“The Golden Girls” is a beloved American sitcom that aired from 1985 to 1992, capturing the hearts of viewers with its humor and heartfelt moments. The show revolves around four older women sharing a home in Miami, facing life’s ups and downs together.
Many fans of this show admitted to rewatching it multiple times that even they can’t remember the exact number. However, there are still some interesting facts about “The Golden Girls” that you didn’t know.
1. Either Lee Grant or Elaine Stritch could have played Dorothy
Many might not know that show creator Susan Harris initially approached actress Lee Grant for the role. However, Grant was busy with movies at the time and wasn’t too keen on playing a grandmother. So, Harris turned to Bea Arthur, who she had originally envisioned for the role of Dorothy.
At that time, NBC executives were hesitant because they felt Bea Arthur’s popularity score, known as her Q score, was too low. Bea Arthur wasn’t initially eager to take on the role either, until Rue McClanahan, who played Blanche, encouraged her not to miss out on such a fantastic script. Finally, Bea Arthur took on the role.
One iconic figure who auditioned for the role of Dorothy was the legendary actress Elaine Stritch, known for her impressive Tony and Emmy Award wins. Reflecting on her audition, Stritch said, “It was a damn good script.” She added, “I blew a multi-million, zillion dollar, international, syndicated, residual-grabbing, bopparoni, smasharoni, television situation comedy entitled, The Golden Girls!”
2. “The Golden Girls” was warm reunions
Do you notice that Betty White (played Rose Nylund) and Rue McClanahan (played Blanche Devereaux) initially shared the screen on The Carol Burnett Show? Their comedic chemistry continued to shine when they collaborated on the hilariously entertaining Mama’s Family. However, after the show’s second season, there were some changes in the cast. So, Betty and Rue went on to The Golden Girls.
Interestingly, Rue McClanahan had a wonderful opportunity to work alongside Bea Arthur in the popular series, “Maude.” In the show, McClanahan played the role of Vivian, Maude’s next-door neighbor. That’s why when Rue told Bea to accept the job on The Golden Girls, she took it.
3. How “Thank You For Being A Friend” song created
The Golden Girls theme song, “Thank You For Being A Friend”, is just as famous as the talented ladies themselves. But did you know it almost didn’t exist? Originally, producers wanted to use Bette Midler’s song “Friends,” but it was too expensive.
Instead, in 1978, Andrew Gold wrote and recorded the song. It became a hit, reaching #25 on the Billboard Hot 100. Cynthia Fee provided the vocals for the theme, and later recorded it again for the spin-off series The Golden Palace on CBS.
4. Estelle Getty was “scared” when playing her role
Even skilled actors get nervous sometimes when they take on a role. Take Estelle Getty, for instance. While portraying Sophia Petrillo, the actress suffered from severe stage fright. It got so bad as this anxiety sometimes caused her to freeze in front of the camera during Friday night tapings. Getty feared the live audience would somehow find out she wasn’t as good as they thought. To cope with her fears, Getty wrote her lines everywhere – on props, in cabinets, even on salt and pepper shakers!
5. Queen Elizabeth II was a vocal Golden Girls fan
The quartet of Bea Arthur, Betty White, Rue McClanahan, and Estelle Getty performed live at the London Palladium in 1988, with Queen Elizabeth II and other royals in attendance.
Betty White described the event as exciting and lovely, but they were told not to address her royal highness unless spoken to first. During the performance, the queen had the chance to explore the set, and hopefully, even enjoyed a slice of cheesecake.
Another huge fan of “The Golden Girls” was Freddie Mercury Queen. Freddie often watched the show with Princess Diana herself. It’s said that they would spend afternoons together, sipping champagne and playfully adding their own risqué commentary to the show’s audio.
6. There only ever three chairs at their kitchen table
Have you ever wondered why there are only three chairs at the kitchen table during scenes with Blanche, Dorothy, Sophia, and Rose? It wasn’t a mistake, but rather a logistical choice. The producers arranged it this way because of the set layout and camera angles. They wanted to avoid crowding all four women together and make sure that no actress had her back to the camera.
Bea Arthur always sat in the middle chair because of her height and because the showrunners found her hilarious expressions even more entertaining when she was in the middle of a lively discussion!
7. The reason why the series ended is unexpected
The finale of the popular TV series “The Golden Girls,” titled “One Flew Out of the Cuckoo’s Nest,” attracted a whopping 27.2 million viewers, making it the 16th most-watched TV finale ever. Despite its outstanding achievements, why did the series end?
By season 7, Bea Arthur, one of the main actresses, openly expressed her desire to move on from the series. She felt that the show’s quality was declining and didn’t want it to fade away gradually. Instead, she suggested ending it on a high note to leave a lasting impression.
8. “The Golden Girls” were supposed to have a chef
According to the original script, the show had a character named Coco (played by actor Charles Levin), who served as the personal chef for the girls. He appeared in the pilot episode of the show, but was ultimately cut as the show became a series, because the producers wanted the kitchen to be where much of the action took place and thought a chef would detract from that camaraderie. Plus, Sophia was a great cook.
He appeared in the pilot episode but was later removed from the series as it progressed. The producers felt that having a chef would affect the camaraderie and the dynamics they wanted to establish in the kitchen, where much of the action was centered. Additionally, Sophia’s culinary skills were showcased, so the presence of a chef became unnecessary.
9. Betty White was originally supposed to play Blanche
It might be a surprise to you that initially, White was cast as Blanche Dubois, the man-chasing roommate, but the director suggested a role swap between White and McClanahan. As a result, White portrayed Rose, a character whose innocence often made her the target of jokes. This change proved successful, and both the show and White’s performance received widespread acclaim.
10. Estelle Getty was one year younger than her TV daughter
In fact, Estelle Getty was actually a year younger than her TV daughter, Bea Arthur, who portrayed Dorothy Zbornak. It took the makeup team about 45 minutes to make her look like Sophia Petrillo during the first season of the show. However, things got trickier in the second season when Getty appeared even younger than before.
11. Betty White and Bea Arthur didn’t always get along
In 2011, Betty spoke openly about her tense relationship with Bea. “She was not that fond of me,” White revealed during a talk in 2011, as reported by the Village Voice. “She found me a pain in the neck sometimes. It was my positive attitude — and that made Bea mad sometimes. Sometimes if I was happy, she’d be furious!”
According to White, her attitude was the root of the problem. She was always cheerful and optimistic, which clashed with the more reserved and quiet nature of Arthur.
12. Rue McClanahan got to keep all her clothes
Rue McClanahan, who portrayed Blanche on the show, had a special agreement in her contract. It stated that she could keep all the outfits she wore while filming. So, after the show ended, she held onto the clothes for years. Eventually, in 2011, some of these outfits were sold at an estate sale.