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Beatrice Arthur

Also Credited As: Bea Arthur

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Beatrice Arthur BIO

Beatrice Arthur was a beloved American actress and comedian, best known for her iconic roles on stage and screen. Born in New York City in 1922, Arthur began her career in theater before transitioning to television and film.
Arthur made her Broadway debut in 1955 in the musical "Plain and Fancy." She went on to appear in several other Broadway productions, including "The Threepenny Opera," "Fiddler on the Roof," and "Mame," for which she won a Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical in 1966.
In 1971, Arthur landed the role of Maude Findlay in the groundbreaking sitcom "Maude." The show tackled controversial topics such as abortion and women's rights, and Arthur's portrayal of the outspoken and opinionated Maude earned her critical acclaim and a loyal fan base. She won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for her work on the show.
After "Maude" ended in 1978, Arthur starred in her own sitcom, "The Beatrice Arthur Special," and made guest appearances on shows such as "The Golden Girls" and "Curb Your Enthusiasm." She also appeared in several films, including "Lovers and Other Strangers" and "History of the World, Part I."
In addition to her acting career, Arthur released several albums throughout her career, including "And Then There's Bea" and "Bea Arthur on Broadway: Just Between Friends."
Arthur passed away in 2009 at the age of 86, but her legacy lives on through her memorable performances and her impact on the entertainment industry. Her most recent work was a voice role in the animated film "Ponyo" in 2008.

Beatrice Arthur STAGE CREDITS

[Off-Broadway]
Reunion Concert, 2000
Jenny

[New York]
Workshop, 1999
Mrs. Meers

[Off-Broadway]
New York Concert, 1998
Performer

[Broadway]
Closed on the road, 1968
Performer

[Broadway]
Original Broadway Production, 1966
Vera Charles

[Broadway]
Original Broadway Production, 1964
Yente

[Off-Broadway]
Original Off-Broadway Production, 1956
Performer

[Off-Broadway]
Return Engagement [off-Broadway], 1955
Lucy Brown

[Broadway]
Original Broadway Production, 1955
Mme. Suze

[Off-Broadway]
Original Off-Broadway Production, 1955
Performer

[Off-Broadway]
Theatre de Lys Revival, 1954
Lucy Brown


Beatrice Arthur Awards and Nominations


winner
Outer Critics Circle Awards - 1966 - Best Performance

Beatrice Arthur, Mame


winner
Tony Awards - 1966 - Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical

Beatrice Arthur, Mame

Beatrice Arthur Videos

Beatrice Arthur News


A CLOCKWORK ORANGE Producer Si Litvinoff Passes Away at 93


Si Litvinoff, the visionary producer whose foresight in cinema art led to perennial classics such as Stanley Kubrick's “A Clockwork Orange,” Nicolas Roeg's “Walkabout”, 'The Man Who Fell to Earth,' starring David Bowie, and more passed away peacefully on Monday, December 26, 2022, in Los Angeles, California. He was 93.    

SONGBOOK LIVE! to Present THE HOLIDAY SONGBOOK This Month


Songbook Live! will present The Holiday Songbook at Lakeshore Players Theatre this month. There will be two performances on Monday, December 12th and Tuesday, December 13th at 7:30pm.

THE GOLDEN GIRLS LIVE: ON STAGE! is Coming to Chelsea Table + Stage This Month


CHELSEA TABLE + STAGE will present The Golden Girls Live: On Stage! on Saturday, September 24 at 9:30 PM. The show was created almost twenty years ago by Peter Mac and John Mac as a loving drag tribute to everyone's favorite sitcom.

BWW Exclusive: A History of ANNIE on Broadway and Beyond


Tonight, NBC will air its sixth live musical production. Following in the footsteps of The Sound of Music, Peter Pan, The Wiz, Hairspray, and Jesus Christ Superstar, the peacock network will be presenting Annie. Based on Harold Gray's comic strip titled Little Orphan Annie, this musical tells the story of a little orphan with equal measures of pluck and positivity who charms everyone's hearts, despite a next-to-nothing start in New York City in the year 1933.

BWW Review: ATLANTICS ARTS at Comédie Nation


A week long celebration of Broadway in Paris.

BWW Feature: OPERA IN AMERICA AND ABROAD at Home Computer Screens


Tour members meet on the Flying Opera Magic Carpet for a week of American and international performances. Our first stop is at San Francisco Opera, for Fidelio by Ludwig van Beethoven online October 14, 17, and 30, 2021. Cost- $25.

BWW Exclusive: The 101 Greatest Television Episodes of All Time - from I LOVE LUCY to BETTER CALL SAUL


BWW Reviewer Peter Nason chooses the best TV episodes from the 1950's to 2020; see if your favorites made the list!

THE GOLDEN GIRLS A LOVING DRAG PARODY LOST CHRISTMAS EPISODE Now Playing At Producers Club


Deck the halls with those Golden Girls we all love, The Golden Girls Live A Loving Pardoy, celebrates the holidays with a lost episode.

THE GOLDEN GIRLS LIVE: THE CHRISTMAS EPISODES Comes to The Victoria Theatre


As the days become shorter and the crisp air signals the time when the Xmas sweaters are taken out of mothballs, it can only mean one thing. It's time for what has become a San Francisco tradition a?" the annual production of The Golden Girls Live! The Christmas Episodes. Performance Dates are Nov. 29 - Dec. 22, 2019 - 25 performances Only Wed. Thurs. Fri. at 8:00pm, Sat. at 3:00p and 8:00pm, Sun. at 2:00pm and 7:00pm with Special Matinee Performances Wed. Dec. 11 at 3:00pm.

GOLDEN GIRLS LIVE Celebrates 1800 Performances and Extends Through 2020


The Golden Girls Live celebrated 1800 performances on September 28th, and has been extended through 2020.

Original NYC Cast Of Golden Girls LIVE To Headline Two Sailings Of Golden Girls Cruise In 2019


Sixteen years ago (2003) Golden Girls LIVE: On Stage! was created by real-life couple Peter Mac and John Mac as a loving tribute in the style of Brady Bunch LIVE. The Macs created a loving drag parody of everyone's favorite sitcom, which played to sold out audiences at the now-shuttered Rose's Turn in the West Village. The show uses on-target impersonations of the original actresses as source material (they play Estelle Getty and Beatrice Arthur, respectively) and creates original improv-parody situations to bring the girls back for the reunion fans never got.

Annette Warren To Play Catalina Jazz Club, Age 96


Annette Warren, the "secret" singing voice of Ava Gardner and Lucille Ball in such films as the MGM classic "Show Boat," and a nightclub, TV and recording star whose career spans the past 70 years, will return to the Catalina Jazz Club in Hollywood on Tuesday, Feb. 19 with a the premiere performance of her new show, Professor Bob and the Old Broad, joined by accompanist Bob Remstein. 

THE GOLDEN GIRLS: THE CHRISTMAS EPISODES Returns for the Holiday Season


As the days become shorter and the crisp air signals the time when the Xmas sweaters are taken out of mothballs, it can only mean one thing. It's time for what has become a San Francisco tradition - the annual production of The Golden Girls: The Christmas Episodes.  Performance Dates are Nov. 29 - Dec. 23, 2018 - 19 performances only! Thurs. Fri. & Sat. 8:00pm, Sun. 7:00pm with Special Sunday Matinees Dec 9, 16, & 23 at 2:00 pm.

Moriah College Presents FIDDLER ON THE ROOF


Moriah College, Sydney's oldest and largest Jewish school, presents the definitive production of the classic Broadway musical FIDDLER ON THE ROOF from 21 October to 1 November - and with an all-singing, all-dancing cast of more than 150. It's a Tradition!

GOLDEN GIRLS LIVE: ON STAGE! Returns To NYC For A 15th Anniversary Production


Fifteen years ago (2003) Golden Girls LIVE: On Stage! was created by real life couple Peter Mac and John Mac as a loving tribute in the style of Brady Bunch LIVE. The Macs created a loving drag parody of everyone's favorite sitcom, which played to sold out audiences at the now shuttered Rose's Turn in the West Village. The show uses spot on impersonations of the original Actresses as source material (they play Estelle Getty and Beatrice Arthur respectively) and creates original improv-parody situations to bring the girls back for the reunion fans never got.

THE GOLDEN GIRLS: THE CHRISTMAS EPISODES Returns to San Francisco this Holiday Season


As the days become shorter and the crisp air signals the time when the Xmas sweaters are taken out of mothballs, it can only mean one thing. It's time for what has become a San Francisco tradition the annual production of The Golden Girls: The Christmas Episodes.

Beatrice Arthur: ASTRAL DAME Descends Again on NYC


Jason B. Schmidt, premiere Bea Arthur aficionado, brings his one woman show Beatrice Arthur: ASTRAL DAME back to NYC for one night only, Tuesday June 13th at 7pm.

VIDEO: On This Day, April 25: Remembering Bea Arthur


On this day in 2009, stage and Screen star Beatrice (Bea) Arthur passed away at age 86.

Julie Taymor Among New 'Disney Legends' to Be Honored During D23 Expo 2017


Oprah Winfrey, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Stan Lee, Julie Taymor, and other remarkable contributors to the Disney legacy will be honored as official Disney Legends during D23 Expo 2017.

Annette Warren will Make Her Feinstein's/54 Below Debut on 3/30


Annette Warren will make a long-awaited return to New York at the age of 94, with a special one-night-only engagement at Feinstein's/54 Below on Thursday, March 30 at 7:00 PM. 'I Ain't Done Yet' traces her illustrious 70-year career in songs and reminiscences from her beginning in Cleveland, through her successes in New York, London and Los Angeles. Warren will be joined on stage by Grammy and two-time Emmy winner John McDaniel at piano; and Warren's protege, rising opera star Aaron Blake, who makes his Metropolitan Opera debut earlier that week in La Traviata.

Beatrice Arthur FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How many Broadway shows has Beatrice Arthur been in?

Beatrice Arthur has appeared on Broadway in 4 shows.

How many West End shows has Beatrice Arthur been in?

Beatrice Arthur has not appeared in the West End.

What awards has Beatrice Arthur been nominated for?

Beatrice Arthur has been nominated for the Best Performance award by the Outer Critics Circle Awards for her role in "Mame." She has also been nominated for the Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical award at the Tony Awards for her performance in "Mame."

What awards has Beatrice Arthur won?

Beatrice Arthur won the Best Performance award from the Outer Critics Circle Awards for "Mame" and the Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical award from the Tony Awards for "Mame."

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