Bea Arthur, star of stage, The Golden Girlsscreen and television passed away April 25 at her L.A. home at the age of 86. According to a family spokesperson, she died from cancer.

 

As a fan of classic TV, I'm always saddened at the passing of a familiar name and a familiar face, but hearing of the death of Bea Arthur struck me a little harder than the average celebrity. She always stood out as someone special. Her strong persona and unmistakable dry humor made Bea Arthur more than just a star -- it made her a pop culture icon.

 

Arthur started her career as Broadway and off-Broadway actress, and became famous as Yenta the Matchmaker in the original Broadway production of  "Fiddler on the Roof." Yep, she appears on the original soundtrack album from 1964. She later won a Tony Award for playing Vera Charles in  "Mame" in 1966 and reprised the role 1974 on the big screen, opposite Lucille Ball. Although she reportedly felt Angela Lansbury deserved the role, Arthur remained diplomatic about the casting.

 

Arthur was already 50 years old when tapped to play Edith Bunker's cousin Maude Findlay on All in the Family, a guest appearance that resonated so strongly it won her the title role in the spin-off series. Maude ran from 1972 through 1978; it was definitely not your average sitcom, taking on weighty topics and adopting a larger-than-life attitude to play the bossy and politically outspoken lead character. Arthur seemed made for the role with her quick and equally dark wit. When Maude said "God will get you for that," you believed it.  One icy stare from Bea made you believe -- and that was part of her comic genius.

 

There were so many memorable moments from Maude, though the most famous episode was the most controversial: A middle-aged Maude Findlay decides to have an abortion rather than becoming a mother at her advanced age. It was a heartfelt performance, which was groundbreaking and realistic. The subject matter has never been explored in the way it was in that show, and Arthur deserves recognition for her willingness to participate in such a monumentally risky role.

 

Eventually, she was rewarded with a well-deserved Emmy Award for playing Maude in 1977, the show's fifth season. Although she opted out during the sixth season, she surprisingly agreed to appear singing and dancing in a surreal segment of the legendary 1978 "Star Wars Holiday Special."  For that I'm particularly thankful.

 

At an age when most actresses are reflecting on their glory days, Arthur was cast in what would become her second signature role, and perhaps even more popularly remembered one as Dorothy Zbornak in The Golden Girls, which ran in primetime from 1985 to 1992. The phenomenon of that series defies explanation, as it fit no set demographic and would most likely be impossible to sell in today's youth and reality-obsessed media.

Surprisingly, many of the Golden Girls' biggest fans are too young to have seen Maude in its heyday, though they loved and related to the irritable, facetious and somewhat abused Dorothy. Arthur channeled the best of what she learned from playing Maude while still creating a whole new character in Dorothy, and was subsequently awarded with her second Emmy in 1988.

 

One of her final public appearances was at the 2008 TV Land Awards, where she reunited with her Golden Girls castmates Betty White and Rue McClanahan to accept the Pop Culture Award.

Due in part to her acerbic wit and piercing glares (and maybe a little bit for her unique look), Arthur also became somewhat of a camp figure. It's hard not to laugh when thinking of Maude's pantsuits of Dorothy's towering frame, but Arthur was equally adored by many, and seemed to take even herself with a knowing sense of humor.  The fact that her illness was kept private made her death all the more surprising and shocking to those who admired her. Arthur's legacy of laughter will linger on in reruns for years to come.