The off-screen relationship between Bea Arthur and Betty White was far from ‘golden.’
The actresses who portrayed ‘Dorothy‘ and ‘Rose‘ on Golden Girls hilariously quarreled on camera. But, it’s been rumored that Bea and Betty had interpersonal issues IRL.
Marsha Posner Williams, a co-producer for GG, responded to the highly speculated rumors at Pride LIVE! Hollywood festival.
Betty and Bea kept it cute on camera …
“When that red light was on [and the show was filming], there were no more professional people than those women. But, when the red light was off, those two couldn’t warm up to each other if they were cremated together,” she quipped.
“The show would have continued after seven years,” she shared. “Their contracts were up. [So], the executives went to the ladies.”
“Estelle Getty (who played Sophia Petrillo) said, ‘Yes, let’s keep going.’ Rue McClanahan (who played Blanche Devereaux) said, ‘Yes let’s keep going,’ and Betty said, ‘Yes, let’s keep going.’”
“Bea said ‘No f*cking way,’ and that’s why that show didn’t continue.” Betty would break character in the middle of the show [and talk to the live audience], and Bea hated that.”
Serving C U Next Tuesday:
Marsha recalled, “[Bea] used to call me at home and say, ‘I just ran into that c-word at the grocery store. I’m gonna write her a letter,’ and I said, ‘Bea, just get over it for crying out loud. Just get past it.’”
Panelists shared that Bea called Betty the c-word more than once. “I remember, my husband and I went over to Bea’s house a couple of times for dinner. Within 30 seconds of walking in the door, the c-word came out.”
Another panelist noted that he heard Bea call Beatty a C U Next Tuesday while sitting next to her on a flight.
