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Bea Arthur
Actor

Bea Arthur

13 May 1922Born
25 Apr 2009Died
86Age at death
35Credits

Biography

Beatrice Arthur (born Bernice Frankel; May 13, 1922 – April 25, 2009) was an American actress and comedian. Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York City, Arthur began her career on stage in 1947, attracting critical acclaim before achieving worldwide recognition for her work on television beginning in the 1970s as Maude Findlay in the popular sitcoms All in the Family (1971–1972) and Maude (1972–1978) and later in the 1980s and 1990s as Dorothy Zbornak on The Golden Girls (1985–1992).

She won several accolades throughout her career, beginning with the 1966 Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for playing Vera Charles in Mame.

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She won Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series in 1977 for Maude and 1988 for The Golden Girls. Arthur has received the third most nominations for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series with nine; only Julia Louis-Dreyfus (11) and Mary Tyler Moore (10) have more. She was inducted into the academy's Television Hall of Fame in 2008.

Her film appearances include Lovers and Other Strangers (1970) and the film version of Mame (1974). In 2002, she starred in the one-woman show Bea Arthur on Broadway: Just Between Friends. An obituary described Arthur as "the tall, deep-voiced actress whose razor-sharp delivery of comedy lines made her a TV star."

She served in the U.S. Marine Corps Women's Reserve in World War II.

Known for

Filmography

  1. 2025Henry Fonda for PresidentFilm: Maude (archival footage)
  2. 2022Golden Girls 3033Series: Dorothy Zbornak (voice) (archive sound) (1 episode)
  3. 2021Forever Golden! A Celebration of the Golden GirlsFilm: Dorothy Zbornak
  4. 2007Back to the GrindSeries (1 episode)
  5. 2004Broadway's Lost Treasures IIFilm: Vera Charles (segment "Mame")
  6. 2003The Golden Girls: Lifetime Intimate Portrait SeriesFilm: Dorothy Zbornak (archive footage)
  7. 2000Enemies of LaughterFilm: Paul's Mother
  8. 2000Curb Your EnthusiasmSeries: Larry's Mother (1 episode)
  9. 2000Malcolm in the MiddleSeries: Mrs. White (1 episode)
  10. 1999Beggars and ChoosersSeries (2 episodes)
  11. 1999FuturamaSeries: Femputer (voice) (1 episode)
  12. 1998Emily of New MoonSeries: The Voice (1 episode)
  13. 1995For Better or WorseFilm: Beverly Makeshift
  14. 1994EllenSeries: Bea Arthur (1 episode)
  15. 1993Dave's WorldSeries: Mel Bloom (3 episodes)
  16. 1992The Golden PalaceSeries: Dorothy Hollingsworth (2 episodes)
  17. 1990The Earth Day SpecialFilm: Dorothy Zbornak
  18. 1988My First LoveFilm: Jean Miller
  19. 1988Empty NestSeries: Dorothy Zbornak (1 episode)
  20. 1985The NBC All Star Hour: Let's All Be ThereFilm
  21. 1985The Golden GirlsSeries: Dorothy Zbornak (180 episodes)
  22. 1984P.O.P.Film: Rosalyn Gordon
  23. 1984a.k.a. PabloSeries (1 episode)
  24. 1983Amanda'sSeries: Amanda Cartwright (13 episodes)
  25. 1981History of the World: Part IFilm: Dole office clerk (uncredited)
  26. 1978The Star Wars Holiday SpecialFilm: Ackmena
  27. 1974MameFilm: Vera
  28. 1972MaudeSeries: Maude Findlay (141 episodes)
  29. 1971All in the FamilySeries: Maude Findlay (2 episodes)
  30. 1970Lovers and Other StrangersFilm: Bea Vecchio
  31. 1959That Kind of WomanFilm: WAC (uncredited)
  32. 1958The Gift of the MagiFilm: Mrs. Abercrombie
  33. 1954Max Liebman PresentsSeries (1 episode)
  34. 1951Hallmark Hall of FameSeries: Mrs. Abercrombie (1 episode)
  35. 1948Studio OneSeries (3 episodes)

Biography and credits from TMDB. This website uses TMDB and the TMDB APIs but is not endorsed, certified, or otherwise approved by TMDB.