Golden Girls React To Estelle Getty's Death

20 votes
I Like It I Don't Like It
Pictures: 'Golden Girl' Estelle Getty Has Died
Copyright 2008 Ron Galella / Getty Images
See More... Estelle Getty, the lovable, saucy actress best known for her role as feisty mother Sophia Petrillo in the hit sitcom "The Golden Girls," has died. She was just days away from her 85th birthday. "The Insider" confirms the actress passed away at 5:35 a.m. Pacific Time this morning with her two sons by her side.

Upon hearing the sad news, Bea Arthur said "Our mother-daughter relationship was one of the greatest comic duo's ever, and I will miss her."

Rue McClanahan added: "Estelle always wanted to be an actress, and she achieved that goal beyond her dreams. Don't feel sad about her passing - she will always be with us in her crowning achievement - Sophia."

Meanwhile, Betty White said that even though Getty has passed, her character will live on. "The only comfort at this moment is, that although Estelle has moved on, Sophia will always be with us."

Born in New York, NY on July 25, 1923, Estelle didn't start her entertainment career until the early 1970s on Broadway, though as a teen she was already an energetic performer, eager to audition for plays. She got her first big break with the Broadway hit, Torch Song Trilogy, in which she played a Jewish mother whose son is a drag queen. The part had been written especially for her by playwright Harvey Firestein.

When NBC producers caught the show during a national tour of the play, they were so enamored with her that they asked her to audition for a new show called "The Golden Girls." But Estelle was reportedly turned down because she was too young for the role. It wasn't until she returned a few auditions later, wearing make-up aging her 20 years and an oversized dress from a thrift-shop, that she was able to nab the part of 80-year-old Sophia Petrillo.

The sitcom debuted in 1985 and quickly became one of the top 10 most-watched shows in America, earning 57 Emmy nominations and making audiences laugh for seven seasons. Estelle also made several notable film appearances. In 1984, she played Cher's mother in the Peter Bogdanovich film, 'Mask.' She took on a leading role in 1992 as Sylvester Stallone's mother in the action/comedy flick 'Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot!' She also appeared as Grandma Estelle in the 1999 family film 'Stuart Little.' In 2000, she announced that she had Parkinson's disease, and four years later it was revealed that she was also suffering from dementia.

Published 7/22/08 by the Insider

Add Your Comment

Your email address (will not be published, but is required):

Your comment:

No links or abusive language please!

Add Comment

Comments (34)

  • Good bye sweet lady you provided me with hours and hours of enjoyment. You were a hoot.
    anonymous 16 granny 7/22/08 Reply
     
  • Estelle - you were BRILLIANT!!!!!! Rest In Peace - thanks for the laughs over the years!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    anonymous anonymous 7/22/08 Reply
     
  • If I ever need a laugh or just want to watch four amazing women, I turn on Golden Girls. My favorite Sophia Line: Jealousy is a very ugly thing, Dorothy!-and so are you, in anything backless. God Bless you Estelle.
    anonymous anonymous 7/22/08 Reply
     
  • I still watch all the reruns! You were a wonderful way to start my day. R.I.P.
    anonymous anonymous 7/22/08 Reply
     
  • goodbye to the greatest entertainer of all time. I loved her as sofia she was on of my favorite golden girls. everytime i watch her on the golden girls i will alway remember how good of an actress she was.
    anonymous anonymous 7/22/08 Reply
     
  • I just want to send prays out to the gettys family, I was a big fan of Estelle since she played on golden girls she will be truly miss even though I didnt know her that well.
    anonymous anonymous 7/22/08 Reply
     
  • sweet,i saw her photos on a tall celeb site,seems named :" ...com ",you know?
    anonymous anonymous 7/22/08 Reply
     
  • Estelle, you were one of the best entertainers ever. You always made me laugh. You may have moved on to a better place...but sophia will still be here whenever we need her. Your family,castmates and fans will miss you greatly. The golden girls always cheer me up. I love you Estelle.


    we will miss you!
    anonymous anonymous 7/22/08 Reply
     
  • I'm sorry to hear about estelle's passsing I was a fan of the Golden Girls and still will be. God bless you estelle and rest in peace now. Sarah
    anonymous 11 SarahA7 7/22/08 Reply
     
  • SOPHIA WAS FABULOUS AND SHE WILL BE MISSED BUT HER LEGACY WILL SURELY LIVE ON I WATCH THE GOLDEN GIRLS EVERY DAY MY DAY IS NOT THE SAME IF I DONT WATCH THEM ... WE ALL LOVE ESTELLE AND SHE WILL SURELY BE REMEMBERED *&ROY FROM ALABAMA&*
    anonymous anonymous 7/22/08 Reply
     
  • I just want to say that i was a still is a huge Golden Girls fan. I watch Golden Girls every single day. I am sorry for the lost of Ms. Getty becasue she will be greatly missed. You all are in my prayers-
    anonymous anonymous 7/22/08 Reply
     
  • I am 22 years old and own everything that has to do with "The Golden Girls". The one thing I never did get to do was write her a letter. She puts a smile on my face every time I watch her. I can't help but laugh, even when in the worst mood. She will be greatly missed! I love you Estelle!!!!!
    anonymous anonymous 7/22/08 Reply
     
  • Estelle Getty was a funny actress and a great role model for viewer like me, We will be with us always, I will miss u Sophia
    anonymous anonymous 7/22/08 Reply
     
  • Omg! I didnt know about this til just now when i signed in! :( Estelle...u are gonna be missed so much! U were a very funny lady with great talent and there is no one else like you! LOVE YOU....REST IN PEACE!
    cj108 1870 cj108 7/23/08 Reply
     
  • Stop! Or My Mom Will Die... LOLOLOLOLOL
    MichaelD 42 MichaelD 7/23/08 Reply
     
  • As I wipe the tears from my eyes I'm still trying to figure out how to say goodbye... after watching the Girls since the 80's and owning all the DVD's... I use to watch them every evening at dinner time on Lifetime... and then Lifetime changed the schedule so ever since then I watch one of the dvd's each evening at dinner time 7 days/week... also sometimes at bedtime and even more on the weekends.

    I have most of the dvd's memorized yet I still can't seem to get enough... I'm sure that will sound weird to some people but I just don't know how to explain it.

    We've all known Estelle has been in bad health for many years now... but at the same time I just could not let go of the hope that some day she would get better and that maybe one day my dream would come true that all 4 Golden Girls who I love equally would be able to do one last reunion show for us.

    For many years now I've been dreading the day that we would lose one of our Golden Girls... and now that it has happened I have to say that I still didn't think the pain would hurt this much...

    ---pausing to dry my eyes, I can hardly see the keyboard---

    the pain I feel in my chest is almost unbearable and I've never felt this hurt or cried this hard for someone I've never met in person and didn't even know personally...
    and what's worse is that we're going to have to go thru this pain 3 more times when God takes away the last 3 Golden Girls from us.

    I never had a chance to thank Estelle for all the laughs and to say
    I Love You...

    But I'm taking this opportunity to tell the other 3...

    I Love You Bea
    I Love You Betty
    I Love You Rue

    Thank You all for the many years of laughter... you've made life much more enjoyable!
    I Love You all!

    Rest in Peace our dearest Estelle... you'll be deeply missed.
    anonymous anonymous 7/23/08 Reply
     
  • God bless you dear Estelle...and thank's for let us laugh all this years...Sophia was the best character of all time...
    Picture it,Sicily 1922...
    anonymous anonymous 7/23/08 Reply
     
  • I wish that somedays The Golden Girls reunite for a last time...
    A TV special reunion will be great...
    Dorothy,Rose and Blanche reunited for the death of Sophia would be touching...
    It won't be sad,but a reminescence of Sophia's great life...
    anonymous anonymous 7/23/08 Reply
     
  • estelle you were so funny in the golden girls I loved you! When I was sad I watched the golden girls and you brightened up my day.you were a great women and you will never be forgoten.Rest in peace godbless.Lindsey
    anonymous anonymous 7/23/08 Reply
     
  • u could have lived to a thousand andt wouldnt of been long enough. ty for the zillions of laughs , some to where i alomost peed my pants.lol rest in peace
    anonymous anonymous 7/25/08 Reply
     
  • Experience Heavenly Konnections and Link Hearts with Lost Loved Ones
    From a family's own personal tragedy they created a new and unique way to connect with lost loved ones and express love, remember special days and share innermost thoughts. It is important to them that they help provide a way for others to make the same connection.


    Shoreham, NY (PRWEB) July 24, 2008 -- It is often said through adversity we sometimes find a greater purpose. In the case of the Fabian Family, that is just what happened. The close knit family of six, three brothers and three sisters, experienced the ultimate tragedy when Kelly Ann, the infant daughter of their youngest sister Mary, passed in 1990 at just 21 months old.


    They all feel the sense of loss at family gatherings and special occasions and wish Kelly Ann were with them to share these moments. Mary missed Kelly Ann every day and searched for a way to communicate with her on a regular basis.


    I created these plaques as a way to connect with Kelly Ann and share my love for her. I leave these messages for her when I am gone, so she knows I am thinking of her all the time

    Mary began creating homemade plaques containing special messages and safely placed them on Kelly Ann's headstone using temporary tape. She found these plaques were the only items that were not removed by the groundskeeper at the cemetery. She designed plaques for special occasions to communicate her feelings with unique messages. "I created these plaques as a way to connect with Kelly Ann and share my love for her. I leave these messages for her when I am gone, so she knows I am thinking of her all the time," said Mary. Finally, Mary had found a way to connect with her daughter Kelly Ann.


    In 2006, Mary asked her family to help her find a way to bring the plaques and this comforting connection to other people who have experienced a loss. Through a labor of love, the family pooled their resources and worked together with Mary to bring the plaques to all. The outcome is called Heavenly Konnections, with a "K" for Kelly Ann. The family wants to share the plaques with everyone and help link hearts. To view the entire series of plaques, visit the family's website at www.heavenlykonnections.com.


    Mary also shares this final thought: "I want to thank my brothers, sisters and my parents. My dad, who has passed always told us, 'never say goodbye; say I'll see you later'. This is not a goodbye to my dad or my daughter Kelly Ann; it is just a connection, until I see them later"

    Contact:
    Heavenly Konnections
    PO Box 948, Shoreham, NY 11786
    631-744-7390
    anonymous anonymous 7/25/08 Reply
     
    • what a wonderful idea. I am going to order a Heavenly Konnection right now
      anonymous anonymous 7/30/08
       
  • Am a bit late getting in here. Estelle i was saddened to hear of the great loss your family and the media have suffered. You were something else. You and Bea Arthur was a laugh in a half together. God Bless you dear lady.
    anonymous anonymous 7/28/08 Reply
     
  • Estelle, you left before us, but we will be up there some day, may God keep you in his loving care. REST IN PEACE. I loved watching you on the Golden Girls. I laughed, cried and learned from you on that show.
    anonymous anonymous 7/31/08 Reply
     
  • Gone but never forgotten.Myself and my daughters are amongst your many British fans.(If my grammar is wrong I'm sure Dorothy will correct it!)Yet to see a comedy show to beat it. R.I.P. ms Gettyfrom Ali,Dionne and Shola Bowen, Manchester, England
    anonymous anonymous 8/17/08 Reply
     
  • its sad to say goodbye,but i will see you in heaven ms.getty.you made me laugh so hard,and touched my heart deeply.you will be so missed.thanks for the memories
    anonymous anonymous 9/10/08 Reply
     
  • Thank you for seven beutiful seasons of laughter you are a very gifted actress and an excellant comedian. I will miss you so very much, and have all the seasons so everytime I need cheering up which is daily I pop in a disc and enjoy comedy I could never get tired of and play over and over again.
    anonymous anonymous 4/9/09 Reply
     
  • omg tht is soo not cool i sure like the golden girls it was so funny. waa
    anonymous anonymous 4/25/09 Reply
     
  • estelle was a wonderful entertainer. she will be missed very much.
    anonymous anonymous 4/26/09 Reply
     
  • she was my favorite actress in the golden girls i will surely miss her went ever i watch golden girls it bring back childhood memories of me growing up in trinidad i'm alway and forever a golden girl fan
    anonymous anonymous 4/28/09 Reply
     
  • The lady was awesome. I still watch the show daily and when I have a bad day it cheers me up. After my mother passed away almost 3 years ago I watched the DVD series I have all day long. My mother and I watched them together and her and Dorothy together were like me and my mother. She has no idea the lives that she touched.
    anonymous anonymous 5/5/09 Reply
     
  • goodbye to one of the greatest actress's in television
    anonymous anonymous 5/6/09 Reply
     
  • I watched and love the golden girls for years I still watch them to this day I even got my husband hooked on the girls. I love everyone of there charcters it makes the show complete entertainment (dorothy and sophia)lol will truly be missed
    anonymous anonymous 5/12/09 Reply
     
  • I was a huge Sofia fan! I loved her acting because she was the funniest one on the show. I love the other characters too but, I'm gonna miss her a lot.
    anonymous anonymous 5/25/09 Reply
     

Get Full Coverage:Update: Bea Arthur on the loss of 'Golden Girl' Estelle Getty

Get Full Coverage...

47 Stories, 34 Photos, 6 Videos, 81 Comments