It’s been twenty-one years since the devastating death of beloved Emmy-winning actress Estelle Getty. Best known as the comedically cranky Sophia Petrillo on the classic TV series, The Golden Girls (NBC, 1985-1992), Getty died from Lewy body dementia on July 22, 2008, in Los Angeles. She was 84, and this is her story.
A Closer Look
The Golden Girls is the senior-geared sitcom of the ‘Big ’80s’ that starred Beatrice “Bea” Arthur, Rue McClanahan, Betty White, and Estelle Getty (all of whom have since passed away).
The show became an instant hit, and much of that was due to Getty’s cherished performance as Arthur’s cranky TV mom, Sophia Petrillo.
Getty tried several times to quit the series, but her producers and co-stars wouldn’t allow it, especially Bea Arthur.
Unlike Arthur, McLanahan, and White, Getty was not used to the fast pace of television production. Before The Golden Girls, she mostly performed on stage, in plays like Torch Song Trilogy (the original cast).
The Golden Girls workload proved to be overwhelming for Getty, who became so uncomfortable working on the show that she wanted to quit the series.
The lengthy amount of dialogue to remember did not help matters.
Fortunately, the show’s producers and fellow stars convinced Getty to remain on the show. Arthur, who had starred for years on the CBS hit sitcom, Maude (1972-1978), was particularly protective of Getty.
In the End
In the end, Estelle Getty remained on The Golden Girls and would later sign on to star in The Golden Palace sequel (CBS, 1993-1994). Unfortunately, The Golden Palace was canceled after only one season, partially because Bea Arthur had not signed on to due the sequel. The chemistry just wasn’t the same.
With or without Arthur by her side, however, Estelle Getty was a professional who never broke her contract with either show.
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This article originally appeared on Newsbreak.com and was syndicated by MediaFeed.org
Featured Image Credit: IMDb.
