How was Estelle Getty not fired from the Golden Girls

No one could have played Sophia the way she did.

She had the highest favorability ratings out of any television star at the time. So clearly you're in the minority.

what's really wild is that she did that Sylvester Stallone movie in 91. It didnt gross much but the conventional wisdom was that Getty sold as many tickets as Stallone. You'd think if she was limping along on THE GOLDEN GIRLS and was that incapable, she wouldn't be taking on a feature film role. (or moving on to the spinoff series)

Everything was pitch perfect on the show. Which is why it’s beloved even now.

Everyone on the set knew her memory was failing - but she was a big draw and really popular with the audience

So they had cue cards for her, and just worked around her problems.

She once stuck her head in a microwave

She wasn’t the first actor/actress to not be able to remember lines. Christopher Walken has an earpiece in where someone feeds him his lines.

She also took the character to Empty Nest after. She was insanely popular, OP.

[quote]She was insane

Gonna stop you right there.

[quote] Everyone on the set knew her memory was failing

Bea later expressed regret for being a bit of a cunt to Estelle. At the time she didn’t know Estelle was suffering memory problems and was often inpatient when she would flub her lines.

She might have had trouble remembering lines, but when she finally got them out, no one could deliver them better. I wouldn't say she was the most gifted or versatile actress of all time or even on the show, but she delivered punchlines like a pro.

I'll perhaps be generous and give the OP the benefit of the doubt and say he's referring more to the earliest episodes from season 1 and even season 2. In those earlier seasons, I'd tend to agree, Estelle was coasting by on the mean old lady tells jokes vibe and wasn't anywhere near Bea, Betty or Rue's level. So, yeah, if you look at those earlier episodes, I can imagine being perplexed as to why you'd accommodate Estelle's memory issues if she wasn't "bringing it." But, if there were an award for most improved, Estelle would win it hands down. Just watch a season 1 episode and then watch a season 6 episode. It's night and day. Of course, all the girls grew as the seasons progressed, but Estelle was the most dramatically improved. By the later seasons (especially season 4 and on) I felt like Estelle was at their level. Let's remember, the other three were TV vets with so much more on camera experience. It obviously took Estelle longer to find her footing.

May your hair never lie flat, and may your socks always slip down into your shoes OP.

We have a few doormen at my building who are old and fat. They limp along pitifully on their bad knees, trying to unload cars or help the old ladies into/out of taxis. I always wave them away when they make an attempt to help me. I’m able-bodied.

But there was one time where I really could have used a hand, and I was annoyed that the help wasn’t there. (Two of them are really nice guys and there’s one who’s a real prick.)

There does come a point where, if someone can’t do their job, they need to be replaced. But maybe if they’re likable enough, people allow them to stay.

Or they have a powerful union and they can’t be.

She was one-note as hell.

I marveled at the thought that the tiny Mrs Petrillo could have hatched Dorothy.

OP is Charles Levin posting from beyond the grave. Hi Coco!

What r10 said. Also, I just watched The Way we Met episode where she comes in with the knife like Psycho - that still makes me laugh so much (“Good Night, sweet dreams - hahahaha)

They were all invaluable in their own way. Blanche’s character however benefitted from having the most consistently best writing.

Was Bea Arthur a bitch on stilts?