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Bea Arthur regaled audiences for years with her deadpan delivery, her timely pauses, and her commanding stature on stage and screen. Bea Arthur was the voice of reason that women longed for. The very affable Arthur was cantankerous on screen, but that persona did not carry over into real life, where she was a kind hearted soul with a soft side.

Thank you for being a friend. We traveled down the road and back again with you spanning several decades. Bea Arthur, born Bernice Frankel on May 13th, 1922, passed away after a lengthy battle with cancer on April 25th, 2009. An imposing figure, Bea Arthur commanded attention, and delivered her lines with a comedic flair rarely seen. Her deadpan eyes and timing were impeccable, and the entertainment industry is a little bit worse off now. She will be fondly remembered for several roles, those of Maude and Dorothy Zbornak. These two roles are iconic, and they were revolutionary.

Bea Arthur possessed an acerbic wit, and had a caustic tongue. She was best known for her groundbreaking roles on Maude and The Golden Girls. Both shows were ostensibly carried on her broad shoulders. Maude first appeared as Edith Bunker's cousin on All in the Family, portraying a poised foible to Archie Bunker. Maude did not tolerate Archie, nor his mistreatment of her favourite cousin Edith. Maude intimidated Archie, and the two of them were magic together. It was soon obvious that Bea Arthur could carry a show all on her own, and CBS jumped at the chance to offer her a role.

Bea first began delighting audiences in the 1950's, appearing regularly on Sid Caesar's show. She was a successful Broadway performer, and had honed her acting skills when the role of Maude struck its chord with audiences. Maude gave women a voice in a time period when males were the leads. Bea Arthur took the role of Maude and made audiences laugh constantly. The show gave a voice to many prominent issues, such as abortion. Maude took the issues upon her gruff exterior and made them acceptable.

When The Golden Girls hit the airwaves in 1985, it sat in a graveyard time-slot on Saturday night. The show seemed to have a demographic of octogenarians, but from the onset, the clever writing and gifted brilliance of Bea Arthur made the show a smash sensation. The Golden Girls gave the elderly a face, and it showed how strong women are, and can be once life has thrown them a curveball or two. The four girls were fantastic.

Bea Arthur played Dorothy Zbornak, and her no-nonsense personality gave the show its moral conscience. As a substitute teacher, Dorothy earned her keep, and lived with two friends and her mother. The relationships between the women were sometimes strained, but always managed to survive. The writing and acting gave the show its signature, and Bea Arthur was wonderful in this role.

Bea Arthur managed to be the backbone of two long running series, and she was the straw that stirred the drink in each program. She portrayed each woman as a strong and honourable character, unwilling to sit idly by while men ruled the world. She stood up to oppression and prejudice.

Now that Bea Arthur has left the world of acting, her true legacy will be heard. Many young actresses aspired to be like her, and to be able to mimic her flawless timing and incredible wit would be a boon to all. You were the greatest gift to the small screen, forging the way for future female leads.

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