I had planned to write a long and gushing missive on the passing of Bea Arthur today. Instead I’ll keep it short and to the point.
As a kid, I had enjoyed watching Bea Arthurs performances on The Golden Girls and during repeats of Maude. Later in life as I re-watched these same shows, I was taken with just how skilled a comedienne she in fact was. Her timing and delivery were simply impeccable. She was an entertainer who you couldn’t help but admire and love.
Bea Arthur passed at the age of 86 and had a hell of a career. She was a talented dame and her contribution to television was invaluable. It feels somewhat inconsequential to go on about what an impact she’s had on the medium. Instead, I simply want to share with you all a clip of Bea performing on stage (and getting completely upstaged). Ultimately, this clip embodies what Bea Arthurs career was all about: putting a smile on your face.
I just checked my reader and found this, somehow I avoided any source of current news all day.
There’s certain shows and their actors in your childhood that you’ll never forget, shows that always seemed to be on the TV everyday. Get Smart with Don Addams was one, Golden Girls with Bea Arthur was another. Any time you had a day off school, Golden Girls took up an hour of that day. Sitting ’round with friends during holidays, bored as hell, Golden Girls was on, even if you were taking the piss out of it.
As a tribute to those times my friend even bought me the first season of Golden Girls, it still remains in it’s plastic, but perhaps it shall now come out.
Bravo Bea Arthur, Bravo. You shall be remembered, especially your appearance on Judge Judy, fighting for the freedom of some circus tigers.
I am stunned, sir. I think we all sort of thought Bea was indestructible, and then I thought about it, and yes, Golden Girls was on twenty-two years ago and she was already over sixty. It was the sort of show, and she was the sort of performer, that they just don’t make anymore. She will be missed.