Estelle Getty | |
---|---|
Born | Estelle Scher July 25, 1923 New York City, U.S. |
Died | July 22, 2008 Los Angeles, California, U.S. | (aged 84)
Resting place | Hollywood Forever Cemetery |
Occupations |
|
Years active | 1940s–2001[1] |
Notable work | The Golden Girls The Golden Palace Empty Nest |
Spouse |
Arthur Gettleman
(m. 1947; died 2004) |
Children | 2 |
Estelle Gettleman (née Scher; July 25, 1923 – July 22, 2008), known professionally as Estelle Getty, was an American actress and comedienne. She was best known for her portrayal of Sophia Petrillo on The Golden Girls (1985–1992), for which she won a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy and a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series. She reprised the role in Empty Nest (1993–1995), The Golden Palace (1992–1993), Blossom (1990–1995), and Nurses (1991–1994).[2] Notable films in which she appeared include Mask (1985), a semibiographical film in which she played the grandmother of Roy L. Dennis, Mannequin (1987), and Stuart Little (1999). She retired from acting in 2001 due to failing health, and died in 2008 from dementia with Lewy bodies.[3][4]
the diminutive actress who spent 40 years struggling for success before landing a role of a lifetime in 1985