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News To Know: Goodbye Bea Arthur
By Dave Goldstein, April 29, 2009 10:19 AM
Bea Arthur, the hilarious actress and icon for older women everywhere, passed away this past Saturday at the age of 86.
You may have known her as Maude or as our witty and candid friend Dorothy on The Golden Girls - either way, she was no lady to mess with, and will be missed deeply by her fans worldwide. She defied the stereotype of what an older woman is supposed to be, particularly on The Golden Girls. She once told reporter Hal Boedeker about why the show was so successful:
"It's refreshing to see older women who look great, who dress great, who are kind of ballsy ladies," she said. "When I was given the script originally, it never dawned on me that these were older women. I just thought, 'What a funny, funny show.' "
And boy, did she epitomize that. So here's to Bea - she shall never be forgotten!