Bea Arthur
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. 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 | Acting |
|---|---|
| Most Rating | 1.3561 |
| Birthday | 1922-05-13 |
| Place of Birth | New York City, New York, USA |
| Also Known As | Beatrice Arthur, Bernice Frankel, |
1981
History of the World: Part I
6.751/946
An uproarious version of history that proves nothing is sacred – not even the Roman Empire, the French Revolution and the Spanish Inquisition.
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History of the World: Part I
2021
Forever Golden! A Celebration of the Golden Girls
10/2
For the first time on the big screen, celebrate The Golden Girls with a special screening of some of the most memorable episodes from the series.
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Forever Golden! A Celebration of the Golden Girls
1959
That Kind of Woman
6.2/14
A young G.I. falls in love with a kept woman on a train to New York.
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That Kind of Woman
2004
Broadway's Lost Treasures II
8.25/4
The annual Tony Award broadcast provides the only filmed record of Broadway's best for audiences to experience as if they were front-row-center on ope...
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Broadway's Lost Treasures II
1974
Mame
5.8/33
The madcap life of eccentric Mame Dennis and her bohemian, intellectual arty clique is disrupted when her deceased brother's 10-year-old son Patrick i...
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Mame
1980
The Sensational Shocking Wonderful Wacky 70's
4/1
A look back at the people, events, music, and trends of the 1970s.
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The Sensational Shocking Wonderful Wacky 70's
1970
Lovers and Other Strangers
5.058/26
Mike Vecchio and Susan Henderson are preparing for their upcoming wedding. However, they seem to be the only two people at the wedding that are happy....
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Lovers and Other Strangers
2018
Betty White: First Lady of Television
7.267/15
The definitive look at Betty White's life and career. As the only authorized documentary on Betty ever made, this film is packed with hilarious clips...
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Betty White: First Lady of Television
1978
The Star Wars Holiday Special
3.4/522
Luke Skywalker and Han Solo battle evil Imperial forces to help Chewbacca reach his imperiled family on the Wookiee planet - in time for Life Day, the...
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The Star Wars Holiday Special
1999
The N.Y. Friars Club Roast of Jerry Stiller
5.667/9
The annual roast of the Friars Club, a fraternal organization for comedians, is a big honor - and yet can be a major embarrassment. The roastee being...
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The N.Y. Friars Club Roast of Jerry Stiller
2003
Broadway: The Golden Age, by the Legends Who Were There
7/7
Broadway: The Golden Age is the most important, ambitious and comprehensive film ever made about America's most celebrated indigenous art form. Award...
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Broadway: The Golden Age, by the Legends Who Were There
1995
For Better or Worse
4.7/7
A comic love triangle wherein a loser falls in love with his recently-married brother's wife.
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For Better or Worse
1988
Happy Birthday, Bob: 50 Stars Salute Your 50 Years with NBC
6/3
Stars celebrate Bob Hope's 50 years with NBC.
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Happy Birthday, Bob: 50 Stars Salute Your 50 Years with NBC
2023
Rock Hudson: All That Heaven Allowed
5.7/20
This timely exploration of Hollywood and LGBTQ+ identity examines the life of legendary actor Rock Hudson, from his public "ladies' man" persona to hi...
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Rock Hudson: All That Heaven Allowed
2000
Enemies of Laughter
6/3
Nerdy-looking Paul is a neurotic, failed sitcom writer, with a lackluster love life. But his best pal has an idea that might turn things around when h...
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Enemies of Laughter
1987
Jay Leno's Family Comedy Hour
7/1
Jay Leno hosts "Jay Leno's Family Comedy Hour," a one hour special featuring a humorous look at the American family.
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Jay Leno's Family Comedy Hour
2003
The Golden Girls: Their Greatest Moments
6.8/5
A 90-minute special reuniting the main cast of the American sitcom, "The Golden Girls", where they share their favorite moments from the show, behind-...
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The Golden Girls: Their Greatest Moments
1988
Irving Berlin's 100th Birthday Celebration
8/1
The life, career, and music of Irving Berlin are celebrated live on stage with musical performances.
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Irving Berlin's 100th Birthday Celebration
2005
Comedy Central Roast of Pamela Anderson
6.592/65
Comedy Central's best roasters and stand up comedians take a whack at actor/model Pamela Anderson.
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Comedy Central Roast of Pamela Anderson
1990
Night of 100 Stars III
4.333/3
A celebrity benefit for The Actors' Fund of America, featuring music, songs, dance and comedy.
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Night of 100 Stars III
1986
Walt Disney World 15th Anniversary
8/1
The Walt Disney World resort turned 15 years old in 1986. On November 9, 1986, ABC aired Walt Disney World's 15th Birthday Celebration. Hosted by Be...
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Walt Disney World 15th Anniversary
2021
The Golden Girls: Ageless
10/1
During seven years of cheesecake and massive laughs, "The Golden Girls" was TV's unlikeliest hit; pairing three seasoned TV pros and one small-screen...
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The Golden Girls: Ageless
2016
O.J.: Made in America
8.404/267
A chronicle of the rise and fall of O.J. Simpson, whose high-profile murder trial exposed the extent of American racial tensions, revealing a fracture...
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O.J.: Made in America
1988
My First Love
9.5/2
Widow Jean Miller thinks she's ready for a new romance with her high school sweetheart, Sam Morrissey, a physician of considerable means. The only thi...
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My First Love
2003
The Golden Girls: Lifetime Intimate Portrait Series
9.4/5
Lifetime's "Intimate Portrait" series shines a spotlight on the Golden Girls -- Bea Arthur, Betty White, Estelle Getty and Rue McClanahan -- with a co...
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The Golden Girls: Lifetime Intimate Portrait Series
1988
Mickey's 60th Birthday
6.775/20
This film combines live action/original animation and library animation. Mickey steals a magic hat from a Sorcerer and is put under a spell by the ang...
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Mickey's 60th Birthday
1980
The Beatrice Arthur Special
0/0
The Beatrice Arthur Special was a prime time U.S. television special broadcast on CBS on January 19, 1980. The production centered around Bea Arthur,...
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The Beatrice Arthur Special
1996
A Benefit Celebration: A Tribute to Angela Lansbury
0/0
Broadway salute to Tony Award-winning actress Angela Lansbury in a star-packed gala November 17,1996 at the Majestic Theatre on Broadway. The event wa...
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A Benefit Celebration: A Tribute to Angela Lansbury
1994
Jerry Herman's Broadway at the Hollywood Bowl
9/3
He hasn't had a new Broadway show since 1983's La Cage Aux Folles, but composer Jerry Herman has become ubiquitous on the concert, tribute and benefit...
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Jerry Herman's Broadway at the Hollywood Bowl
1958
The Gift of the Magi
8/1
A musical version of O. Henry's famous Christmas story.
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The Gift of the Magi
1984
P.O.P.
0/0
A magazine editor battles her ex-con husband when he returns to the scene after a 21-year absence.
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P.O.P.
1982
Night of 100 Stars
5.8/5
The most glittering, expensive, and exhausting videotaping session in television history took place Friday February 19, 1982 at New York's Radio City...
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Night of 100 Stars
1990
The Earth Day Special
6.083/12
The Earth Day Special is a television special revolving around Earth Day that aired on ABC on April 22, 1990. Sponsored by Time Warner, the special fe...
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The Earth Day Special
2021
Broadway: Beyond the Golden Age
0/0
Broadway: Beyond the Golden Age explores the world of Broadway from 1959 through the early 1980s as recounted by a diverse cast of Broadway stars who...
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Broadway: Beyond the Golden Age
1987
Happy 100th Birthday, Hollywood
6/7
A TV special on the 100th anniversary of the birth of film.
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Happy 100th Birthday, Hollywood
1986
All Star Party for Clint Eastwood
6/1
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All Star Party for Clint Eastwood
2025
The Golden Girls: 40 Years of Laughter and Friendship - A Special Edition of 20/20
9/2
The special celebrates the 40th anniversary of the beloved sitcom and features interviews with the series creator Susan Harris, executive producer Ton...
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The Golden Girls: 40 Years of Laughter and Friendship - A Special Edition of 20/20
1985
The NBC All Star Hour: Let's All Be There
0/0
The NBC All Star Hour (1985) was a one-hour primetime television special that brought together stars from NBC’s biggest shows of the mid-1980s, blendi...
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The NBC All Star Hour: Let's All Be There
2025
Henry Fonda for President
7/1
A personal essay about the United States viewed through the life and work of the late American film and stage actor Henry Fonda.
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Henry Fonda for President
2004
The Best of So Graham Norton
0/0
Part talk-show host, part comedian, and all-out extrovert, the very Irish and very gay Graham Norton is one of the few people who deserves all the adj...
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