Bea Arthur interview for Gaytime TV

On 27 July 1997, the BBC broadcasted this interview with Beatrice Arthur as part of the television show Gaytime TV. She talks about her part as Dorothy on The Golden Girls, why it became so popular among gays and also visits Soho, London (English spoken, no subtitles).

[@mlc2005]

I hope she realizes how much she meant to the gay community (not to mention the world in general). When she died, she left several 100 thousand dollars to a shelter for gay children abandoned by their parents... and she did it without any fanfare or need for publicity. Just an all-around good human being. I saw her during her one woman show tour, and she signed autographs after the show, and she was SO sweet. She even told an older gay couple "you two make such a great couple." We almost died

[@lamidom]

Matthew C . Are you yet a gay couple?

[@JassminaVellucci]

Matthew C It was distory in a flood.

[@randysills4418]

It was re-opened a year ago. She left $300,000 in her will...

[@willyboy6126]

So sweet...always loved Bea ever since her Maude4 days. You were fortunate to meet her : )

[@pagliacci2942]

There isn't a gay community. There is gay scene and there are gay people.

[@maurico92]

Thanks Bea for just being a friend

[@SheldonCooperJT]

...She is 75 here and looks EXACTLY the same as she did nearly 15 years before. What a beautiful woman.

[@anglejohnson3857]

she looks in her 50s!!

[@a.b.sproductionsllc]

Allen Page She looked younger on “The Golden Girls” then when she was on “Maude.”

[@anahitshaterian8568]

Motel6 chanell line up in Oakland

[@brittneybrisbin744]

@@a.b.sproductionsllc I've always thought that, too.

[@kgfes]

That's both a compliment and an insult.

[@Ntyler01mil]

As a gay man, I think the constructed family aspect of the show resonates very strongly with the gay experience. So many of us form strong bonds with friends when family ties can be strained. The humor and cattiness also resonates. I also think the show resonates with young people in general because it presents retirement as an encore to your teens and twenties. All the women are single and dating again. They go to lots of social functions. Rose has a brand new career. I always found the show very comforting. It makes getting older look fun.

[@user-ho8br1cw8c]

Very well said! Spot on.

[@ladyLuck23]

I absolutely agree with you. I may not be a part of the gay community but I have a brother who's gay and some close friends who are transgender who have nothing hut love and respect for others. What I love about the golden girls ehat they were comforting and gave you laughter and brought everyone together. You can be older whether man or woman and still enjoy life and succeed.

[@ThePoobears]

well said Nicholas :)

[@willyboy6126]

Totally agree with you Nicholas...minus the aches and pains I'm starting to feel...lol ; )

[@BrianCormackCarr]

Excellent point.

[@chomme9027]

Bea made me feel less alone when i was kid in the 90s and found the golden girls. She's definitely missed.

[@Marchant2]

It seems every interview I watch of Bea sends my love for her one notch higher. There never will be another like her.

[@jessica.santillo]

Marchant2 NEVER! It would be impossible to clone this beautiful and elegant person.

[@desertrose1226]

The only woman I think who was like her was Elaine Stritch but Stritch was unlikeable.

[@royalredus]

What an absolutely DELIGHTFUL interview. Bea is sometimes described as eccentric and slow to warm up to people, but if this is any indication, I find her to be classy, engaging, and fascinating. Thank you for posting!

[@glennfromthebronx]

...in real life, many people, including her co-stars said that Bea was extremely SHY.

[@nomizak]

She was a very private person. People interpret that as being eccentric or slow to warm up to people. Most people expect celebrities to be as gregarious as the characters they play because that's the only side we see of them. When in reality they are exactly the opposite.

[@desertrose1226]

She just seemed lovely -despite the silly rumours that went around about her supposedly being a “bitch”..

[@MsQuartermaine]

DesertRose122 I unfortunately recently ended up online and down a rabbit hole, and while I've read lovely stories about Bea, I've read even more not-so-lovely stories. :( They mostly came out after her death when she couldn't share her version, and that just rubs me the wrong way. I suppose if you dig that deep about anyone, not everything you find is going to be sunshine and rainbows. And who knows if all of it's accurate? There's a quote I heard before that applies here. Something about there being 3 sides to every story: One side, the other side, and the truth. I do think this quote from Angela Lansbury may explain some things: "Bea was absolutely the antithesis of the characters she portrayed. She was sensitive - really, really sensitive - and self-conscious. But she covered it up by becoming this deep-voiced comic...That voice went ahead of her all the time, giving people the wrong impression of toughness and an overbearing attitude. She wasn’t like that at all."

[@nothingbutintroverted4372]

@@MsQuartermaine honestly the people who knew here best always said what a great person she was and honestly finding out how shy she was i relate to that and having people automatically assume your a bitch because you “standoffish” when you’re really just an introvert

[@gilbertmartinez1504]

What a charming Lady she is in this video!!!! Absolutely, no tinge of judgement towards amybody. She conveyed her delight in the gay commumity so eloquently and was friendly to the crowd. She didn't rush into her waiting car amidst a bodyguard or with any kind of pretense. She IS missed, not only by the gays, but also by the world.

[@glennfromthebronx]

...I believe hat a large % of her estate was willed by Bea to build a homeless shelter for gay/lesbian teens in NYC. www.pinknews.co.uk/2017/12/09/bea-arthur-lgbt-homeless-shelter-opens-just-in-time-for-christmas/

[@tanya4534]

I love Bea, she was my favorite Golden Girl, I felt a bond with Bea. She's comforting. I'm a heterosexual woman but I love how she was an advocate for animals and gay men.

[@Khevor]

Personally, I think gays responded well to the Golden Girls is because we could easily relate to them. Age difference notwithstanding, their personalities, intelligence, humour, and repartee is something that we can identify with on a very personal level (and for some, from personal experience). Their attraction beyond the show was their absolute acceptance of the gay community world-wide - embracing us as opposed to shunning or ignoring us.

[@lamidom]

Khevor . Yes, but they accepted and lived heterosexual characters as well. Nice to see that.

[@jon122569]

Bea Arthur is a dame I would have loved to have chatted with. What a wit. And class class classss.

[@JovialJinx]

I love her and even so long after her demise, I think of her as a support system for all of us - through her art. Thank you Bea. For being a friend!

[@rafaelsiegel]

These women were stars because of talent, not because of tabloid stupidity. They didn't need reality shows and bad behavior to be icons. Their iconic stature was a result of hard work and natural born abilities. Bea and people like her will live on for generations, do you think the same can be said about "Snooky" and the Kardashian trainwrecks? I think not.

[@ricknelsonm]

Great point, and the trainwrecks, LOL, LOL, LOL,

[@runner4life551]

The truth!

[@sonyaindriati4227]

AGREED!!!

[@davidwalsh3439]

What a wonderful gay icon such a lovely person

[@DorothyZbornak4]

I love Bea's style. Got to have them glasses

[@copacetic9018]

*those

[@DorothyZbornak4]

Copacetic Media www.wearysloth.com/Gallery/ActorsA/591.gif

[@anglejohnson3857]

where is bea and rest of golden girls today?

[@LilLua07]

+Angle Johnson Estelle Getty (Sophia) died in 2008, followed by Bea Arthur in 2009, and Rue McClanahan (Blanche) in 2010. Betty White (Rose) turned 95 in January this year and is the only surviving Golden Girl.

[@anglejohnson3857]

+Tusiata25 oh ok thanks

[@jencastro]

I miss hearing her voice and seeing her on t.v. Rest In Peace Bea Arthur.

[@sawyerramos3113]

AS IF ONE COULDNT LOVE THIS WOMAN ANY MORE, SHE GOES AND SAYS SUCH THINGS ABOUT GAYS!

[@lamidom]

Sawyer Ramos . A lot of her gay friends died of aids, she had sad memories of them.

[@latinguy67]

The AIDS episode of the GG, as well as the gay and lesbian episodes really opened people's minds. As a gay teen in the 80s, I cannot thank Bea Arthur and the rest of the GG cast to get people to be more accepting and tolerant in an era of a LOT of prejudice.

[@JRob594]

The golden girls was before my time but I still loved the show RIP Bea, Rue, and Estale

[@joeyconvery2055]

Bea..One of the Best of All time.

[@nathanbush6781]

I love love love Beatrice Arthur! She was my favorite of the four, and though it was scripted, she delivered her lines gracefully! She needs to guest star at my first year being deceased!

[@KimchiDaily]

This is such a wonderful interview, thanks for sharing for us to enjoy!

[@julesgee4559]

Loved Bea and Golden Girls so much

[@markwhitman72]

CLASS ACT and great actress Bea Arthur RIP

[@Hypnagog23]

Bea was and still is the best

[@Nikodymus]

I totally love Bea Arthur. She was witty, funny, realistic, and a true actress. We all miss her terribly, but her memory still lives on with all of us. Thank you for posting this!

[@jessica.santillo]

Thanks for being a friend Bea! You are so beautiful.

[@Dortmunderstrasse]

What a wonderful person! I had the pleasure of talking to her once on the telephone. I had asked her to autograph my DVD cover which she did. I then found her telephone in the LA telephone book and thanked her personally. Of course she had no idea who I was, but she was so diplomatic and so charming on the telephone! She will be truly missed!

[@Husteen]

aw, bea was such a delight in this interview, and that interviewer was a cutie pie!

[@la1495]

Goddess. I love me some Bea. Never seen this interview before, she's so amazing. She seems like she could be a real friend not some odd Hollywood type.

[@jasoncarpp7742]

I loved watching "Golden Girls" when it was on the air. I loved *all* the ladies on the show, Bea Arthur, Rue McClanahan, Estelle Getty, *and* Betty White.

[@Digital111]

Love her and the other girls I'm glad we still have Betty with us and the other girls are immortalized on the show. If I've had a bad day, I watch the show and forget of all my troubles.

[@celty5858]

She was so cool.

[@ShangayLily]

God I started crying. I miss her so much. Such grace, such inteligence... Love u Bea

[@jonathanlegthigh8264]

Crying? Fo realz?

[@Gary4Gary4]

Aww......this just put an enormous smile on my face. I just love how Bea says that the reason so many gay men love The Golden Girls is because "they have great taste!"

[@KAWAIIPASTELLE]

Even in 2022. Her impact and presence is still felt

[@shelton705]

I love how approachable and lovable she is. What a class act. Miss you Bea!

[@gomika]

OMG, I love how the entire gayborhood goes nuts over her. I would've too!!! Reminded me of the musical Applause in which Lauren Bacall crashes a gay bar and everyone goes nuts over her!!!

[@EagleRockers]

This was marvelous, simply marvelous!

[@thisgirlsopinion]

everytime the opening song comes on, it sends me to special place in my preadolescence, where i felt so happy, secure, and filled up. watching the reruns, is the only way for me to gain a piece of that blissful nostalgia, as an adult.

[@annbolyn4910]

I know what you mean, Rebecca. There's something very comforting about the Golden Girls. Safe, happy and re-assuring.

[@desertrose1226]

I agree ! My fav show.. it’s comforting and cozy!

[@justacutepieceofshit]

Same

[@Boban1611]

The end was so lovely. It brought tears to my eyes.....

[@luke_bryan_4ever_fan]

It did with me too. It's like she didn't pass. You could still imagine sitting there & talking with her. I wish we still could. Golden Girls , I absolutely love it to this day. I love her sunglasses here as well. Fabulous woman & I always appreciated her thoughts & she spoke on the behalf of animals❤.

[@2Brian]

What a sweet interview!

[@showguyer]

Awwe I would have loved to meet her! RIP Bea!

[@greenrage27]

A 75 year old woman comfortably sitting on the ground like a young woman. Amazing.

[@desertrose1226]

It is, it’s sad that Bea isn’t with us anymore though. Cancer sucks. Only Betty with us now and for 99 Betty is amazing .

[@italo36]

What a lovely lady. thanks for leaving the legacy of Maude and the Golden Girls. I watch the Golden Girls all the time, I have all 7 seasons on dvd and I never get bored watching the episodes. RIP Estelle,Rue and Bea

[@kimberlyt4361]

I love this interview. So many people said she was so antisocial. This doesn't show that in this interview. She seems exceptionally fantastic!! Thank you

[@emmetstone1660]

Thank you for being a friend, Bea

[@Ursaminor31]

This is a wonderful interview.

[@Sox575]

Great post! I LOVE Bea! She was one-of-a-kind and that's why people were drawn to her. Thankfully she'll live on in DVDs and in clips like this!

[@thecrashpit]

what a beautiful down to earth lady. i have always thought deep down bea was gay, but was from a time where her career would have been shattered and she would not been able to have achieved her enormous success had she came out. if she felt threatened to stay closeted for fear of blacklist, is sad. i hope that was not the case.

[@adamkirby2570]

Very nice interview. She was so down to Earth and sweet. Love Golden Girls still today. Watch an episode every night❤️👍😉🏳️‍🌈

[@flav2689]

She really was such a classy smart and wonderful lady. Miss her terribly. I hope she lives in heaven and watches the world from there. Love her now and forever.

[@love4myclarks7]

I think this is one of the most comfortable interviews I've seen of Bea Arthur.

[@aldrenenenenen_4089]

The way the media portrayed her as eccentric and diva was so unjust, more so when her friends and co-stars had frequently mentioned how shy and private she was in real life.

[@MsQuartermaine]

Unfortunately, I recently ended up online and down a rabbit hole, and while I've read lovely stories about Bea, I've read even more not-so-lovely stories. They mostly came out after her death when she couldn't share her version, and that just rubs me the wrong way. I suppose if you dig that deep about anyone, not everything you find is going to be sunshine and rainbows. And who knows if all of it's accurate? There's a quote I heard before that applies here. Something about there being 3 sides to every story: One side, the other side, and the truth. I do think this tid-bit from Angela Lansbury may explain some things: "Bea was absolutely the antithesis of the characters she portrayed. She was sensitive - really, really sensitive - and self-conscious. But she covered it up by becoming this deep-voiced comic...That voice went ahead of her all the time, giving people the wrong impression of toughness and an overbearing attitude. She wasn't like that at all."

[@mlc2005]

This has to be the greatest interview I have ever seen with Bea Arthur. I didn't think I could adore this woman any more... and now this!!!!

[@ljude01]

This little interviewer is so CUTE!

[@audreyconfer7678]

The golden girls made me feel safe and secure as a child worrying about getting older. They showed me that I will always get to have adventures and live my life. I’m so thankful for that

[@brotmann86]

she always seemed so young in a way what an amazing women just wonderful, we'll miss her for a long time

[@MitchellMcNelly]

I love that she allowed him to kiss her hand at the end.

[@weizer2]

This warmed my cold heart!!

[@italo36]

What an amazing woman...she will always be missed as well as Estelly Getty and Rue Mclanahan...hard to believe that only Betty White is still living

[@michaeloliver2625]

I miss her, I think we will see her again and the rest of the golden girls in the afterlife, I truly believe that

[@eag8176]

She is the epitome of comedy royalty, elegance, class and on top of that she looks like a grandma with whom you can have lots of fun with but who can put on your place if needs be. I just LOVE LOVE LOVE all the Golden Girls till this very day.

[@rafachacon379]

I love Bea Arthur so much, she remindsme to the best aunt anybody could ask, she is dead but watching Bea is like watching her!

[@mgrella63]

probably one of the BEST interviews Ive ever seen with her

[@rma3_3_3]

♡♡♡ Thanks For Being A Friend ♡♡♡ God Bless Bea Arthur today and tomorrow and always ♡♡♡

[@rickbangkok]

Thanks for posting. She was so sweet and smart. I lived in London at the time of her visit and never knew about this interview.

[@shadymercury]

go 'head Bea! you rocked and i hope you knew how much you were loved by your fans, gay AND straight! much love to you Bea....R.I.P.

[@FatimahD444]

I admire her Stern drab demeanor Its something about those kind of women I've always Enjoyed being around Them I feel safe❤ #Beatrice

[@YatenLegacy]

Oh my heart sang when all the people start to notice her, a Young Generation in another Country- Ugh I love Mrs.Arthur, Sweet Amazing Bea-

[@lincolnparc8897]

She's a class act and a one-of-a-kind!!!

[@TheGreekPianist]

Wow, this was taken in 1997? She looked the same as she did in the late 80's :)

[@JanHannes]

I ❤ her so much. And the other girls too ❤

[@MsBananasmel]

Randomly watched this vid because I thought she was awesome....and there she is getting picked up in a Rover 800. Brilliant. :)

[@salembambi00]

man i love her so much , RIP

[@SeeburgMusic]

God what a wonderful, intelligent, lovely, classy lady. I love you Bea.

[@cjm608]

thanks for the post!!! i really miss her!!

[@lprt7997]

Thanks so posting this for us in the USA! Love it!

[@skinny9246]

I miss her so much :(

[@jlo34131]

By far the best developed characters in cable tv history.

[@Gaeilgeoir]

How sweet. :-)

[@TheeCoachg]

There is truth to what Bea said.Gay men really relate to them because once a woman is,back then 40...today27/28 starts getting labeled as old sort of ostracized from society like gay men.It also doesnt hurt that the show is a shade throwing fest lol

[@lamidom]

thalrg22 . My mother was never ostracised because her age. Was your mother ostracised because of her age? And wss your grandma also ostracised because of age? Comon, where does this idea comes from?

[@desertrose1226]

Even 40 is young.. it’s just the media. It’s crap. I hate the media.

[@NimraukoGalendel]

It was a shock to hear that she passed, but this treasure will always live on through her many great rolls chiefly Maude and Dorothy, and also through her great work with PETA.

[@matthewhagner6893]

God I loved this lady!

[@aayushsharma8735]

Awwww.... She is fabulous 🙏🙏😘😘❤️❤️

[@kerryben40]

the last part was so sweet..

[@LovetheRainbow]

Very good, I love it!!! May Bea Arthur rest in peace, such a brillant actress :D !!

[@thebadgamer1967]

I can honestly that show had no weak links with the leading cast all of them just bloddy perfect.

[@TheMisterMarilyn]

What an absolute amazing legend!! I love Bea Arthur…incredibly talented and a heart as huge as said talent (if not bigger)!! Love love love this woman 🥰🌟🧡

[@PeterShieldsukcatstripey]

She is so sweet

[@user-dj1hp5pe8l]

Thank you beau I will always remember you when I watched the golden girls with my grandma. I accept myself for you ❤️

[@rextony22]

she was truly inspiring and gay rights activist supporter. what an awesome actress she is. her humor is hilarious on golden girls show.i like her sarcastic jokes on golden girls she does to rose lol.

[@thenewctc]

LEGEND

[@tommoclement]

Pity we don't have shows today of same quality.

[@laycho8226]

love bea.. such an inspiration to me..

[@broadshoulder]

Why dont we have gay programmes on British TV in 2013 like we did in 1997? Also, where in London did they film that picnic, it looks Californian...

[@markharrison2059]

I suppose because we're so represented now in the mainstream. Almost running the show. The garden btw is the old Roof Garden on top of the Derry and Toms building (became Biba in the 70s, and Regine's nightclub in the 80s). Right on top of an art deco building on Kensington High St. Built to resemble an italian Garden with sunken pools, and even live Flamingos at one point! The building now houses Gap and M&S. But the garden is still running as a separate entity/venue. Access in Derry St.

[@Cheste969]

This guy is one of the luckiest people on earth. He just walked with a Golden Girl in boystown.

[@ClassicTVMan1981X]

I think Bea Arthur could do a perfect imitation of Barney Rubble!

[@Jumbaride]

Damn, I'm getting sentimental in my old age... The very end of this clip made me actually shed a tear. Who are you to JUDGE me?!

[@stuvan2976]

love bea....she was so talented and unique...the show would have never been a hit im sure without bea. give my dear Mum in heaven a kiss for me bea.....and my little cat i lost recently.