Beatrice Arthur

[NCVARick]

Watching reruns of "Maude" lately, I've been struck at how incredibly different that character is from Dorothy on "The Golden Girls." Maude was so brash and argumentative, while Dorothy was so understated and would often sit quietly when someone (usually Sofia or Blanche) would make a humiliating remark about her. Can you imagine what it would have been like if Sofia had been Maude's mother? There's no way Sofia could have gotten away with saying the kinds of things she said all the time to Dorothy. There would have been an endless war.

I guess all in all, Beatrice Arthur's decision to do "The Golden Girls" was a brilliant career move. Those of us who were around in the '70s when she did "Maude" know how typecast she was by that role. That character was so prominent and outspoken and made such a forceful mark on television, it would have been almost impossible for her not to be typecast. In fact, Bea Arthur, though she had had a long career on the stage prior to "Maude," was pretty much an unknown to most of the public (other than avid theatre-goers) until she did "Maude." So most people knew her only as Maude. In fact, she was far better known as Maude than as Beatrice Arthur. I think being Dorothy on "The Golden Girls" allowed her to become Beatrice Arthur because it enabled her to finally escape being associated exclusively with the character of Maude. What is really wonderful is that the producers of TGG recognized her talent and that she was capable at more than just being Maude, and they were obviously confident that the public would accept her in this very different role -- just as they must have been equally confident that the public would accept Betty White as a ditzy blonde, rather than a man-hungry, sarcastic Sue Ann; and that they would accept Rue MacClanahan as a man-hungry Southern belle, rather than a ditzy Vivian Cavendar Harmon. "The Golden Girls" was very bold in this respect, in that it allowed three typecast actresses to break each of their respective stereotypes and excel at (and be accepted by the public in) very different roles. Kudos to the producers of that series, as well as to the actresses who proved their merits!

[Drew]

Very Very Well said. I agree with ya. It did help them all alot. And think we almost may have not had Bea as Dorothy or the Golden Girls for that fact if Amandas Place would have been hit. I guess i wish it would have been, but then when i realize that if it wasnt cancelled we might not have had the Golden Girls. Forever Golden

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Designing Women
JULIA~"...And that Margerie, is the night the lights went out in Georgia.

All in the Family
EDITH to ARCHIE~"Im not sure who married the meathead, Gloria or me."

the Golden Girls
SOPHIA~"Silly Rabbi, Trix are for kids."

[NCVARick]

Originally posted by Drew:
Very Very Well said. I agree with ya. It did help them all alot. And think we almost may have not had Bea as Dorothy or the Golden Girls for that fact if Amandas Place would have been hit. I guess i wish it would have been, but then when i realize that if it wasnt cancelled we might not have had the Golden Girls. Forever Golden

[NCVARick]

Originally posted by Drew:
Very Very Well said. I agree with ya. It did help them all alot. And think we almost may have not had Bea as Dorothy or the Golden Girls for that fact if Amandas Place would have been hit. I guess i wish it would have been, but then when i realize that if it wasnt cancelled we might not have had the Golden Girls. Forever Golden

I remember watching Amanda's during the brief period it was on and thinking it wasn't all that good. "The Golden Girls," on the other hand, is a classic. I'm sure it will be around for years to come. How sad it would have been for TGG to never have come about. Given that, I would have to say I'm glad Amanda's got cancelled. I'm sure Bea Arthur was disappointed at the time. But things obviously worked out for the best. The world is a better and happier place as a result!