Summary
- The Golden Girls is a beloved sitcom that aired from 1985 to 1992 and follows four elderly women living together in Miami.
- The show broke new ground by portraying independent mature women and discussing important issues like race, class, and sexual identity.
- The main cast members, Betty White, Bea Arthur, Rue McClanahan, and Estelle Getty, became household names and the show received critical acclaim and numerous Emmy nominations.
The classic sitcom featured an all-star line-up, and some of the Golden Girls cast had major careers before and after the show was on the air. Debuting in the fall of 1985, the series follows a group of older women who live in Miami and bond over their shared life experiences and complicated love lives. Over its seven-season run on the air, The Golden Girls not only boosted its roster of established stars like Betty White and Bea Arthur, but it also went on to be one of the most progressive TV shows of its time.
The Golden Girls broke new ground because of its portrayal of independent mature women, and the series was frequently a platform for other issues including race, class, and sexual identity. The series was a critical success, earned 68 Emmy nominations, and it found new life on streaming. The Golden Girls' short-lived sequel, The Golden Palace, kicked off a number of spinoffs, but none were able to capture the magic of the original. While cast members like Betty White were already famous from their years in TV, The Golden Girls turned its big four into bona fide household names.
10 Storylines On The Golden Girls That Were Way Ahead Of Their Time
Golden Girls is a beloved comedy centered around the lives of four elderly women. Years later, some of the storylines remain way ahead of their time.
Bea Arthur As Dorothy Zbornak
Arthur Passed Away In 2009 At The Age Of 2006
Played by Bea Arthur in the cast of The Golden Girls, Dorothy Zbornak is a no-nonsense gal whose quick temper is offset by her acerbic and biting wit. Already a decades-long veteran of the small screen by the mid-1980s, Arthur had made a big splash as the title character in the All in the Family spinoff Maude. Around the same time, she graced the big screen as Vera Charles in the Hollywood adaptation of the musical Mame and memorably appeared in the notorious Star Wars Holiday Special. Arthur passed away in 2009 at the age of 86.
How Old Were The Golden Girls During The Show
The Golden Girls is a iconic for its humor and its amazing leading ladies, but how old were Dorothy, Rose, Blanche, and Sophia really supposed to be?
Betty White As Rose Nylund
White Passed Away In 2021 At The Age Of 99
Perhaps the most well-remembered of Betty White's TV and movie roles, the comedic legend plays Rose Nylund, the ditzy and lovable retiree who often regales her pals with strange stories from her life on the farm in Minnesota. White rose to fame in her long-running stint as Sue Ann Nivens on The Mary Tyler Moore Show. After her time in the cast of The Golden Girls, White also played several notable movie characters, including Bitey White in Toy Story 4 and Grandma Annie in The Proposal. The celebrated actor died in December 2021, just weeks before her 100th birthday.