Movies - TV
The Golden Girls Star Bea Arthur And Angela Lansbury Had An Amazing Friendship
By VALERIE ETTENHOFER
The late Dame Angela Lansbury, who passed away on October 11, 2022, at the age of 96, had a career that spanned much of the length of Hollywood's history. Along the way, she also made some enduring friendships that lasted nearly as long, and one of them was with small-screen legend Bea Arthur, which lasted from the 1960s until Arthur’s death in 2009.
In 2003, Arthur spoke to The Independent about the origins of her friendship with the star, whom she met on Broadway when the pair were cast opposite one another in the musical "Mame" in 1966. "She was a class act and a real joy to work with," Arthur shared, adding that Lansbury had "a mouth like a longshoreman" and even taught her the song "What Can You Get A Nudist For Her Birthday."
Long after both "Murder, She Wrote" and "The Golden Girls" said their goodbyes, the two classic TV stars still showed up for each other. At Arthur's induction into the Television Academy Hall of Fame just a few months before her death, Lansbury gave a moving and expansive 15-minute tribute to her friend's life and career.