Tony And Emmy Award-Winning Actress Bea Arthur Dead At 86

Stage and Screen star Beatrice (Bea) Arthur passed away Saturday, April 25 at age 86. Arthur died peacefully at her Los Angeles home with her family at her side, family spokesman Dan Watt said. She had cancer, Watt said, declining to give further details.

Beatrice Arthur made her Broadway debut as Lucy Brown in the Marc Blitzstein's 1954 adaptation of Kurt Weill's The Threepenny Opera. The following year brought appearances in Plain and Fancy and Seventh Heaven. In 1964, Arthur originated the role of Yente the Matchmaker in Fiddler on the Roof.

1966 brought Arthur the role of Vera Charles in the new Jerry Herman musical Mame. Her work on the musical brought her a Tony award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical. 2002 marked her last appearance on the stage; her solo show, Bea Arthur on Broadway.

Beatrice Arthur gained fame as Maude Findlay on CBS' All in the Family, and subsequently a television show of her own, popular sitcom Maude, which ran from 1972-1978.

Arthur is most famous for her role as Dorothy on NBC's The Golden Girls. The hit show ran from 1985-1992. Over the course of her career, Arthur received 10 Emmy Award nominations, with 2 wins; 1977 and 1988's Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series.

Bea Arthur is survived by two sons, Matthew and Daniel, and two granddaughters. No funeral services are planned.