The Jewish actress best known for her role as Dorothy on the classic TV sitcom The Golden Girls, Bea Arthur, passed away 16 years ago in April 2009. Arthur was born Bernice Frankel to a Jewish family in Brooklyn in 1922. During WWII, she was one of the first women to enlist in the US Marine Corps Women’s Reserve. She married fellow Marine Robert Alan Aurthur, but the couple divorced after three years, and the actress kept his last name with a slight change in spelling. In 1964, she starred on Broadway as Yente the matchmaker in Fiddler on the Roof, a role often credited with launching her career. In 1966, she won her first Tony for her performance as Vera Charles in Mame. Arthur went on to win Emmy Awards for her roles in both Maude and The Golden Girls, with memorable appearances on All in the Family and other classics along the way. Her sharp humor and unique comedic delivery are greatly missed; thank you for being a friend. May her memory be a blessing.
Photo: The Golden Girls
