We have failed to properly mark the passing of Bea Arthur, but must now remedy that. As our pal Zena pointed out, there are now as many surviving Golden Girls as Beatles. As we probably noted when Estelle Getty passed away, our step-dad produced Golden Girls for a few years, so we know all about that and still have our Golden Girls cast jacket, even if it is too hot to ever wear it again.

Arthur, always a fierce, witty presence, made her great contribution to nerd culture playing the manager of the Cantina in the Star Wars Holiday Special. You can see her crooning, serving up drinks, dealing with Rodians AND Harvey Corman in the above clip. It’s pretty amazing.

As you watch it, you realize there was never a character in the whole Star Wars canon any tougher than Bea Arthur. RIP.
200904280244

1 COMMENT

  1. Bea Arthur also gets nerd credit for being the “Femputer” on an episode of Futurama.

    “The Men Must DIE!~”

  2. Wow, I haven’t seen the Star Wars Holiday Special since I was eight, and though its badness has become legendary and I vaguely remember being disappointed by it as a kid, I didn’t realize it was so oddly bad. What a muddle of intentions. It’s unsettling, like a dream that contains elements from waking life but which makes no sense.

    Bea Arthur is great in spite of it though.

  3. Oh, Bea. We hardly knew you.

    She was always a favorite of mine, and I’m so sorry to see her go.

    (Incidentally, if anyone has somehow missed Brandon Bird’s fantastic painting of her, “Killing Machine,” do yourself a favor and Google it!)

  4. I agree with maija. That was sooo oddly bad, it was like a wacky Star Trek, wannabe Star Wars, hi-production, SNL skit!!! O.O