Bea Arthur
Known for
Bea Arthur was a stage actress before television made her a household name, and the training showed: a low voice, exact timing, and a stillness that let a line land without help. She won a Tony for 'Mame' on Broadway, then played Maude Findlay — first on 'All in the Family', then in the spin-off 'Maude', a sitcom that took on subjects American networks generally avoided. A decade later she returned as Dorothy Zbornak in 'The Golden Girls', the acid centre of a four-woman household. She won Emmy Awards for both roles.
Bea Arthur
9 Movies
12 Series
Bea Arthur was a stage actress before television made her a household name, and the training showed: a low voice, exact timing, and a stillness that let a line land without help. She won a Tony for 'Mame' on Broadway, then played Maude Findlay — first on 'All in the Family', then in the spin-off 'Maude', a sitcom that took on subjects American networks generally avoided. A decade later she returned as Dorothy Zbornak in 'The Golden Girls', the acid centre of a four-woman household. She won Emmy Awards for both roles.
TV Shows
Plays Dorothy Zbornak
The Golden Girls
1985
Plays Maude Findlay
Maude
1972
Plays Amanda Cartwright
Amanda's
1983
Plays Mel Bloom
Dave's World
1993
Plays Dorothy Hollingsworth
The Golden Palace
1992
Plays Maude Findlay
All in the Family
1971
Plays Femputer (voice)
Futurama
1999
Plays Dorothy Zbornak
Empty Nest
1988
Plays Mrs. White
Malcolm in the Middle
2000
Plays Mrs. Abercrombie
Hallmark Hall of Fame
1951
Plays Larry's Mother
Curb Your Enthusiasm
2000
Plays The Voice
Emily of New Moon
1998
Latest Trailers
Watch Trailer
Comedy Central Roast of Pamela Anderson
Full Filmography
Enemies of Laughter
Paul's Mother
2000
Film
Curb Your Enthusiasm
Larry's Mother · 1 episode
2000–
TV
Malcolm in the Middle
Mrs. White · 1 episode
2000–
TV
Futurama
Femputer (voice) · 1 episode
1999–
TV
Emily of New Moon
The Voice · 1 episode
1998–
TV
For Better or Worse
Beverly Makeshift
1995
Film
Jerry Herman's Broadway at the Hollywood Bowl
Self
1994
Film
Dave's World
Mel Bloom · 3 episodes
1993–
TV
The Golden Palace
Dorothy Hollingsworth · 2 episodes
1992–
TV
Photos
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Bea Arthur still alive?
Bea Arthur passed away on April 25, 2009 at age 86.
What are the most famous roles of Bea Arthur?
Bea Arthur is best known for roles in History of the World: Part I, The Star Wars Holiday Special, Comedy Central Roast of Pamela Anderson.
How many movies has Bea Arthur been in?
Over a 51-year career (since 1958), Bea Arthur has appeared in 6 movies and 12 TV shows.
What was Bea Arthur's first movie?
The career of Bea Arthur began with The Gift of the Magi (1958).
What is Bea Arthur's most recent movie or series?
Bea Arthur's most recent release is Back to the Grind, which premiered on July 18, 2007.
What TV shows has Bea Arthur appeared in?
On television, Bea Arthur has appeared in Malcolm in the Middle, Futurama, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Saturday Night Live.
Bea Arthur
1922-05-13 · New York City, New York, USA
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.