Bye Bye Bea

Bea Arthur has died. She starred in two big sitcom hits Maude and Golden Girls. Considering she was tall, deep-voiced and not conventionally pretty, that isn't bad.

But before TV, she had a solid career in the theatre, appearing as Vera Charles in Mame and Yente The Matchmaker in Fiddler On The Roof. Even though she rarely sings (she wasn't really a singer), just the few times you hear her voice on the cast albums are memorable.