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Arthur's son, Matthew Saks, later spoke of tension between the two actresses, stating that his mother, "unknowingly carried the attitude that it was fun to have somebody to be angry atIt was almost like Betty became her nemesis, someone she could always roll her eyes about at work. ISBN978-1-4516-1369-8. However, she wasn't much older than Bea Arthur. Apparently, writer Susan Harris envisioned a Bea Arthur type when conceptualizing the character of Dorothy. Life. [57], The show's designer, Ed Stephenson, took inspiration from his time living in Florida to design a "Florida look" for The Golden Girls house set. Although the writing was mostly comical, dramatic moments and sentimental endings were included in several episodes. Dorothy, following an impassioned speech in which she told the girls that I love you, always, she says as she rushes back into the home through several entrances for their final goodbyes, before making her final exit, saying, Youll always be my sisters. Continually , leaving the other three females to fend for themselves. Casting director Judith Weiner had seen Torch Song Trilogy, and thought Getty was terrific in it. Initially, the producers of the show had planned for Getty only to be a recurring guest. "[34] Getty continuously battled stage fright during her tenure on the show. Estelle Getty portrayed the role of Sophia Petrillo, the mother of Dorothy Zbornak (Bea Arthurs character). Blanche Devereaux, a widow, was joined by Rose Nylund, a fellow widow, and Dorothy Zbornak, a divorced woman after they both answered a room-for-rent post on the bulletin board of a local grocery shop. Plus, Sophia was a great cook. "[44] Writer Christopher Lloyd explained that the usual situation was for all of the more junior writers to be assigned the same scene to write, with the one judged the best version becoming the one chosen. 1. Blanche was probably around 50, Dorothy was likely in her late 40s, Rose was probably closer to 51, and Sophia was likely closer to 79. Required fields are marked *. Jan 31, 2023 Movie Features Harry Potter: Wait, How Are Bellatrix and Leta Lestrange Related? (Photo Credit: New Line Cinema/ HBO/ MovieStills DB and MovieStills DB). : Extreme Stunt Show attraction, later replaced by Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge. However, her popularity with audiences caused Sophia to become a main character in the series. The company expected the show to appeal to older female viewers. Rue McClanahan is the youngest Golden Girl! White, Betty (2010). [55] Producers used this residence for exterior shots during the first two seasons. When the show hit TV screens in the 1980s, society believed that women in their 50s were more grandmotherly, and ready for retirement. Born on January 17, 1922, Betty White was the oldest of the four main stars. The Golden Girls came to an end when Bea Arthur elected to quit the series after six seasons in the top ten and the seventh season at #30. The Golden Girls began in 1985 and concluded in 1992, both in real life and in the fictional realm. However, White and McClanahan wanted to play against their typecasting, so McClanahan was cast as Blanche instead. Estelle Getty as Sophia Petrillo in the 1985 sitcom The Golden Girls (Credit: NBC). -- Thirty years ago today, "The Golden Girls" premiered on television. Contact Us Its time to look back at the golden years with our favorite Golden Girls. This indicates that she was likely in her late 40s when the show began. The Golden Girls is an American sitcom created by Susan Harris that aired on NBC from September 14, 1985, to May 9, 1992, with a total of 180 half-hour episodes, spanning seven seasons. The women's ages were usually not explicitly stated, although some deductive work gives a pretty safe estimate of how old each Golden Girl was at the start of the series. Last edited on 15 February 2023, at 17:40, Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series, Golden Globe Awards for Best Television Series Musical or Comedy, Lights, Motors, Action! New Movie News, Movie Trailers & upcoming Movie Reviews. Both Betty White and Bea Arthur were 63 when The Golden Girls premiered, coinciding with the fan theory. In fact, the two were less than four months apart in age. The series starred Stephanie Hodge and a set of other young nurses. With an ensemble cast starring Bea Arthur, Betty White, Rue McClanahan, and Estelle Getty, the show is about four older women who share a home in Miami, Florida.It was produced by Witt/Thomas/Harris Productions . Eager not to be typecast, they took the suggestion of Sandrich and switched roles at the last minute. The series ran for a total of seven seasons and a total of 180 full-length episodes. For one thing, it did pave the way for a new terrain. [36] Once the show was picked up for a first season, new director Paul Bogart felt exactly the opposite, insisting that McClanahan use a Southern accent. "It was so exciting to be with four people with that chemistry. As one of the few times in television history where three shows from the same producer, set in the same city, aired back-to-back-to-back on the same network, the three shows occasionally took advantage of their unique circumstance to create storylines carrying through all three series, such as "Hurricane Saturday". In Southeast Asia, Rewind Networks began airing reruns of The Golden Girls on its HD channel, HITS, in 2013. Ellen Albertini Dow played Sophia's friend Lillian and an unnamed hospital patient with a flower cart. Blanche would have been 60 by the series' end. She'd be walking around like Pig-Pen, under a black cloud. McClanahan was 51 years old by the time The Golden Girls premiered, and she was 58 when it concluded. Please endeavor to share this article with family, friends, and colleagues. Rose Nylund was 55 years old when the show premiered, as Dorothy stated in the Season 1 episode Job Hunting.. Their regular writer declined, so Witt asked his wife, Susan Harris,[24] who had been semiretired since the conclusion of their ABC series Soap. In the pilot episode, the three are joined by Dorothy's 80-year-old widowed mother, Sophia Petrillo (Getty), after the retirement home where she has been living has burned down. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Continue reading to find out how old were the golden girls on the set of The Golden Girls. This article promises to be interesting and really informative. One, while the characters ages on the show appeared to be quite consistentBlanche, Rose, and Dorothy were all in their mid-50s, and Sophia was Dorothys widowed, elderly motherthe actors who played them were all somewhat varied in age. If she had returned, her character would have been in her sixties. Advertise She passed away in 2010, at the age of 76, after suffering a brain hemorrhage. In the United Kingdom, the series aired on Channel 4, Living and Disney Channel. While the characters' ages on the series seemed fairly clear-cutBlanche, Rose and Dorothy were in their mid-50s, while Sophia was Dorothy's widowed, elderly motherit may surprise fans to know that the actual ages of the actresses playing them were completely different. The Golden Girls Almost Had a Fifth Main Character - Here's Why He Was Dropped The Golden Girls broke boundaries with its main cast of older women, but it originally broke even more with the lost fifth member of the hit sitcom. "[47] Getty died in 2008, the result of dementia with Lewy bodies. "[60] Anna Wyckoff of the Costume Designers Guild wrote, "Evans took the direction from the producers to create a vibrant look for the four mature leads, and ran with itredefining what 'dressing your age' looked like. Sophia states it happened in 1931, making it likely Dorothy was born sometime in 1932, judging by her sign. Airing from 1985 to 1992 with seven seasons in total, The Golden Girls was a smash hit during the entirety of its run. The Golden Girls will always be remembered as a show that put a spotlight on senior women in a way no other show had done before. According to Evans, "I wanted a sexy, soft, and flowing look for Rue, a tailored, pulled-together look for Bea, a down-home look for Betty, and comfort for Estelle. McClanahan and White were friends on- and off-screen. Chick Vennera played a prize fighter and TV reporter Enrique Mas. Sophia then recounts to Dorothy the account of the night Dorothy was conceived in Season 3, Episode 5, Nothing to Fear But Fear Itself. Sophia claims it happened in 1931, so Dorothy was most likely born in 1932, based on her sign. On November 9, 2010, the studio released a complete-series box set titled The Golden Girls: 25th Anniversary Complete Collection. Getty figured it would be her last chance to find television or film work. It was popular for addressing a demographic that rarely saw the spotlight on television or in Hollywood: senior women. Estelle Getty auditioned and won the role as the feisty mother of character Dorothy Zbornak, due, in part, to the rave reviews she garnered in her off-Broadway role reprisal for the 1984 Los Angeles run of Torch Song Trilogy. How old were The Golden Girls supposed to be? 2. This would mean that Dorothy, who was born in 1938, would have been around 47 when the show started. Audiences can figure things out with a little detective work. Bea Arthur as Dorothy Zbornak and Estelle Getty as Sophia Petrillo in the 1985 sitcom The Golden Girls (Credit: NBC). [24] Produced to introduce the network's 198485 season schedule, two actresses appearing on NBC shows, Selma Diamond of Night Court and Doris Roberts of Remington Steele, appeared in a skit promoting the upcoming show Miami Vice as Miami Nice, a parody about old people living in Miami. Susan Harris developed a spin-off centering on the empty nest syndrome. Luckily, Susan Harris didnt lose her spark after Soap concluded, as she included much of the humor and sharp wit that made Soap popular in The Golden Girls as well. The Golden Girls began in 1985 and concluded in 1992, both in real life and in the fictional realm. Clearly, the wardrobe and hairstyles in each show are extremely different from each other. I have a passion for learning and enjoy explaining complex concepts in a simple way. In "The Golden . Though Littlefield nixed their idea, he asked if they would be interested in delivering a pilot script for Miami Nice, instead. White's birthday is January 17th and Arthur's was May 13th. Finally, Sophia is stated to be in her late 70s, suggesting that she was between 77 and 79. [52][53] Debbie Reynolds was brought on as a guest star in the season six episode "There Goes the Bride: Part 2" to test her chemistry with the other actresses as a possible replacement for Arthur, but producers decided that nobody could replicate the chemistry of the four original actresses. Although Sophia appears to be much older than the other girls in the show, Getty was actually younger than both Bea Arthur and Betty White. Some episodes featured flashbacks to previous episodes, flashbacks to events not shown in previous episodes, or to events that occurred before the series began. The sitcom was conceptualized by writer Susan Harris. I kept reading scenes to them and saying, 'God, this is brilliant [] There's nothing trendy about this show. Featuring an all-male cast in drag, The Golden Girls: Live! This suggests that her character was likely around the same age. [54] The model used for exterior shots of the house from the third season through the end of the series was part of the backstage studio tour ride at Disney's Hollywood Studios. Cynthia Nixon, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kristen Davis in And Just Like That. (Photo Credit: MovieStills DB). If technically supported by the home television, this system allowed their audience to watch the show either in the dubbed German version (by default) or the original English version. The women had a homosexual cook named Coco who lived with them at first, but after the premiere episode, the character was never seen again. She is passionate about Princess Diana, the Titanic, the Romanovs, and Egypt amongst other things. Though Harris had created the character of Dorothy with a "Bea Arthur type" in mind, Littlefield and the producers initially envisioned actress Elaine Stritch for the part. One, while the characters ages on the show appeared to be quite. Do you have knowledge or insights to share? Afterwards, Getty had returned to New York, but gained permission from her manager to return to California in early 1985. When the show initially aired, NBC took a chance. Colucci, Jim (2016). Blanche (played by Rue McClanahan) was thought to be around 47 years old in the first season of Golden Girls. How Old Were the Golden Girls? Between 1973 and 1977 White made several appearances on The Mary Tyler Moore Show as Sue Ann Nivens, the snobby, man-obsessed supporting character. How old was Sophia Petrillo on The Golden Girls? Estelle Getty, however, was 62 in 1985, making her 17 years younger than the character she portrayed. : Extreme Stunt Show, discrimination against people with HIV/AIDS, List of awards and nominations received by The Golden Girls, "TV Guide Magazine's 60 Best Series of All Time", Golden Girls appears to get better with pop culture age, "7 Things You Might Not Know About The Golden Girls", "The Golden Girls - Cast/Crew Documentary (2/9)", "These Are the Most-Watched TV Series Finales of All Time: 17", "The TV Ratings Guide: 1987-1988 season ratings", "Golden Girls: A 20th Anniversary Oral History", "Catching Up with the Golden Girls' Susan Harris", "Crackle's Creator Conversation: Soap's Susan Harris", The Interviews: An Oral History of Television, "Betty White and Bea Arthur's Friends Open Up About Their On-Set Feud", "Say It Isn't So, Girls! [41] To aid her retention, Getty tried hypnosis, and the show hired an assistant to run lines with her before taping; neither method worked. The main cast of The Golden Girls included Rue McClanahan as Blanche Devereaux, Betty White as Rose Nylund, Bea Arthur as Dorothy Zbornak, and Estelle Getty as Dorothys mother, Sophia Petrillo. Hi, I'm Happy Sharer and I love sharing interesting and useful knowledge with others. Bill Dana played Sophia's brother Angelo and her father. Exploring the Basics, Benefits, and Policies, How to Contact Tesla: Customer Service Phone Number, Website, Social Media, Email & Live Chat, Bruce Willis Health Condition: Understanding the Actors Diet and Exercise Regimen, Exploring the Impact of Greg Gutfelds Vacation from Fox News. Carrie's age range in "And Just Like That." puts her in the same age range as the characters in "The Golden Girls" season one, according to TODAY with Hoda & Jenna. It was produced by Witt/Thomas/Harris Productions, in association with Touchstone Television. In order to try and determine the real ages of the Golden Girls, we need to look at other sources of evidence. The shows executives were unsure how the public would react to the eccentric program because older women in leading roles were rarely seen on television. [58], The kitchen set seen on The Golden Girls was originally used on an earlier Witt/Thomas/Harris series, It Takes Two, which aired on ABC from 1982 to 1983. On the other hand, Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker) is 55 in Just Like That, while Miranda (Cynthia Nixon) and Charlotte (Kristen Davis) are both supposed to be 54 years old. Soap lasted for four seasons and was marred by controversy due to Harriss insistence on including content that dealt with themes of sexuality, religion, and race. [73], In 2013, TV Guide ranked The Golden Girls number 54 on its list of the 60 Best Series of All Time. Betty White was famous in Hollywood for being a pioneer of television dating back to the 1950s. Bea Arthur actually hated cheesecake. In the first season of Golden Girls, it is revealed that Rose (Betty Whites character) was 55. However, with some detective work, audiences can figure them out. By the end of the series, Rose was 62. She thought an accentuated Southern accent would be sexy and strong and attractive to men. Similarly, Estelle Getty, who played Sophia, was 79 when the show began and 83 when it ended. Interestingly enough, Estelle Getty suffered from stage fright and would often freeze on camera during the filming of The Golden Girls. It is interesting to note that the ages of the characters are never directly addressed in the show. Your email address will not be published. The Golden Girls first aired on September 14, 1985, and it continues to appeal to both young and older audiences. [74] The show was the anchor of NBC's Saturday line-up, and almost always won its time slot, as ABC and CBS struggled to find shows to compete against it, the most notable being ABC's Lucille Ball sitcom Life With Lucy in the beginning of the 198687 season although it aired at 8:00, an hour earlier. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Proudly powered by WordPress Then, in Season 3, Episode 5, "Nothing to Fear But Fear Itself," Sophia tells Dorothy the story of the night Dorothy was conceived. Producers wanted to cast McClanahan as Rose and White as Blanche based on roles they had previously played; White portrayed the man-hungry Sue Ann Nivens on The Mary Tyler Moore Show, while McClanahan co-starred as the sweet but scatterbrained Vivian Harmon in Maude. Discover all about The Golden Girls cast from their names, ages and how old they were supposed to be in the showwho was oldest & youngest, and more. For example, one or more of the women would become involved in some sort of problem, often involving other family members, men, or an ethical dilemma. Before The Golden Girls, she was most renowned for creating the series Soap, which parodied daytime soap operas such as The Young and the Restless. Reportedly, White doubted that she could effectively play the role of Rose. [41], The show was the second television series to be produced by the Walt Disney Company under the Touchstone Television label, and was subsequently distributed by Buena Vista International, Inc. (which holds as the ownership stake in Disney Channel Southeast Asia, now DisneyABC Television Group). Rose even went to the trouble of looking up the information in official documents, only to discover that it had been removed by authorization of the governor.. The film Golden Girls was a critical and commercial triumph. Reportedly, a second season was approved before being cancelled the day before the network announced its 199394 schedule. For example, Betty White, who played Rose, was 76 when the show first aired and 80 when it ended. Rose's age is the easiest to track down, thanks to Dorothy openly saying it in Season 1, Episode 22, "Job Hunting." During a conversation where Rose discusses her difficulty finding a new job after losing her previous one at the grief counseling center, Dorothy reveals that Rose is 55. 3. In Germany, airing of the show started in January 1990, only months before the German reunification, by German public broadcaster ARD in the late evening programme on their main channel Das Erste. Click Registration to join us and share your expertise with our readers.). It wasnt until she was informed of Roses naivety that she gained the confidence to play the role and pull off the character. "[45], After season three, Arthur had expressed her growing dissatisfaction with the disparaging jokes made about her physical appearance, which were often in the scripts. Bea Arthur as Dorothy Zbornak in the 1985 sitcom The Golden Girls (Credit: NBC). As of February 2013, WE tv's rights expired and Viacom networks' TV Land, home to Betty White's last series Hot in Cleveland, purchased them,[79] as did Logo TV. Both the Hallmark Channel and WE tv picked-up the reruns in March 2009. In March 1997, the Lifetime cable network acquired the exclusive rights to repeat the episodes of The Golden Girls in the US until March 1, 2009. Estimating the ages of the characters can be tricky, since the show never explicitly states their ages. [3] In 2013, TV Guide ranked The Golden Girls number 54 on its list of the 60 Best Series of All Time. Sarah Jessica Parker and Betty White, both of whom play a 55-year-old woman. Arguably the main protagonist of the show, Blanche Devereaux is portrayed by Rue McClanahan. Shoes Accessories, Copyright Your Next Shoes 2010 - 2023 |, The 9 Best Classic and Designer High Top Sneaker Brands, How to Spot Fake Converse Shoes: 10 Ways to Tell Real All Star Sneakers, Sabrina Carpenter Presents K-Pop Twice With Breakthrough Award in Racy Mini Dress Amidst Shawn Mendes Dating Rumors, The Cast of Creed III: What 7 Actors Look Like in Real Life, Aubrey Plaza and Jenna Ortega Steal the Show at SAG Awards With Hilarious Deadpan Presentation, Next in Fashion Season 2 Cast: Gigi Hadid Promotes Netflix Show in 5 Stunning Outfits, Jessica Simpson Shares Adorable Photo With Mini-Me Daughter Birdie Mae on Instagram. ISBN978-0-06-242290-3. She wanted to be a Southern heroine, like Vivien Leigh. [39] In 2011, White stated that she believed it was her "positive attitude" and perky demeanor that got on Arthur's nerves. This led into the spin-off series, The Golden Palace. Theme: Newsup by Themeansar. Covering the hottest movie and TV topics that fans want. It could also be because the show was trying to emphasize the idea that age is just a number and that life does not end at a certain age. Estelle Getty reprised her role as Sophia in The Golden Palace, which only lasted for one season. Premiering in 1985, The Golden Girls was an instant smash, attracting a diverse audience for a then-novel concept depicting the lives of four older women sharing friendship, a home and a lot . After the pilot, the character of Coco was eliminated from the series. [52], The house's address was mentioned as being 6151 Richmond Street, Miami. Sophia, Dorothys straight-talking mother, was the Golden Girls houses oldest figure. Beginning in 1990, Marc Cherry served as writer and producer, years before creating Desperate Housewives, which ran on ABC from 2004 to 2012. [5] Terry Tang of the Associated Press reported that the series continues to attract new fans in the 21st century and characterized it as an example of a sitcom that has aged well.[6]. At some point, they would gather around the kitchen table and discuss the problem, sometimes late at night and often while eating cheesecake, ice cream, or some other dessert. Cheers. 41 Behind-the-Scenes 'The Golden Girls' Facts - 'Golden Girls' Trivia. In the original Sex and the City, Samatha Jones (Kim Cattrall) was in her late 40s/ early 50s, but Cattrall decided not to be a part of the reboot. "[72], During the NBC upfronts, the preview screening of the show got a standing ovation. Initially, White was considered for the role of Blanche Devereaux, which eventually went to Rue McClanahan. She reconsidered, however, after hearing that McClanahan and White had switched roles. Rue McClanahan as Blanche Devereaux in the 1985 sitcom The Golden Girls (Credit: NBC). ", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Golden_Girls&oldid=1139544706, "Thank You for Being a Friend" (instrumental), "I was running all over the house grabbing anybody who would listen. Fans of all ages still enjoy The Golden Girls and its actors today. One such source is the actors who played the characters. She loves spending quality time with her friends, family, and puppy Luna! For simplicity's sake, each season is considered a separate year, as the show ran for seven seasons. Every episode of The Golden Girls was made available to stream on Hulu on February 13, 2017. Arthur died from cancer in 2009 at age 86 and McClanahan followed in. She remarked that it was revolutionary because it was the first time older women were shown in an atmosphere where they were well-groomed, well dressed, had active sex lives. The show was a hit with viewers of all ages. In the first season of Golden Girls, it is revealed that Rose (Betty White's character) was 55. Betty Whites heartbreaking final post on her Instagram with the caption: My 100th birthday I cannot believe it is coming up, and People Magazine is celebrating with me! (Credit: Betty Whites Instagram). [63] Much of Arthur's wardrobe was custom-made because at the time, finding off-the-rack clothing that was flattering for a taller woman was difficult. Sophia had her 50th birthday in April 1956, making her character 79 years old when the series premiered in 1985, according to a flashback scene in Season 2s , Roses age is the easiest to determine, owing to Dorothy revealing it in Season 1, Episode 22, Job Hunting. Dorothy exposes Roses age is exposed during a chat in which Rose describes her problems finding a new career after leaving her prior one at the, Sophia then recounts to Dorothy the account of the night Dorothy was conceived in Season 3, Episode 5, Nothing to Fear But Fear Itself. Sophia claims it happened in 1931, so Dorothy was most likely born in 1932, based on her sign. In "The Golden Girls", Rose is 55, Dorothy is 53, Blanche is 47 and Sophia is 79. When all of the evidence is taken into account, it seems likely that the Golden Girls characters were actually younger than their stated ages. Although the womens ages were rarely disclosed, some deductive work may be used to approximate how old each Golden Girl was at the commencement of the series. [32], Getty, who went through a three-hour transformation to become Sophia, wore heavy make-up, thick glasses, and a white wig to look the part. [108] After the end of The Golden Palace, Getty joined the cast of Empty Nest, making frequent appearances as Sophia in the show's final two seasons. New York: Harper Collins. Maddy Hiltz is someone who loves all things history. It won three Golden Globe Awards for Best Television Series and two Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Comedy Series. [6], The show features an ensemble cast and the plot revolves around four older single women (three widows and one divorce) sharing a house in Miami. [30] Stritch's audition flopped, however, and under the impression that Arthur did not want to participate, Harris asked McClanahan if she could persuade Arthur, with whom she worked previously on the CBS sitcom Maude, to take the role. The oldest character in Golden Girls is Sophia (Estelle Getty), who is thought to be about 80 years old at the start of the series. Actress Elaine Stritch was also considered for the role, but she blew her audition by using curse words, which was something that the writers felt was out of character for Dorothy. As of September 15, 2021, every episode was made available to stream on Disney+ in Germany and Austria. She would return home to New York if she were unsuccessful. The Golden Palace, a spinoff of the successful sitcom The Golden Girls, will make its streaming debut on Hulu early next year.. On Jan. 10, just one week before Betty White's 100th birthday on Jan. 17, the single season of the sitcom featuring three of the four main characters from the original series -- Rose Nyland (White), Blanche Devereaux (Rue McClanahan) and Sophia Petrillo (Estelle Getty . In this article, we will explore the evidence and try to uncover the true ages of the Golden Girls. With an ensemble cast starring Bea Arthur, Betty White, Rue McClanahan, and Estelle Getty, the show is about four older women who share a home in Miami, Florida. It won three Golden Globe Awards for Best Television Series and two. The faade was based on a real house at 245 North Saltair Avenue in the Westgate Heights neighborhood of Los Angeles. Roses age is the easiest to determine, owing to Dorothy revealing it in Season 1, Episode 22, Job Hunting. Dorothy exposes Roses age is exposed during a chat in which Rose describes her problems finding a new career after leaving her prior one at the grief counseling center. Starring actress Hodge left after two seasons, David Rasche joined the cast at the start of the second season, and Loni Anderson was added as the new hospital administrator in the third. It also won three Golden Globe Awards for Best Television Series Musical or Comedy. The Golden Girls Almost Had a Fifth Main Character - Here's Why He Was Dropped The Golden Girls broke boundaries with its main cast of older women, but it originally broke even more with the lost fifth member of the hit sitcom. Cast alongside Rue McClanahan, she impressed the producers of The Golden Girls with her recurring role as Ellen in Mamas Family. Betty White, who died on December 31, 2021, at the age of 99, was best known for her role as the wonderfully naive Rose Nylund in the NBC comedy The Golden Girls. How Old Were the Golden Girls Supposed to Be? Assuming her child would graduate at 17, that would make Blanche 48 in 1986 and 47 at the start of the series. However, it did so from a very different perspective. The Golden Girls was a highly-acclaimed and rated, well-received, popular American situation-comedy/sit-com television series that aired on NBC originally from September 14, 1985, to May 9, 1992. In 1989, Marc Sotkin, previously a writer on Laverne & Shirley and a producer on another Witt/Thomas series, It's a Living, assumed head writing responsibilities, and guided the show (to varying degrees) during what were its final three seasons. Betty White was actually the oldest Golden Girl. Going by the math, that makes Blanche 53 at the start of the series. [4] In 2014, the Writers Guild of America placed the sitcom at number 69 in their list of the "101 Best Written TV Series of All Time". The basic facts to work with are that The Golden Girls began in 1985 and ended in 1992, both in real life and in-world.