5 Things You Didn't Know About Bea Arthur: A Tribute

Posted by Alex in Movies & SciFi, Video Clips on April 26, 2009 at 1:30 am



Bea Arthur (1922-2009) - YouTube user Sassyornek created a fantastic tribute to Bea, check it out here: Link (Photo: Lifetime Intimate Portrait)

Tony- and Emmy-winning actress and comedian Bea Arthur has died. Though she is best known as Dorothy Zbornak on the 80's television sitcom The Golden Girls, her career actually spanned seven decades.

To celebrate the life and career of Bea Arthur, let's take a look at 5 Things About Bea Arthur You Didn't Know:

1. Bea Arthur Was a Marine
Before World War II, Bea was a medical technician. She volunteered to join the US Marine Corps, becoming one of its first female recruits. (Source)

2. Bea Arthur Got Her Start in Comedy by Being a Lounge Singer
In an interview, Bea said that when she got up on stage to sign a torch song, the audience laughed at her because of her deep voice and height. The nightclub manager told her that she was in the wrong business being a lounge singer, and that she should be doing comedy instead. (Source)

But Bea can sure can sing. Here's a clip of her singing "What'll I Do?" from The Golden Girls' episode Journey to the Center of Attention:


[YouTube Clip]

3. Bea Arthur Never Had a Star on the Walk of Fame
Bea was inducted into the Television Hall of Fame a few months ago, but she never had a star in the Hollywood Walk of Fame. A travesty!

She may have a shot yet, you can nominate someone for a Walk of Fame Star, but you'd have to wait five years first for a posthumous nomination.

4. Bea Arthur was in The Star Wars Holiday Special
She sang as Ackmena, the nightshift bartender in Chalmun's Cantina in Tatooine, in the much-maligned Star Wars Holiday Special of 1978.


[YouTube Clip]

5. Bea Arthur was the Femputer


Watch the Hulu clip at IMDb: Death by Snu Snu

In the 2001 Futurama episode, Amazon Women in the Mood, Bea was the voice of the Femputer, the leader of the man-hatin' tribe of Amazonian women. Bea has left us, but we can still hear her sentence Fry and friends to "death by snu-snu" over and over again.

Bea Arthur, rest in peace. You shall be missed.

Update 10/19/09 – Here’s the last interview Bea Arthur did: Link [YouTube] – Thanks Stephen!


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18 comments to "5 Things You Didn't Know About Bea Arthur: A Tribute"

  1. Foreigner1
    April 26th, 2009 at 2:07 am

    Semper Fidelis Bea Arthur- She trooped on till the end.

    Respect.

  2. Arthur
    April 26th, 2009 at 2:55 am

    Arthur was inducted into Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Hall of Fame in 2008.

  3. Evilbeagle
    April 26th, 2009 at 4:33 am

    Rest in peace, Bea.

  4. shpx.ohfu
    April 26th, 2009 at 6:21 am

    The "Walk of Fame" is a travesty. Anyone with 25K and the time to show up for the ceremony can get one.

    The criteria for getting a star on the Walk of Fame are simple. For consideration, a nominee must:

    1. Have a record of professional achievement within the nominated field.
    2. Have worked in the entertainment industry for a minimum of five years.
    3. Have made contributions to the community, typically through charitable activities.

    The recipient must also agree to attend the dedication ceremony. In addition, a sponsorship fee of $25,000 must be paid.

  5. Katie
    April 26th, 2009 at 8:20 am

    It's great you guys did this, not enough people know about Bea Arthur or her accomplishments. She was one of the great female comedians of her time and she will be missed.

  6. nickolas_warner
    April 26th, 2009 at 10:54 am

    She was not the voice of the femputer. She was the voice of a fembot disguising herself as a femputer.

  7. Gadget Sleuth
    April 26th, 2009 at 1:20 pm

    She actually was a nice looking woman when she was younger...kinda surprising, a little.

    Her comic timing was almost unmatched...she shall be missed.

  8. Thomas
    April 26th, 2009 at 2:18 pm

    @Gadget Sleuth:
    Whaddya mean, when she was younger? Bea Arthur was a damn fine looking lady.

    She will be missed.

  9. DaveL
    April 26th, 2009 at 3:31 pm

    Did 'er.

  10. Kalel
    April 26th, 2009 at 4:58 pm

    God will get you for that, DaveL.

  11. I C Good
    April 26th, 2009 at 6:08 pm

    You know... I shed a tear.

    Proud to write about it too.

  12. Paige
    April 26th, 2009 at 6:32 pm

    Rest in peace, Bea. You made my childhood magical with 'Maude' & 'The Golden Girls.' Always one of my favourite actors and always in my heart.

  13. Ali S.
    April 26th, 2009 at 8:59 pm

    "Have you any idea how it feels to be a fembot living in a manbot's manputer's world?"

    Thank you for being a friend, Bea. *salute*

  14. kayla
    April 27th, 2009 at 1:48 am

    thanks guys for making a tribute to one of the best actresses and singers of our time. bea was a true artist of which we dont see many of these days. im a big fan of golden girls and although bea may be gone in real life she will live on in my heart as dorthy.R.I.P. bea!we love you!

  15. Kim Marc Prehoda
    April 27th, 2009 at 9:25 am

    Beatrice...You were my favorite of the Golden Girls. Your memory will always live on.

  16. DOJ
    April 27th, 2009 at 9:06 pm

    @Ali S - I'm glad someone said it.

  17. Jeff M.
    April 29th, 2009 at 2:31 pm

    I will miss her now that she has gone to the great lanai in the sky-say hi to ma for me

  18. Steve V
    May 5th, 2009 at 12:39 pm

    Bea arthur was also a communist


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