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8 golden facts about this Golden Girl: Estelle Getty
There’s more to Estelle Getty than meets the eye!
The Everett Collection
There was more to Estelle Getty than just cheesecake and comebacks!
Most fans know Getty as the unforgettable Sophia Petrillo, but there was much more to the actress than her Golden Girls alter ego.
From stage fright to a memoir and some surprising turns in her career, Getty had plenty of stories to tell. Here are a few things you may not know about the woman behind Sophia.
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BACK-TO-BACK EPISODES
Weeknights at 10 PM, Sundays at 6 PM & 8 PM
*available in most MeTV markets1. She was a late bloomer, but what a bloom she had!
Estelle Getty didn’t make her Broadway debut until she was 58, starring as Mrs. Beckoff in Torch Song Trilogy. Talk about proving it’s never too late to steal the show!
The role was written with Getty in mind, and she earned a Drama Desk Award nomination for her performance. Talk about making an entrance!
2. On The Golden Girls, she was actually younger than her on-screen daughter
Estelle Getty played Bea Arthur’s mother on The Golden Girls, but in real life, Getty was actually one year younger than Arthur.
With a little help from a white wig and plenty of makeup, Getty convincingly aged herself into Sophia Petrillo. It was a family tree twist!
3. Sophia Petrillo was no one-hit wonder!
Getty played Sophia Petrillo across five TV series: The Golden Girls, Empty Nest, Nurses, The Golden Palace and Blossom.
She proved that Sophia had staying power. In fact, Getty portrayed Sophia in 258 episodes across the Golden Girls universe, solidifying the character’s place in TV history.
4. Estelle Getty had some serious stage fright
For someone who made millions laugh, Estelle Getty battled severe stage fright throughout her career. Her anxiety was so intense that she would sometimes forget her lines and freeze up before going onstage.
She even said she was terrified of performing in front of an audience. She may have been nervous backstage, but once the cameras rolled, Sophia was ready with a comeback.
5. Estelle Getty put her life on paper
Getty shared stories from her life and career in her memoir, If I Knew Then, What I Know Now… So What? Even Sophia would probably have a few things to say about that title!
The memoir offers a behind-the-scenes look at the woman behind one of TV’s most unforgettable characters.
6. She had an Oscar-nominated movie on her resume!
Getty was the only one of the four Golden Girls to appear in a film nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture: Tootsie (1982).
She also earned seven Primetime Emmy nominations for playing Sophia, winning in 1988, along with three Golden Globe nominations and one win.
Clearly, Sophia wasn’t the only award-worthy thing on her resume.
7. She almost didn’t get the role of Sophia
Estelle Getty originally auditioned for the role of Dorothy, Sophia’s daughter!
Instead, she landed the role of Sophia and went on to create one of television’s most unforgettable characters. Sometimes the best roles are the ones you never expected!
Can you imagine Estelle Getty playing Dorothy instead of Sophia?
8. She had a pretty impressive list of TV "kids"
Getty played mothers to just about everyone, including Cher in Mask (1985), Barry Manilow in Copacabana (1985) and Sylvester Stallone in Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot (1992).
Her resume really did include an impressive lineup of famous "children," from singers to movie stars.
Apparently, Hollywood decided she had the "mom" role covered!
