitcom The Golden Girls, will make its streaming debut on Hulu early next year.. On Jan. 10, just one week before Betty White's 100th birthday on Jan. 17, the single season of the sitcom featuring three of the four main characters from the original series -- Rose Nyland (White), Blanche Devereaux (Rue McClanahan) and Sophia Petrillo (Estelle Getty . Though Littlefield nixed their idea, he asked if they would be interested in delivering a pilot script for Miami Nice, instead. When all of the evidence is taken into account, it seems likely that the Golden Girls characters were actually younger than their stated ages. McClanahan continued to portray the role of Blanche in the spin-off series The Golden Palace, which only lasted for one season from 1992 to 1993. There are no tricks. Whatever the reason, it is clear that the Golden Girls are truly ageless. The Golden Girls began in 1985 and concluded in 1992, both in real life and in the fictional realm. McClanahan said, "Betty and I loved word games, and we would play word games every day,". [55] Producers used this residence for exterior shots during the first two seasons. 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. [26] She found the concept interesting, as "it was a demographic that had never been addressed," and she soon began work on it. It was popular for addressing a demographic that rarely saw the spotlight on television or in Hollywood: senior women. The Golden Girls is one of four live-action shows, along with All in the Family, Will & Grace, and Schitt's Creek, where all the principal actors have won at least one Emmy. [3] In 2013, TV Guide ranked The Golden Girls number 54 on its list of the 60 Best Series of All Time. She was born on July 25, 1923, making her 62 years old by the time the sitcom premiered. 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. [39] In 2011, White stated that she believed it was her "positive attitude" and perky demeanor that got on Arthur's nerves. 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). When your brain is frozen like that, you can't remember lines. "[72], During the NBC upfronts, the preview screening of the show got a standing ovation. [42], Creator Susan Harris went on to contribute another four episodes to the first season, but became less involved with the sitcom throughout its run; she continued reading all scripts, however, and remained familiar with most of the storylines. 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. Sophia was never ashamed to confess her age, and she often took advantage of it to get an advantage over the other ladies in the home. 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. [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. October 8, 2022 According to evidence presented by the ladies themselves during the first year of the show, Sophia is 80 years old, Rose is 55 years old, and Blanche is 50 years old. : Extreme Stunt Show, discrimination against people with HIV/AIDS, List of awards and nominations received by The Golden Girls, "TV Guide Magazine's 60 Best Series of All Time", Golden Girls appears to get better with pop culture age, "7 Things You Might Not Know About The Golden Girls", "The Golden Girls - Cast/Crew Documentary (2/9)", "These Are the Most-Watched TV Series Finales of All Time: 17", "The TV Ratings Guide: 1987-1988 season ratings", "Golden Girls: A 20th Anniversary Oral History", "Catching Up with the Golden Girls' Susan Harris", "Crackle's Creator Conversation: Soap's Susan Harris", The Interviews: An Oral History of Television, "Betty White and Bea Arthur's Friends Open Up About Their On-Set Feud", "Say It Isn't So, Girls! Arthur flipped upon reading the script, but felt hesitant about McClanahan's approach, as she did not "want to play (their Maude characters) Maude and Vivian meet Sue Ann Nivens." Rose went so far as to search through official records to find out, only to learn it was "deleted by authority of the governor." The cast of The Golden Girls, Sophia, Dorothy, Blanche, and Rose, have been even further immortalised in two puppet parody shows Thank You For Being A Friend[110] and That Golden Girls Show: A Puppet Parody, both created by Australian screenwriter Thomas Duncan-Watt and producer Jonathan Rockefeller. How old were The Golden Girls supposed to be? 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. Sue's personality as the perky housewife host on a fictional television station of the show . [41] Rue McClanahan, who shared a dressing room with Getty, described the severity of Getty's stage fright: "She'd panic. 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. The Golden Girls came to an end when Bea Arthur chose to leave the series. 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.