Bea Arthur: Star of Maude and The Golden Girls Dies at 86

Bea Arthur was an American actress. Born Bernice Frankel on May 13, 1922, in New York City, she started on the stage in off-Broadway productions.

She won a Tony Award in 1966 for playing Vera Charles in Mame. On television she starred in Maude (1972-1978) and as Dorothy Zbornak in The Golden Girls (1985-1992), winning Emmy Awards for both roles. She also appeared in Fiddler on the Roof and The Threepenny Opera.

She gave a one-woman show, Bea Arthur on Broadway: Just Between Friends, in 2002. She died of cancer at her home in Brentwood, California, on April 25, 2009, at age 86.

Achievements: Tony Award for Mame (1966), two Emmy Awards.

Birth: May 13, 1922 - New York City.

Profession: Actress.

Interesting Facts: She was a founding force in television comedy.