Although the women's ages were rarely disclosed, some deductive work may be used to approximate how old each Golden Girl was at the commencement of the series. Hi, I'm Happy Sharer and I love sharing interesting and useful knowledge with others. In Season 4, Episode 10, Stan Takes a Wife, Dorothy declares that she is a Leo, indicating that her birthdate is in late July or early-to-late August. However, the exterior backdrop seen through the kitchen window changed from the view of Chicago high-rises to palm trees and bushes for the Miami setting. Apparently, writer Susan Harris envisioned a Bea Arthur type when conceptualizing the character of Dorothy. During a conversation where Rose discusses her difficulty finding a new job after losing her previous one at the grief counseling center, Dorothy reveals that Rose is 55. Designing Women began competing against The Golden Girls. This was the first time since 1993 that The Golden Palace was seen on American television. Lifetime, which held the rights to The Golden Girls at the time, aired reruns of The Golden Palace in the summer of 2005, and again in December of that year. New York: Harper Collins. According to McClanahan, by the end of season three, Getty's anxiety had become a serious problem, and she had increasing trouble memorizing her lines. While RTL initially chose to cut some scenes for time, some of the gags remain incomprehensible for their broadcast and all subsequent reruns, only to be restored partially for the release of DVD in 2005. In the first season of Golden Girls, it is revealed that Rose (Betty Whites character) was 55. Sophia, Dorothy's straight-talking mother, was the oldest character in the Golden Girls' house. At times, she even froze on camera while filming. Dorothy, meanwhile, is stated to be in her early 50s, which could mean that she was anywhere between 50 and 54. However, with some detective work, audiences can figure them out. The series starred Stephanie Hodge and a set of other young nurses. Initially, the producers of the show had planned for Getty only to be a recurring guest. Actress Elaine Stritch was also considered for the role, but she blew her audition by using curse words, which was something that the writers felt was out of character for Dorothy. As of 2016, it was the 17th-most watched television finale. Sarah Jessica Parker and Betty White, both of whom play a 55-year-old woman. Initially, the producers wanted Betty White to play Blanche because she had been famous for playing promiscuous characters in the past. However, the actress who played Sophia, Estelle Getty, was only 62 years old in real life, making her one year younger than her on-screen daughter! Rue McClanahan as Blanche Devereaux in the 1985 sitcom The Golden Girls (Credit: NBC). As of September 8, 2021 all 7 seasons of The Golden Girls were made available to stream on Disney+ in Canada. Arguably the main protagonist of the show, Blanche Devereaux is portrayed by Rue McClanahan. "[44] Writer Christopher Lloyd explained that the usual situation was for all of the more junior writers to be assigned the same scene to write, with the one judged the best version becoming the one chosen. The series ran for a total of seven seasons and a total of 180 full-length episodes. Until April 2006, Lifetime played the series as a virtual season eight, airing the series in between the conclusion of the final season and the syndicated roll-over to season one. [33] The character of Sophia was thought by the creators to enhance the idea that three retirement-aged women could be young. [32], Getty, who went through a three-hour transformation to become Sophia, wore heavy make-up, thick glasses, and a white wig to look the part. This suggests that her character was likely around the same age. The program is about four elderly ladies who live . The film Golden Girls was a critical and commercial triumph. The story follows four older single women (three widows and one divorced) who share a home in Miami, Florida. Chick Vennera played a prize fighter and TV reporter Enrique Mas. ISBN978-1-4516-1369-8. : Extreme Stunt Show attraction, later replaced by Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge. 5. For example, one or more of the women would become involved in some sort of problem, often involving other family members, men, or an ethical dilemma. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Continue reading to find out how old were the golden girls on the set of The Golden Girls. This article promises to be interesting and really informative. As such, this social belief is shown on our screens in the Sex and the City reboot, whereas Golden Girls portrayed societal norms of the 1980s. She had established this signature look while playing Maude, and Evans honored it in her designs for Dorothy. The Golden Girls began in 1985 and concluded in 1992, both in real life and in the fictional realm. In the United Kingdom, the series aired on Channel 4, Living and Disney Channel. With an ensemble cast starring Bea Arthur, Betty White, Rue McClanahan, and Estelle Getty, the show is about four older women who share a home in Miami, Florida.It was produced by Witt/Thomas/Harris Productions . This means that she was 63 years old by the time the show premiered in 1985. The Golden Girls is an American sitcom created by Susan Harris that aired on NBC from September 14, 1985, to May 9, 1992, with a total of 180 half-hour episodes, spanning seven seasons. The character of Blanche Devereaux appeared in a total of 8 seasons and a total of 204 full episodes in both The Golden Girls (total of 7 . Though Littlefield nixed their idea, he asked if they would be interested in delivering a pilot script for Miami Nice, instead. How old were The Golden Girls supposed to be? Sophia was 86 by the series' end. Blanche would have been 60 by the series' end. In March 1997, the Lifetime cable network acquired the exclusive rights to repeat the episodes of The Golden Girls in the US until March 1, 2009. The faade was based on a real house at 245 North Saltair Avenue in the Westgate Heights neighborhood of Los Angeles. The ages of the Golden Girls were never revealed on TV. Life. White's birthday is January 17th and Arthur's was May 13th. "[62], Bea Arthur had a preference for wearing loose-fitting clothing, like slacks and long sweaters, along with sandals, because she hated wearing shoes. When the show initially aired, NBC took a chance. However, this older age makes sense because Sophia is Dorothys mother. Getty was the first of the four stars to die in 2008 at age 84. Blanche Elizabeth Marie Devereaux (ne Hollingsworth) is one of the four, fictional, main characters on the highly-acclaimed, revered, and well-received 1985-1992 NBC situation-comedy/sit-com TV series, The Golden Girls, and its spin-off, The Golden Palace. Although the womens ages were rarely disclosed, some deductive work may be used to approximate how old each Golden Girl was at the commencement of the series. Premiering in 1985, The Golden Girls was an instant smash, attracting a diverse audience for a then-novel concept depicting the lives of four older women sharing friendship, a home and a lot . The clever use of makeup and a wig aged Getty to match her character's age. Sophia was never afraid to admit how old she was, often using it to her advantage over the other women in the house. Some episodes featured flashbacks to previous episodes, flashbacks to events not shown in previous episodes, or to events that occurred before the series began. Blanche was 17 in 1949, according to Season 3, Episode 25, Mothers Day, when she and her mother reminisce about one of Blanches dates. She was portrayed by Betty White for 8 years, totalling 204 episodes.. Rose was supposed to be played by Rue McClanahan, while Blanche Devereaux, one of Rose's roommates, was to be played by White.However, Jay Sandrich, the director of the show, suggested that Betty and Rue switch . Getty figured it would be her last chance to find television or film work. Reportedly, a second season was approved before being cancelled the day before the network announced its 199394 schedule. This indicates that she was likely in her late 40s when the show began. Richard Vaczy and Tracy Gamble, previously writers on 227 and My Two Dads, also assumed the roles of producers and head writers. Whatever the reason, it is clear that the Golden Girls are truly ageless. [73], In 2013, TV Guide ranked The Golden Girls number 54 on its list of the 60 Best Series of All Time. When all of the evidence is taken into account, it seems likely that the Golden Girls characters were actually younger than their stated ages. The Golden Girls was a highly-acclaimed and rated, well-received, popular American situation-comedy/sit-com television series that aired on NBC originally from September 14, 1985, to May 9, 1992. Rose's age is the easiest to track down, thanks to Dorothy openly saying it in Season 1, Episode 22, "Job Hunting." During a conversation where Rose discusses her difficulty finding a new job after losing her previous one at the grief counseling center, Dorothy reveals that Rose is 55. (season two, episode five). | For example, in the pilot episode, Blanche states that she is 54 going on 55, which would mean that her age at the start of the show was 54. Betty White, who died on December 31, 2021, at the age of 99, was best known for her role as the wonderfully naive Rose Nylund in the NBC comedy The Golden Girls. I have a passion for learning and enjoy explaining complex concepts in a simple way. dog | 281K views, 6.6K likes, 7.7K loves, 9.7K comments, 2.9K shares, Facebook Watch Videos from AMC Princess Ana - Team AMC Ana: This is Ana's FIRST. The golden girls trivia is the most exciting series we have created for those who love comedy. [24] Though her vision of a sitcom about women in their 60s differed from NBC's request for a comedy about women around 40 years old,[27] Littlefield was impressed when he received her pilot script and subsequently approved production of it. The classic NBC comedy The Golden Girls broke boundaries with its cast of four older women, a representation that was previously lacking on television. It has recently come to light that the leading ladies of AndJust Like That, Sex and the Citys reboot, are basically the exact same age as the leading ladies in The Golden Girls a fact that has completely blown our minds! The Golden Girls came to an end when Bea Arthur elected to quit the series after six seasons in the top ten and the seventh season at #30. Beginning in 1990, Marc Cherry served as writer and producer, years before creating Desperate Housewives, which ran on ABC from 2004 to 2012. Finally, Sophia is stated to be in her late 70s, suggesting that she was between 77 and 79. "We had games going all the time off camera." 13. Often deemed as the den mother of the main characters in the show, Bea Arthur played the role of Dorothy Zbornak, a substitute teacher hailing from New York City. Roses age is the easiest to determine, owing to Dorothy revealing it in Season 1, Episode 22, Job Hunting. Dorothy exposes Roses age is exposed during a chat in which Rose describes her problems finding a new career after leaving her prior one at the grief counseling center. Blanche was probably around 50 when the show began, rather than 54. The Golden Girls is one of four live-action shows, along with All in the Family, Will & Grace, and Schitt's Creek, where all the principal actors have won at least one Emmy. After the pilot, the character of Coco was eliminated from the series. But what made the show golden were its stellar cast and the beloved characters they portrayed. Getty was the first actress to be cast, and her role was intended to make the rest of the characters appear younger. Its probable it examined a lot of the same scenarios as previous episodes. Click Registration to join us and share your expertise with our readers.). She was just as uptight as a human being could get. She passed away from Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) on July 22, 2008, at 84 years old. Vicki Lawrence as Thelma Harper and Betty White as Ellen Harper-Jackson in the 1983 sitcom Mamas Family (Credit: NBC). "It was so exciting to be with four people with that chemistry. We assume that middle-aged women continue to live their lives working, partying, being mothers, or hanging with their friends. Despite her enjoyment in playing Dorothy, the show eventually concluded when Bea Arthur decided to depart the show in 1992. In conclusion, the evidence suggests that the Golden Girls characters were actually younger than their stated ages. The Golden Girls received critical acclaim throughout most of its run, and won several awards, including the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series twice. Rue McClanahan was the youngest of the Golden Girls, according to Parade. After some careful math, viewers also figured out that Dorothy (played by Bea Arthur) was supposed to be 53. Colucci, Jim (2016). Saving the most difficult to track down for last, Rue McClanahan's character Blanche Devereaux kept her age a mystery (and a recurring joke) throughout most of The Golden Girls. [2] Each of the four stars received an Emmy Award, making it one of only four sitcoms in the award's history to achieve this. After some careful math, viewers also figured out that Dorothy (played by Bea Arthur) was supposed to be 53. However, with some detective work, audiences can figure them out. Similarly, Dorothy mentions in another episode that she was married in 1960, which would have made her 22. How Old Were the Golden Girls Supposed to Be?,The Golden Girls' ages were never quite revealed on screen. Mulligan and Manoff were alumni from one of Susan Harris' earlier shows, Soap. On November 9, 2010, the studio released a complete-series box set titled The Golden Girls: 25th Anniversary Complete Collection. The women's ages were usually not explicitly stated, although some deductive work gives a pretty safe estimate of how old each Golden Girl was at the start of the series. The adventures of Dorothy (Bea Arthur), Blanche (Rue McClanahan), Rose ( universally beloved Betty White) and Sophia (Estelle Getty) -- four older women who lived in a Miami home together -- took audiences by storm and provided representation to a group generally overlooked by television of the time. McClanahan continued to portray the role of Blanche in the spin-off series The Golden Palace, which only lasted for one season from 1992 to 1993. [36] Once the show was picked up for a first season, new director Paul Bogart felt exactly the opposite, insisting that McClanahan use a Southern accent. [108] After the end of The Golden Palace, Getty joined the cast of Empty Nest, making frequent appearances as Sophia in the show's final two seasons. In order to try and determine the real ages of the Golden Girls, we need to look at other sources of evidence. [4] In 2014, the Writers Guild of America placed the sitcom at number 69 in their list of the "101 Best Written TV Series of All Time". The owner of the house is a widow named Blanche Devereaux (McClanahan), who was joined by fellow widow Rose Nylund (White) and divorce Dorothy Zbornak (Arthur) after they both responded to an ad on the bulletin board of a local grocery store a year before the start of the series. Although Sophia appears to be much older than the other girls in the show, Getty was actually younger than both Bea Arthur and Betty White. It is interesting to note that the ages of the characters are never directly addressed in the show. 2023 Wording Vibes - WordPress Theme by Kadence WP, Although the womens ages were rarely disclosed, some deductive work may be used to, The Golden Girls began in 1985 and concluded in 1992, both in real life and in the fictional realm. Writer and producer Linda Bloodworth-Thomason created a sitcom with this kind of image as a "four women" show, which became Designing Women on CBS. Each of the four main stars received an Emmy Award, making The Golden Girls one of only four sitcoms in the Primetime Emmy Awards history to achieve this. She wanted to be a Southern heroine, like Vivien Leigh. Your email address will not be published. [52][53] Debbie Reynolds was brought on as a guest star in the season six episode "There Goes the Bride: Part 2" to test her chemistry with the other actresses as a possible replacement for Arthur, but producers decided that nobody could replicate the chemistry of the four original actresses. All four cast members got Emmy nominations for their roles in the Golden Girls. [54] The model used for exterior shots of the house from the third season through the end of the series was part of the backstage studio tour ride at Disney's Hollywood Studios. Sophia was never ashamed to confess her age, and she often took advantage of it to get an advantage over the other ladies in the home. [74] The show was the anchor of NBC's Saturday line-up, and almost always won its time slot, as ABC and CBS struggled to find shows to compete against it, the most notable being ABC's Lucille Ball sitcom Life With Lucy in the beginning of the 198687 season although it aired at 8:00, an hour earlier. [29][30], Walt Disney, NBC Studios and the creators were named in a federal copyright infringement suit filed by Nancy Bretzfield claiming the show was based on a script rejected by NBC in 1980. I kept reading scenes to them and saying, 'God, this is brilliant [] There's nothing trendy about this show. Covering the hottest movie and TV topics that fans want. The Golden Girls is an American comedy that was produced by Susan Harris and aired on NBC from September 14, 1985, to May 9, 1992. Contact Us In 2022, we no longer believe that women need to lose their purpose once they hit the big 5-0. The series also ranked among the Nielsen ratings' top ten for six of its seven seasons. This could be because the writers wanted to create an atmosphere of timelessness or to emphasize the idea that age is just a number. At the request of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, who was reputedly a big fan, the cast of The Golden Girls performed several skits as their characters in front of her and other members of the British royal family at the 1988 Royal Variety Performance in London.[77]. Disney's Michael Eisner explains, "Estelle Getty made our three women into girls. Iconic Golden-era Hollywood actress Scarlett OHara was also reportedly an inspiration for the role. For one thing, it did pave the way for a new terrain. Levin had been suggested by then-NBC president Brandon Tartikoff based on Levin's groundbreaking portrayal of a recurring gay character, Eddie Gregg, on NBC's Emmy-winning drama Hill Street Blues. In reality, all but one of the principal cast members of the Golden Girls had enormous age gaps between their true ages and the ages of their roles. In "And Just Like That", Miranda and Charlotte are 54, while Carrie is 55. Who was the youngest Golden Girl cast member? Social norms regarding women in their fifties have also changed since Golden Girls premiered. However, her popularity with audiences caused Sophia to become a main character in the series. Betty White was 63 years old when the show premiered in 1985, yet she managed to play a younger persona perfectly. [30] Stritch's audition flopped, however, and under the impression that Arthur did not want to participate, Harris asked McClanahan if she could persuade Arthur, with whom she worked previously on the CBS sitcom Maude, to take the role. This "created a great deal of stress and competitiveness amongst those of us who weren't in that inner sanctum. "[72], During the NBC upfronts, the preview screening of the show got a standing ovation. In 1989, Marc Sotkin, previously a writer on Laverne & Shirley and a producer on another Witt/Thomas series, It's a Living, assumed head writing responsibilities, and guided the show (to varying degrees) during what were its final three seasons. It was produced by Witt/Thomas/Harris Productions, in association with Touchstone Television. We will always remember Rue McClanahan, Betty White, Bea Arthur, and Estelle Getty for bringing joy into our lives and for being our friends. It's a classic. It won three Golden Globe Awards for Best Television Series and two Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Comedy Series. The Golden Girls is an American sitcom created by Susan Harris that aired on NBC from September 14, 1985, to May 9, 1992, with a total of 180 half-hour episodes, spanning seven seasons. Betty Whites heartbreaking final post on her Instagram with the caption: My 100th birthday I cannot believe it is coming up, and People Magazine is celebrating with me! (Credit: Betty Whites Instagram). The Golden Girls are also dressed in cardigans or long dresses, similar to the outfits we would find in our grandmothers closet. [24][30], In the pilot script, Blanche was described as "more Southern than Blanche DuBois", so McClanahan was perplexed when she was asked by director Sandrich during the filming of the pilot not to use the strong Southern accent she had developed, but to use her natural Oklahoma accent instead. The women in The Golden Girlsall have white, short hair styled in a way we often associate with older individuals. Estelle Getty, who portrayed Sophia, was a year younger than Bea Arthur, who played Dorothy, Sophias daughter. It shattered stereotypes and even made that demographic entertaining for audiences of all genders and ages. However, she wasn't much older than Bea Arthur. She joined the show after Estelle Getty, who was the first actress to be cast in The Golden Girls. As of 2019, every episode is available for streaming on Stan. (Note: Is this article not meeting your expectations? In any event, Arthur chose to commit to a seventh and final season. In New Zealand, the series aired on TVNZ and is replayed on public holidays and it is shown on Jones!. Arthur died from cancer in 2009 at age 86 and McClanahan followed in. Jan 31, 2023 Movie Features Harry Potter: Wait, How Are Bellatrix and Leta Lestrange Related? To portray Sophia Petrillo, Getty was required to wear makeup and a wig to appear visibly older than her co-stars. She joined the cast as Rose Nylund, a Norwegian-American hailing from St. Olaf, Minnesota. As of December 1, 2021, every episode was made available to stream on Disney+. As of September 15, 2021, every episode was made available to stream on Disney+ in Germany and Austria. McClanahan and White were friends on- and off-screen. consisted of two back-to-back episodes of the sitcom: "Break-In" (season one, episode eight) and "Isn't It Romantic?" Sophia then recounts to Dorothy the account of the night Dorothy was conceived in Season 3, Episode 5, Nothing to Fear But Fear Itself. Sophia claims it happened in 1931, so Dorothy was most likely born in 1932, based on her sign. "[60] Anna Wyckoff of the Costume Designers Guild wrote, "Evans took the direction from the producers to create a vibrant look for the four mature leads, and ran with itredefining what 'dressing your age' looked like. Golden Girls Forever: An Unauthorized Look Behind the Lanai. Ironically, the actress who played Sophia, Estelle Getty, was a year younger than Bea Arthur, who played her daughter, Dorothy. According to the calculations, Dorothy was 53 at the start of the series, according to the, Blanche was 17 in 1949, according to Season 3, Episode 25, , Blanche lied to her housemates about her age so easily (and Sophia promptly called her out and said shed be 70 when the kid graduated), its reasonable to, Fun Things to Do for Mothers Day Filled With Activities, Hilarious Thanksgiving Puns for Your Friends and Family, 60 Sweet Merry Christmas Wishes for Mothers 2021 Update, Applauding Employee Appreciation Quotes Befitting for Hardworking Staff, Heart Warming One Month Anniversary Wishes Latest Update 2021, Adorable Thanks for Birthday Wishes Messages to Send Someone. Her thesis examined menstrual education in Victorian England. Estelle Getty, however, was 62 in 1985, making her 17 years younger than the character she portrayed. [25] NBC senior vice president Warren Littlefield was among the executive producers in the audience who were amused by their performance, and he envisioned a series based on the geriatric humor the two were portraying. Celebrities These ages seem to contradict what is stated in the show, suggesting that the characters may actually be younger than their stated ages. Characters from both shows made occasional crossover guest appearances on the other show, with the four girls guesting on Empty Nest and Mulligan, Dinah Manoff, Kristy McNichol, David Leisure, and Park Overall appearing on The Golden Girls in their Empty Nest roles. [67], The Golden Girls was shot on videotape in front of a live studio audience. [11], Ideas for a comedy series about older women emerged during the filming of a television special at NBC Studios in Burbank, California, in August 1984. However, there is also some evidence to suggest that these ages may not be accurate. How old was Sophia Petrillo on The Golden Girls? Similarly, Estelle Getty, who played Sophia, was 79 when the show began and 83 when it ended. Featuring an all-male cast in drag, The Golden Girls: Live! Its time to look back at the golden years with our favorite Golden Girls. [58], The kitchen set seen on The Golden Girls was originally used on an earlier Witt/Thomas/Harris series, It Takes Two, which aired on ABC from 1982 to 1983. We hope this article on how old were the golden girls has been interesting and has also been able to bring back good memories. Casting director Judith Weiner had seen Torch Song Trilogy, and thought Getty was terrific in it. The cast of The Golden Girls, Sophia, Dorothy, Blanche, and Rose, have been even further immortalised in two puppet parody shows Thank You For Being A Friend[110] and That Golden Girls Show: A Puppet Parody, both created by Australian screenwriter Thomas Duncan-Watt and producer Jonathan Rockefeller. Assuming her child would graduate at 17, that would make Blanche 48 in 1986 and 47 at the start of the series. She would start getting under a dark cloud the day before tape day You could see a big difference in her that day. [109] The production ended because the producers failed to secure the rights and received a cease-and-desist order by the creators of the original television show. "[38] Both actresses had dramatically different training and acting backgrounds; Saks commented on White's habit of breaking the fourth wall to engage and joke with the studio audience during breaks between filming, which Arthur found unprofessional. This could be because the writers wanted to create an atmosphere of timelessness, allowing the show to appeal to viewers of all ages. [9], The pilot was taped on April 17, 1985.[10].