Bea Arthur Dies at Age 86

Actress Bea Arthur, who kept us all laughing with her dry humor, has died at the age of 86. It is a big loss to the Hollywood community considering her iconic position amongst her colleagues. Here are a few facts about her life:

1 - Bea Arthur birth name was Beatrice Frankel. Born on May 13, 1924 in New York to Philip and Rebecca Frankel, Bea would not keep her NYC roots for long. Why? For business reasons, her family moved to Maryland where they operated a women's clothing shop.

2 - Like many thespians of her day, Bea Arthur actually attended college. Where did she go? She went to Blackstone College in Virginia. While there, she gained two things - experience in drama productions and the skills to become a medical technologist.

3 - Bea Arthur returned to NYC in the late 40's and joined an off-Broadway theatre group that performed at the Cherry Lane Theatre. For the next two decades, she'd play several memorable roles including "Vera Charles" in Mame. It was during this time that she learned what it meant to be an actress.

4 - Before her starring role in 'The Golden Girls', Bea Arthur played Maude Findlay in the TV series Maude. Maude was a spin-off from 'All In The Family' where the same character had made a few appearances as the liberal, affluent cousin of Edith Bunker. The role gained her an Emmy and Golden Globe nomination.

5 - Bea got her last name (Arthur) from her first husband, Robert Alan Arthur. He was a screenwriter, television and film producer/director. With her second husband, Gene Saks, Bea adopted two sons, Matthew and Daniel.

Bea Arthur is survived by her two sons and a sister. She allegedly died of cancer in her Los Angeles, CA home.

SOURCES:
Wikipedia
CNN ShowBiz