Actress Estelle Getty Dies At 84

Best Known For Her Role As Sarcastic Grandma Sophia On "Golden Girls"

(AP)  Estelle Getty, the diminutive actress who spent 40 years struggling for success before landing the role of a lifetime in 1985 as the sarcastic octogenarian Sophia on TV's "The Golden Girls," has died. She was 84.

Getty, who suffered from advanced dementia, died at about 5:30 a.m. Tuesday at her Hollywood Boulevard home, said her son, Carl Gettleman of Santa Monica.

"She was loved throughout the world in six continents, and if they loved sitcoms in Antarctica she would have been loved on seven continents," her son said. "She was one of the most talented comedic actresses who ever lived."

"The Golden Girls," featuring four female retirees sharing a house in Miami, grew out of NBC programming chief Brandon Tartikoff's belief that television was ignoring its older viewers.

Three of its stars had already appeared in previous series: Bea Arthur in "Maude," Betty White in "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" and Rue McClanahan in "Mama's Family." The last character to be cast was Sophia Petrillo, the feisty 80-something mother of Arthur's character.

When she auditioned, Getty was appearing on stage in Hollywood as the carping Jewish mother in Harvey Fierstein's play "Torch Song Trilogy." In her early '60s, she flunked her "Golden Girls" test twice because it was believed she didn't look old enough to play 80.

"I could understand that," she told an interviewer a year after the show debuted. "I walk fast, I move fast, I talk fast."

She came prepared for the third audition, however, wearing dowdy clothes and telling an NBC makeup artist, "To you, this is just a job. To me, it's my entire career down the toilet unless you make me look 80." The artist did, Getty got the job and won two Emmys.

It culminated a long struggle for success during which Getty worked low-paying office jobs to help support her family while she tried to make it as a stage actress.

"I knew I could be seduced by success in another field, so I'd say, 'Don't promote me, please,'" she recalled.

She also appeared in small parts in a handful of films and TV movies during that time, including "Tootsie," "Deadly Force" and "Victims for Victims: The Theresa Saldana Story."

After her success in "The Golden Girls," other roles came her way. She played Cher's mother in "Mask," Sylvester Stallone's in "Stop or My Mom Will Shoot" and Barry Manilow's in the TV film "Copacabana." Other credits included "Mannequin" and "Stuart Little" (as the voice of Grandma Estelle).

"The Golden Girls," which ran from 1985 to 1992, was an immediate hit, and Sophia, who began as a minor character, soon evolved into a major one.

Audiences particularly loved the verbal zingers Getty would hurl at the other three. When McClanahan's libidinous character, Blanche, once complained that her life was an open book, Sophia shot back, "Your life's an open blouse."

Getty had gained a knack for one-liners in her late teens when she did standup comedy at a Catskills hotel. Female comedians were rare in those days, however, and she bombed.

Undeterred, she continued to pursue a career in entertainment, and while her parents were encouraging, her father also insisted that she learn office skills so she would have something to fall back on.

Born Estelle Scher to Polish immigrants in New York, Getty fell in love with theater when she saw a vaudeville show at age 4.

She married New York businessman Arthur Gettleman (the source of her stage name) in 1947, and they had two sons, Carl and Barry. The marriage prevailed despite her long absences on the road and in "The Golden Girls."

Getty was evasive about her height, acknowledging only that she was "under 5 feet and under 100 pounds." The Internet Movie Database gives her height as 4-feet-9.

In addition to her son Carl, Getty is survived by son Barry Gettleman, of Miami, Fla.; a brother, David Scher of London, and a sister, Rosilyn Howard of Las Vegas.

[pjh822]

I loved "The Golden Girls." R.I.P Estelle. Thanks for the laughs.

[cheetah-man7]

Wow! I am so saddened to hear this news. Estelle was one heck of a lady and one great actress! I love The Golden Girls and own all the episodes. Sophia was the best of the bunch too! She will be missed greatly the world over. May God keep her always and that we remember her forever!

[thericksterm]

So sweet and funny, and the makeup people deserve some credit.
She looked 80 back then, couldn''t believe she was only 84, now, thought she was older.

Glad she got to live her dream, she brought a lot of laughter to this world and she will be missed.

[ann3332]

she was very comical and very feisty. estelle will be missed

[violets4me]

Sorry to hear of her death, she will always be Sophia to me. Loved her zingers to Blanche, Rose and Bea Arthurs character and anybody else who she thought needed it. RIP Sophia

[beachdreams5]

I am so sorry to hear of Estelle''s passiing. I loved her as Sophia and to me she will always be Sophia. R.I.P. Estelle. You will be missed.

[elkc]

It is sad to hear the news. Through her character as Sophia, she represented the similarities that so many senior citizens experience. In her own way from the stage she served as a voice for so many people who are ignored as they grow old. Thanks to her performances and television reruns her legacy will continue to be on the front lines championing senior citizens rights!

[needed2bsaid]

Awww, what a sweet woman! She will be missed by many and remembered by all. R.I.P. Ms. Getty. See you on the otherside!

[excoachken]

Sophia, Sophia, thanks for the memories.

[nssherlock1]

Is that Katie Couric''s picture at the top of the article?

[sistatee-2009]

So the rich old hag is dead....oops....sorry, that was J. Paul.

[eddom949]

Show''s a cult classic. She was great in Golden Girls.

[rowdywicca]

Rest in Peace, Ms. Getty, and thanks for the many many laughs...

[tobyfelix40]

WHY may I ask do some of you have to be such *****? Why can''t you just post a nice farewell and go on? This woman is an icon to a group of people who watched the show and appreciated it for what it''s worth unlike the *** we watch today. I guess it only goes to show you if *** is put out anyone will watch it and so goes our American culture....If it''s a nasty post go to one of your MYSpace pages and post it there where we don''t have to look at you being an IDIOT!! Good bye Estell..you will be missed...

[honestabe8]

This woman is an icon to a group of people who watched the show and appreciated it for what it''''s worth unlike the *** we watch today - Posted by TobyFelix.

Rest in Peace Ms. Getty.

Toby: Appreciated for what its worth? A bunch of old women trading insults? I got no problem with Ms. Getty, but to act as this show was funny is just...well, silly.

[mtvsf]

What can I say, I''m honestly a BIG fan of the Golden Girls and Sophia and her daughter are my favorite. Althought the show was scripted, you can''t really script their connection. I watch Golden Girls four times a day and often put one of the DVD''s in to fall asleep. I know that we must all go at one point in our life, but I really wish we could''ve seen her one more time. Rest in Peace, Ms Estelle Getty.

[honestabe8]

smitty: i watch neither space operas nor star trek. i do have a sense of humor, i just didn''t find the golden girls funny. does everyone have to like the same things to have a sense of humor?

[chihuahuaman-2009]

Come on CBS you put the death of ''''Estelle Getty'''' on the back page of Entertainment, She! Estelle. deserved more then that, Show some compassion some respect Shame on you CBS.