Estelle Getty

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Estelle Getty

Estelle Getty at the 41st Annual Emmy Awards September 17, 1989. Photo by Alan Light.
Born Estelle Scher
July 25, 1923 (1923-07-25) (age 84)
New York City, New York, U.S.

Estelle Getty (born Estelle Scher on July 25, 1923 in New York City, USA) is an Emmy and Golden Globe Award winning actress (theatre and screen). She has retired from acting and is currently battling Dementia.

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[edit] Biography

Her most important early role was playing Harvey Fierstein's mother on Broadway in the play Torch Song Trilogy; however, she is best known for her role as Sophia Petrillo on the popular 1980s sitcom, The Golden Girls. In it, she played the wise-cracking old Sicilian mother of Dorothy Zbornak, who was the show's main protagonist, played by Beatrice Arthur. Getty is actually one year and four months younger than Arthur.

She was married to Arthur Gettleman (from whose name she adapted her stage name) from 1946 until his death in 2004. Getty has two grown sons: Carl Gettleman, who lives in California, and Barry Gettleman, who lives in Florida.[1]

She wrote her autobiography, with Steve Delsohn, titled If I Knew Then, What I Know Now. . .So What? (Contemporary Books, 1988).[2]

In the early days of AIDS hysteria, Estelle opened her heart to her nephew, Steven Scher (age 29), who was in the final stages of AIDS and near death in 1991. With Steve's parents living in England and his friends no longer able to care for him in Greensboro, North Carolina, Estelle had Steve flown out to California where she admitted him to hospice care. Steve died in January 1992. An extensive account of her act of charity was published in STAR Magazine.

In 2000, she stopped making public appearances after revealing that she had Parkinson's Disease and osteoporosis. In 2002, it was revealed to the media that she is also suffering from Alzheimer's Disease. It was later discovered that she actually has Lewy Body Dementia, and both the Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diagnoses were incorrect.[1] In 2003, there was a Golden Girls reunion hosted on the Lifetime television network but unfortunately Estelle did not appear in it due to her failing health. She currently lives in Los Angeles, California.

[edit] Emmy Awards

The handprints of Estelle Getty in front of The Great Movie Ride at Walt Disney World's Disney's Hollywood Studios theme park.
The handprints of Estelle Getty in front of The Great Movie Ride at Walt Disney World's Disney's Hollywood Studios theme park.
  • 1992 - Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series - The Golden Girls - (Nominated)
  • 1991 - Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series - The Golden Girls - (Nominated)
  • 1990 - Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series - The Golden Girls - (Nominated)
  • 1989 - Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series - The Golden Girls - (Nominated)
  • 1988 - Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series - The Golden Girls - (Won)
  • 1987 - Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series - The Golden Girls - (Nominated)
  • 1986 - Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series - The Golden Girls - (Nominated)

[edit] Golden Globe Awards

  • 1991 - Actress In A Supporting Role - Series, Mini-Series Or Television Movie - The Golden Girls - (Nominated)
  • 1986 - Actress In A Leading Role - Musical Or Comedy Series - The Golden Girls - (Won)
  • 1985 - Actress In A Leading Role - Musical Or Comedy Series - The Golden Girls - (Nominated)

[edit] Selected filmography

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b www.estellegetty.com
  2. ^ http://www.filmreference.com/film/49/Estelle-Getty.html

[edit] External links

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