The show ‘Golden Girls’ was objectively one of the wittiest and most well-written comedy shows out there.
‘Golden Girls’ might have ended years ago, but there’s still a plethora of secrets the producers tried to keep hidden from fans.
The Roles Were Reversed
Betty White was supposed to play Blanche, and Rue McClanahan was supposed to play Rose.
They decided to switch roles since they already played roles like these in the past and wanted something different.
Rue McClanahan Kept All Of Blanche’s Clothes
Actress Rue McClanahan had a special clause in her contract stating she gets to keep all of Blanche’s outfits that she wore in the show.
She accumulated so much clothing she had to transform her her kitchen into a closet room.
Estelle Getty Had Stage Fright
Estelle Getty, who played the witty Sofia, actually had crippling stage fright. She was smooth all week, but as soon as they brought the audience, she would flip 180 degrees and become very nervous.
Estelle claimed it was due to her lack of confidence, as the other stars had much more acting experience.
Bea Arthur Had issues With Her Wardrobe
The designer of the show added huge chunky earrings for Beas character to add interest. The only issue with this was that she didn’t have her ears pierced, so she had to wear clip on earrings.
She said in an interview the pain and numbness in her ears after a long day of shooting were hard on her.
No One Liked Bea Arthur
Surprisingly enough, the girls didn’t always get along.
The other cast members said Beatrice was a bit odd at times, and there were even moments that the girls refused to have lunch with her. Ouch.
Estelle Was Younger Than Her On Screen Daughter
Estelle Getty was a year younger than her daughter in the show, Bea Arthur. She had to sit in makeup for over an hour before shooting to look her age.
The makeup routine became even longer when she came back to season two after a facelift.
Betty White Was The Oldest Girl
Even though she played the youngest character, Betty White is the oldest one of all the cast.
Betty seems to stay a step ahead of father time.
The Queen Really Liked The Show
It turns out the Queen of England Is a huge fan of the show. So much, that she asked the cast to come and perform for her in England.
They performed one episode in front of her.
Bea Arthur Actually Hated Cheesecake
Golden Girls had four main characters, five if you count the cheesecake. Cheesecake was a huge part of the show, as the girls constantly ate the creamy dessert.
What you didn’t know is that Beatrice Arthur hated cheesecake with a passion, and she mustered through all those cheesecake eating scenes like a champ.
Every Cast Member Won An Emmy
The Show received over 60 Emmy nominations throughout it’s run.
Each of the four main actresses took home an Emmy, a feat that no other show at the time managed to achieve.
Four Girls And Three Chairs
Did you ever notice the kitchen table had only three chairs, even though the house has four tenants?
The missing chair is intentional as not to have one of the girls sitting with her back to the camera.
The Interactions Were Inspired By Life
Brandon Tartikoff, an NBC executive, was visiting his elderly aunt when he saw her interaction with her friends and neighbors.
Sophia Had All The Risky Jokes
He thought it would be a good idea for a TV show and ran with idea.
The Writers Gave Sophia all the controversial jokes as her characters had a stroke previously in life and couldn’t fully control what she said.
There Was Never An Accent
There was no southern accent written in Blanche’s character.
Rue McClanahan decided to bring it, and the producers of the show loved it so much they ran with it.
Betty And Rue Were Real Close
Betty White and Rue McClanahan enjoyed each other’s company quite a lot and even played word game together on their breaks between shooting.
They were closer with each other than with any other person on set.
The Set Was Recycled
The famous kitchen set was in the show ‘It Takes Two’ before being used on ‘Golden Girls’.
The production did a makeover to match the theme of the show better.
The Show Was Actually Pretty Controversial
Back in the days, the show was running, many topics we’re used to today we’re pretty taboo. The show raised some controversial issues, such as gay marriage, teen pregnancy, and even abortion.
The fact that this got to run on television is in itself astounding.
Bea Was An Activist
Bea Arthur was a passionate activist. Her main causes were LGBTQ, the elderly, woman’s rights and the Jewish.
She was also involved with PETA. After her death, she left a large sum of money to help homeless LGBT youth.
Betty White Has The Longest Acting Career
Betty White holds the Guinness record for the longest acting career for a female on television.
She launched her first TV series in the 1950s and has since appeared in countless shows and movies.
Betty White Is Way Into Game Shows
Betty White loved game shows and word games. So the show “Password!” was one of her favorites.
Betty appeared in the show so many times; she eventually married the host.
The World Loves Golden Girls
The show was a huge hit within the United States, but it was also a hit in over 60 countries in the world.
There were even local versions of the show made in England, Russia, and Greece.
The Golden Girls Almost Had A Gay Butler
Initially, there was a character, Coco Davis, who was to play the girls gay butler/cook.
Sadly the character had to be dropped, maybe because a gay character on tv was ahead of its time.
Bea Arthur Ended The Show
After the fifth season, Bea Arthur decided she got tired of playing her role and decided to leave.
The producers convinced her to stay for another two seasons, at the end of which Bea had got up and left, essentially putting an end to the show.
Bea Arthur Was A Marine
Before her successful acting career, Bea Arthur was among the first women to serve an active duty as a marine.
During her service, she went up the ranks from Private to Staff Sergeant.