Bea Arthur Biography

Bea Arthur was born Bernice Frankel on May 13, 1922, in Brooklyn, New York City, USA, to Jewish parents Philip and Rebecca Frankel. During the Great Depression in the 1930s, the family, which included Arthur’s two sisters, moved to Cambridge, Maryland, where her parents opened a clothing store.

She attended ‘Linden Hall School for Girls’ in Lititz, Pennsylvania, and graduated from there in 1941. For two years, she studied at ‘Blackstone College for Girls.’ She then joined ‘Franklin Institute of Science and Arts,’ from where she earned a degree as a medical laboratory technician.

Bea Arthur, who volunteered and served as a truck driver and typist in the ‘Marine Corps’ during ‘World War II,’ became one of the first active-duty women in ‘US Marine.’ She received an Honorable Discharge in September 1944.

She performed in theatre in high school, and dreamt of having a career in show business. In 1947, she convinced her parents to let her study acting at ‘Erwin Piscator's Dramatic Workshop of The New School’ in New York City.

During her initial stint as a lounge singer, Bea Arthur was laughed at for her tall stature and husky voice. However, her tall stature and husky voice landed her lead roles at Piscator's workshop. She made her theatre debut on July 21, 1947, as a member of the speaking chorus in 'The Dog Beneath the Skin' at the ‘Cherry Lane Theatre.’

She received critical acclaim for her performance as ‘Lucy Brown’ in the 1954 off-Broadway production of 'The Threepenny Opera,' the English adaptation of Kurt Weill's classic. The play ran for a long time and earned her praise for both her singing and acting skills.

'Nature’s Way,' her first Broadway comedy, opened on October 16, 1957, at the ‘Coronet Theatre.’ She was cast in a minor role, but was able to impress critics with her performance. She was equally impressive in her next role as a dominating brothel madam in the stage adaptation of James Joyce’s famous novel 'Ulysses,' which premiered on June 5, 1958, at the off-Broadway ‘Rooftop Theatre.’

Soon after, she took a break from stage plays, returning to theatre on September 22, 1964, to play ‘Yente the Matchmaker’ in the musical 'Fiddler on the Roof.' Her most prominent stage role came in 1966 when she portrayed ‘Vera Charles’ in the critically successful musical 'Mame.'

Bea Arthur, who previously did minor roles in various television shows and was a regular performer in 'Caesar's Hour,' debuted on the big screen in 1959 in 'That Kind of Woman,' which starred Sophia Loren. Norman Lear, who was fan of Bea Arthur since her early theatrical shows, invited her to play a guest role in the television show 'All in the Family,' in which she appeared from 1971 to 1972.

Her portrayal of an outspoken liberal feminist named ‘Maude Findlay’ in 'All in the Family' became so popular that CBS created her own show based on the same character. Titled 'Maude,' the series became a hit and ran for six seasons from 1972 to 1978.

In 1974, she reprised her role in the film version of 'Mame,' which was directed by her husband. She went on to appear in a number of movies, including 'Lovers and Other Strangers' (1970) and 'For Better or Worse' (1995).

In 1978, she appeared in 'Star Wars Holiday Special' in which she performed song and dance routines. In 1980, she hosted 'The Beatrice Arthur Special.' In 1983, she appeared in the sitcom 'Amanda's.'

In 1985, she was cast as ‘Dorothy Zbornak’ in the TV series 'The Golden Girls,' which focused on four older women who share a home in Miami, Florida. It was one of the first TV shows to feature more than 40 characters in its main cast.

‘Maude Findlay’ is Bea Arthur's most famous character on television. She portrayed the character on two different series. At almost fifty years of age, she surprised the audience as well as the critics by turning a guest role into a long running successful television show.

In the show 'The Golden Girls,' she once again portrayed a strong female character who tackled many controversial topics of the time. The series went on to become one of the top shows.

She earned 'Primetime Emmy Awards' for 'Maude' and 'The Golden Girls.' With nine ‘Emmy’ nominations for 'Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series,' she is the third-most nominated artist in the category. She also received nine 'Golden Globe' nominations for the two television series.

In 1947, Bea Arthur married Robert Alan Aurthur whom she met during her time in the military. The marriage was short-lived and ended in divorce in 1950, but she kept his surname.

In 1949, she met Gene Saks, who was a fellow student at the ‘Dramatic Workshop,’ and got married to him on May 28, 1950. They adopted and raised two sons, Matthew and Daniel. While Matthew went on to become an actor, Daniel became a set designer. Saks and Bea Arthur divorced in 1978.

She died of cancer on April 25, 2009, in her home in Brentwood. She left $300,000 to New York's 'Ali Forney Center,' an organization that supports homeless LGBT youths. As an animal activist, she had a long association with PETA, which honored her by naming 'Bea Arthur Dog Park' in her memory.

Bea Arthur was a U.S. Marine during World War II, serving as a truck driver and typist. She was one of the first women to enlist in the Marine Corps Women's Reserve.

Bea Arthur was known for her deep voice, which she often joked about. She once said, "I was born with this deep voice. One day, I found a lump in my throat and I thought, 'I'll be darned, that's where it went!'"

Bea Arthur was an avid animal lover and supported various animal welfare organizations throughout her life. She even adopted several rescue dogs and cats.

Bea Arthur was a talented singer and performer, with a background in musical theater. She won a Tony Award for her role in the Broadway musical "Mame" before finding fame on television.

Bea Arthur was known for her quick wit and sharp sense of humor. She often ad-libbed lines on set, keeping her co-stars on their toes and adding spontaneity to her performances.