Estelle Getty Dies
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Golden Girls star Estelle Getty passed away. She was 84 years old.
Estelle Getty was born July 25, 1923 in New York. Her real name is Estelle Scher. She was the daughter of Polish immigrants. She got married in 1946 and had two sons. Her husband of 57 years died in 2004. Estelle suffered from Lewy Body Dementia for the last 8 or 9 years of her life. For those of you who don’t know what Lewy Body Dementia is, it’s a progressive brain disease. The disease is similar to Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s Disease.
Career
Estelle Getty started her career late. She starred in theater, television, and movies. Estelle Getty was best known as the wisecracking Sophia Petrillo on the Golden Girls. She played Sophia for about 7 years on the Golden Girls. She won an Emmy in 1988. I really enjoyed the Golden Girls. It is still one of my favorite shows. I try to watch it was much as I can. Estelle also played Sophia on Golden Palace and Empty Nest.
Estelle had a role in the Broadway play Torch Song Trilogy before she starred on the Golden Girls. I saw the move, but I never saw the play. I’m sure she did a great job. She also had roles in the movies Mask (with Cher), Mannequin (with Kim Cattral and Andrew McCarthy), Stop Or My Mom Will Shoot (with Sylvester Stallone), as well as other movies. I saw Mask and Mannequin and I thought she did a great job in both of them. She managed to separate herself from her role on Golden Girls.
Her death
Estelle died in her home on Tuesday, July 22. She would have turned 85 of Friday. She is survived by her two adult sons as well as her brother and sister.
Golden Girls trivia
Estelle was actually a year younger than Bea Arthur even though she played her mother.
Estelle felt intimidated by Bea Arthur during the show’s run.
It was actually Estelle’s idea to carry a purse in all of her scenes. I always noticed that she would carry a bag, but I didn’t know that was her idea.
Estelle had to read teleprompters while filming the Golden Girls. She used to have trouble remembering her lines. Estelle read her lines so well that you would never know that she had trouble with them. I wonder if she was in the early stages of dementia at that time.
My thoughts
I was really shocked to find out that Estelle died. I knew that she wasn’t doing too well, but I am still shocked. I know that she is in a better place and she is not suffering anymore, but it’s still strange that she’s gone. It will be so had to watch the Golden Girls repeats now that she is no longer with us. My prayers go out to her loved ones. Rest in peace, Estelle.
2 Comments
Dear C A Johnson,
what a beautiful memorial to Estelle Getty you have written hon, it is right up there as one of your finest pieces you have written. Your a writer who is not stuck to one genre, you are a very versatile writer and I thank-you for sharing your talents with me and the rest of the world. Thank-you again for sending me the link your my only link at the moment to Triond and what a fine writer Triond has found in you.
Thank you so much, Michelle. I am really glad that you liked it. Thanks for the wonderful words of encouragement about my articles. It’s always good to know that people appreciate the things I write. It always makes me want to write more things.