I just saw this interview with Beatrice Arthur on YouTube. If you click on the link further down and move it on to watch between roughly 13 minutes - 25 minutes, she talks about her Maude co-stars.

She describes Bill Macy as a loose cannon, but does admire him as an actor. She clearly liked and admired the acting of Rue McClanahan, Conrad Bain and Hermoine Baddeley. She didn't seem quite as complimentary when talking about Adrienne Barbeau.

However Esther Rolle gets the sharp end of the stick I feel. Bea describes a "wonderful" thing someone said about Esther - "My name is Esther Rolle. I don't do windows and I don't do comedy". I thought that was a bit harsh. Norman Lear would not have given Esther "Good Times" (as Bea said he did), if he didn't respect her skills. What do Maude fans think? :)

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=2rzIMybsEF0

Dose she say anything about Good Times being a Spinoff?

Ya know, I watched the clip on YouTube and quite frankly, Ms. Bea comes across as a crotchity know-it-all, IMO.

She seemed annoyed with the interviewer the entire time, and even interrupted her on a few spots. However, in Ms. B's defense, it's obvious that she's a bit hard of hearing and it might have been her frustration at not being able to fully hear the questions that I picked up on.

According to Bea, the writer Arthur Jullian is the one that said the infamous quote and Bea agreed with it. She did not mention GT being a spinoff.

*I* was annoyed with the interviewer! She didn't seem truly to know much about Bea, or sometimes even to fully understand what she was asking.

As for Bea, I think you're right about her hearing loss being a factor. And, too, it seemed to me that her mind wandered a bit--but it was a lengthy interview, and she was being asked questions about events that happened decades ago! How many of us would remember in great detail something which occurred thirty or more years before? Bea was nearly 80 at the time of the interview, I believe. I'll cut her some slack.

But I quite enjoyed it, once I adjusted to the slow pace of things. It was wonderful to hear her just being herself. I'm very grateful it was done, even if it bugged me, at times. ;)

So, perhaps since we're talking of this, someone wouldn't mind answering a question or two. I'm blind--completely--so only benefit from the audio portion of things, this included. But I assume there was a visual element, as well... would someone be so kind as to tell me something about that? How is Bea dressed? What other things did you notice, while watching? It seems to have taken place at Bea's home, what did that look like. I'd be extremely grateful for any help! (Same goes for any similar details about Maude.)