The Golden Girls is a highly cherished and timeless sitcom that has captured the hearts of television viewers for years. The show centers around four women who are at a particular stage in life, living together in 1980s Miami. It resonated with a wide range of viewers, predating Sex and the City’s famous question, “Are you a Charlotte or a Samantha?” Undoubtedly, the TV series owes much of its charm to the clever banter and snappy comebacks exchanged by its four talented stars: Bea Arthur as Dorothy Zbornak, Betty White as Rose Nylund, Rue McClanahan as Blanche Devereaux, and Estelle Getty as Dorothy’s mother, Sophia Petrillo. The actors crafted four captivating characters that will be cherished by generations.

We all adore the ever-cheerful Betty White, who, at the impressive age of 98, stands as the last surviving member of the beloved Golden Girls. However, our understanding of the Golden Girls’ backgrounds remains limited. Discover the celebrities behind the sitcom before it aired. Imagine this, as Sophia would say.

Betty White began her career during the early era of television.

Before The Mary Tyler Moore Show and The Golden Girls, Betty White embarked on her long and successful career shortly after graduating from Beverly Hills High School in 1939. She started off by working for an experimental channel in Los Angeles. She gained recognition on television during the late 1940s and early 1950s. According to Britannica, she began her career as a co-host of Hollywood on Television and eventually transitioned into the role of host.

During a conversation with the White House in 2012, White expressed her strong affinity for her initial job, stating that it solidified her desire to remain in that field for the long haul.

She rapidly emerged as a trailblazer for women in the entertainment field, taking on her inaugural sitcom, Life With Elizabeth, in 1952 — a project she also co-produced. The show earned the comedic actor her very first Emmy Award.

Bea Arthur had the lead role in her own television show

Bea Arthur landed a guest role on All in the Family in 1971, portraying Edith Bunker’s candid and progressive cousin Maude. She served as a perfect contrast to the highly conservative Archie Bunker. The two engaged in a fierce competition during the episode, which Arthur later described as a “delightful experience” in an interview with Pop Goes The Culture. She expressed some initial apprehension about the role, explaining that her close friendship with creator Norman Lear made her hesitant to potentially dislike the part.

It goes without saying that Arthur adored the role. She had such a strong affinity for it that she continued to portray the character for six years on her very own sitcom, Maude, where she played the lead role, of course.

Arthur remembered how her performance on All in the Family impressed a television executive so much that he immediately wanted to develop a series centered around her. And that’s how she secured her very own sitcom. “Who is that girl?” “Let’s give her her own show,” Arthur recalled. “After a few weeks, I found myself starring in my very own show, Maude.” And it was incredibly thrilling. How thrilling!

Interestingly, she also appeared alongside her future Golden Girls co-star Rue McClanahan, who portrayed Maude’s close friend, Vivian.

Rue McClanahan had a total of six marriages throughout her life.