I understand the fact that Rue and Betty accepted better jobs with the Golden Girls, but why did the writers feel the need to kill Fran off? Couldn't they have married her off or gave her a big city newspaper job? Did they not even give Rue the opportunity to do a guest spot like Betty did (I suspect that was a favor Betty did for Vicki)?

How did they write off Ellen? I don't recall. :confused:

I don't know why they had to kill off Fran. That always bothered me. And the weird way she died - choking on a toothpick in the restroom at the Bigger Jigger??

Ellen wasn't written off per se....Betty did a guest spot on the first syndicated season, but after that, Ellen was not seen again. I think she was referred to a few times later on.

I think Rue could have did a guest Stint

i'm sure the actress could have done one, but killing off one's character kinda puts that to a grinding halt! LOL

Unfortunately death is a part of life.:(

They probably killed her as to make a funny episode. Fran leaving town probably wouldn't have been as funny unless she was run out of town on a morals charge or something. ;)