Heaven needed a friend so they called Bea Arthur 1922-2009

I never really liked All in the Family when I was a kid. I always thought that Archie was so mean to poor Edith. But one night I watched the show and there was a new character. Her Name was Maude and she was Edith’s cousin. As annoying as Archie was, Maude was a breath of fresh air. She was bold and brash and she did not take anybody shit but Walters.

Now this show All in the family might have the spin off record. There was Archie Bunker's Place, The Jefferson’s and Maude, which spun off Good Times. Now what is funny is I loved the Jefferson’s and I learned to love all in the family but I learned to hate Good Times. I guess I just could not identify with the family. I did identify with The Cosby’s though because that is the kind of family I grew up in.

But I digress back to Maude that show made me laugh and it also made me cry it was just an all around great show. When it went off the air I was truly sad. I watched the movie Mame with Bea Arthur and Lucille Ball and I actually liked it. It was different it was a musical and being queer I just like musicals OK. Auntie Mame with Rosalind Russell is the original. It was the height of camp and fabulousness.

I was so thrilled when Empty Nest had a spin off called Golden Girls after lousing Mary Tyler Moore, Rhoda and Maude we needed another girl show on TV. The show had a dream cast with Rue McClanahan playing against type of her character on Maude and Betty White playing against type of the character on MTM. Estelle Getty played Sophia Pertrello the mother of Bea Arthur’s character. Together they were brilliant. That is a show that I will watch and it still makes me laugh. Bea Arthur was someone who I just loved to watch. She was a big part of my TV watching life and she will be truly missed.

Yes there were plenty of jokes made about Bea Arthur but she was truly loved. Her success transcended the small screen and it graced Broadway and the Silver Screen. Bea Arthur was a star. She was sheer talent. She was one of those rare actresses who could do it all. One of the greats. Hollywood will shine less brightly now that another star is gone. The saving grace is that she will live on forever as long as there is cable, videotape and DVD’s. Her legacy will live on and we can always get our Golden Girl fix.

Bernice Frankel, 1922-2009 Thank you for being a friend.

This Elmysterio And I'm saddend