THE GOLDEN GIRLS Celebrates 40th Anniversary with New Experiences, Merch, & More

To celebrate the 40th anniversary of “The Golden Girls,” exclusive themed merchandise and experiences will take place across the country, starting on the official Golden Girls Day, Wednesday, July 30. Nationwide events will feature curated experiences from Zero Waste Daniel, themed beverages from Nocking Point Wines, treats from Yogurtland, and limited-edition merchandise from Brick Craft, Candier, and Furbish Studio.

“The Golden Girls” debuted Sept. 14, 1985 and ran for seven seasons. For the first time, the estate of singer-songwriter Andrew Gold has made the lyrics of his hit song “Thank You for Being a Friend” available for “The Golden Girls” products being sold by Furbish Studio, Yogurtland, and Candier.

Furbish Studio, known for its collection of needlepoint pillows, is launching the limited-edition “Thank You for Being a Friend” pillow. The pillow will be available for pre-order through the company’s website here starting Aug. 19, ahead of the official product launch on Sept. 12. Candle brand Candier will introduce two limited-edition items: “I’ll get the Cheesecake!” candle and the “Thank You for Being a Friend” candle, starting Sept. 14.

Yogurtland will introduce a limited-edition cheesecake-flavored yogurt, “Thank You for Being Cheesecake,” to celebrate National Cheesecake Day on July 30. Named in connection with “The Golden Girls” theme song, the yogurt will be available at any of the 202 participating locations across the United States until Aug. 17.

From July 31 to Aug. 17, Brooklyn-based fashion brand Zero Waste Daniel will honor Blanche, Dorothy, Rose, and Sophia with a limited-edition capsule collection. It will be available to purchase online and at a special in-store activation at the Zero Waste Daniel flagship location (257 Varet Street), which will be transformed into a Golden Girls-inspired dreamscape.

Beginning Aug. 17, Nocking Point Wines will launch a wine assortment with four distinct bottles to celebrate the four vibrant friends: a full-bodied red for strong-willed Dorothy Zbornak, rosé in honor of spacey Rose Nylund, a sauvignon Blanc befitting flirtatious Blanche Devereaux, and a red blend perfect for the wise-cracking Sophia Petrillo. Additionally, Brickcraft will debut a limited-edition “The Golden Girls” brick-building set in November.

Fisher-Price has launched a short-form content series titled “Little People Collector Mini Adventures.” This series reimagines moments from “The Golden Girls” using the Fisher-Price® Little People Collector™ The Golden Girls: Late Night Cheesecake set featuring Dorothy, Blanche, Rose and Sophia. 

All-new episodes will debut July 30 across the official social media accounts of “The Golden Girls,” Mattel and Fisher-Price, coinciding with International Cheesecake Day. Additional episodes are scheduled to air Aug. 19, with a special episode commemorating the 40th anniversary of the show set to air Sept. 14. Another episode, focusing on the most memorable moments from the series, will be released on Nov. 18.

This fall, ABC News will mark the iconic sitcom’s 40th anniversary with a one-hour special detailing the incredible INSIDE STORY of “The Golden Girls,” featuring series creator Susan Harris, Emmy® Award-winning producer Tony Thomas, and many of the show’s original writers and producers. Paying tribute to the legendary actresses who brought Dorothy, Blanche, Rose and Sophia to life, and to 40 years of friendship, laughter and their famous love of cheesecake, the special will explore how “The Golden Girls” used uninhibited comedy to rewrite the narrative for women over 50 and how its timeless appeal has created a lasting influence on pop culture.

About “The Golden Girls”

Critically acclaimed series “The Golden Girls” premiered in 1985 and follows four vibrant friends sharing life and laughter in Miami: strong-willed Dorothy Zbornak (Bea Arthur), sweetly naive Rose Nylund (Disney Legend Betty White), flirtatious Blanche Devereaux (Rue McClanahan) and wise-cracking Sophia Petrillo (Estelle Getty).

“The Golden Girls” is one of only four sitcoms where every performer in the main cast won at least one Emmy® Award. The series won 11 Emmy Awards overall, including two wins for Outstanding Comedy Series, and earned four Golden Globes® and several other prestigious industry honors. The series ranked among the Nielsen ratings’ Top 10 for six of its seven seasons and ranked 18 out of Variety’s 100 Greatest TV Shows of all time.