Actress Estelle Getty Remembered - NPR

Accessibility links

• Skip to main content
• Keyboard shortcuts for audio player

Actress Estelle Getty Remembered Actress Estelle Getty, who played the sarcastic octogenarian Sophia on the long-running television show The Golden Girls has died. She was 84. The show about four female retirees sharing a house in Miami ran from 1985-92. Getty won two Emmys for her role.

Culture

Actress Estelle Getty Remembered July 22, 20084:24 PM ET Heard on All Things Considered

Hear an 'All Things Considered' remembrance

Listen Transcript Toggle more options

• Download
• Embed Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/92794978/92793895" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
• Transcript

Obituaries

'Golden Girls' Star Estelle Getty Dies At 84

Actress Estelle Getty, who played the sarcastic octogenarian Sophia on the long-running television show The Golden Girls has died. She was 84. The show about four female retirees sharing a house in Miami ran from 1985-92. Getty won two Emmys for her role.

Sponsor Message

MELISSA BLOCK, host:

And one more note this hour: Actress Estelle Getty died today at the age of 84. She began her career early as a teen doing stand up in the Catskills. But she found her fame late, in her 60s, playing Sophia Petrillo on the television series "The Golden Girls."

(Soundbite of TV show, "The Golden Girls")

Ms. ESTELLE GETTY (Actor): (as Sophia Petrillo) I'm perfectly capable of managing by myself. I don't need help. I'm totally independent person.

Ms. BEA ARTHUR (Actor): (as Dorothy Petrillo Zbornak) I know. I know.

Ms. GETTY: (as Sophia Petrillo) I need $67 for the cab.

(Soundbite of laughter)

BLOCK: Sophia's trademark was the cutting one-liner aimed at the women she lived with.

(Soundbite of TV show, "The Golden Girls")

Ms. BETTY WHITE (Actor): (as Rose Nylund) Sit down, Sophia. You must be exhausted.

Ms. GETTY: (as Sophia Petrillo) Why? I rode in the cab. I didn't push it.

(Soundbite of laughter)

BLOCK: That's actress Estelle Getty on "The Golden Girls." Getty suffered from advanced dementia, and she died today, three days before her 85th birthday.

Copyright © 2008 NPR. All rights reserved. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information.

Accuracy and availability of NPR transcripts may vary. Transcript text may be revised to correct errors or match updates to audio. Audio on npr.org may be edited after its original broadcast or publication. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.

• Facebook
• Flipboard
• Email

Sponsor Message

Sponsor Message

Become an NPR sponsor