Picture it, New York City, 1923… Estelle Getty was born as Estelle Scher to Polish Jewish immigrants on the Lower East Side. The future “Golden Girl” discovered her love for acting at the age of four while watching vaudeville performances at the Academy of Music and got her start in Yiddish theater and off-Broadway productions. She married Arthur Gettleman in 1947 and adopted the stage name Estelle Getty.
By the age of 62, Getty had been a New York stage actress for several decades before landing her breakout television role on the popular sitcom The Golden Girls. Her character, Sophia Petrillo, was in her 80s, 20 years older than the actress. Getty was cast as the mother of Dorothy, a role played by fellow Jewish actress Bea Arthur, who was actually a year older than Getty. The Golden Girls ran from 1985 to 1992, and in 1988, she won an Emmy for her role as Sophia.
Getty passed away in 2008 at the age of 84. Her quick-witted punchlines and sharp delivery were one of a kind; thank you for being a friend.
