Golden Girls Co-producer says Bea Arthur called Betty White The ‘C-Word’

The golden girls Made fans to fall in love with fictional friends, but in reality the situation was much more complicated.

Writers, producers and others who worked on the series gathered at Neuehouse Hollywood on June 18 as part of the month -long Pride Live! Hollywood Festival. The panel was to honor the show’s upcoming 40th anniversary. The series, which ran from 1985 to 1992, played Bea Arthur as Dorothy Zbornak, Betty White as Rose Nylund, Rue McClanahan As blanche devereaux and Estelle Getty Like Sophia Petrillo.

Under the panel, co -producer Marsha Posner Williams took up one of the show’s lasting drama: the alleged bad blood between Arthur, that died in 2009 at 86And white, who died in 2019 just a few days before her 100th birthday.

“When the red light was on (and the show was filmed) there were no more professional people than these women, but when the red light was suspended, these two could not warm up to each other if they were cremated together,” shared Williams Per Per Per Per Hollywood Reporter.

Williams said that Arthur often called White the C-word. “(She) used to call me at home and say, ‘I just encountered the C in the grocery store. I will write her a letter,’ and I said, ‘Bea, just get over it to cry out loud. Just get past it.’ “(Sally Struthers said as much In his own bombers interview about White earlier this year.)

And the use of the C-word was not a one-time matter. “I remember, my husband and I went over to Bea’s house a couple of times for dinner. Within 30 seconds after going into the door, the C-word came out,” Williams said. Casting Director Joel Thurm also said he heard Arthur Kalla White it too.

When it comes to why women did not agree, the panelists had different theories. Co-producer Jim Vallyly thought it was because White-which had found legions of fans thanks Her role Like the Sue Ann Nivens on Mary Tyler Moore -Show – Got more applause under live bands, but Williams said Arthur hated publicity and didn’t care. She also remembered that Arthur “hated” when White would “break character” in the middle of the tape and talk to personal audience.

Williams claimed Arthur was the reason The golden girls stopped. “The show would have continued after seven years,” she said. “Their contract was up and … The managers went to the women, and Estelle said:” Yes, let’s continue, “and Rue said,” Yes, let’s continue, “and Betty said:” Yes, let’s continue. “And Bea said” No F —— Way “, which is why that show did not continue.” White, Getty and McClanahan continued the series in the bad spin-off The golden palace.

Back in 2024, TV author Stan Zimmerman, who worked with the series, wrote in his book Girls: From Golden to GilmoreThe as he didn’t know about the alleged questions between the two actresses. “During our time at the set, I never felt tension between the two,” he wrote. “I only heard stories and recently learned, from producer Marsha Posner Williams on a podcast, that Bea thought Betty was two faces.”

“Bea liked real people,” he wrote. “I had the feeling that Betty was more like Sue Ann Nivens, the character she played on Mary Tyler Moore -Showthan she was like Rose. More connecting than the innocent air head from St. Olaf. ”

Williams told Shipment In 2022 despised “Bea Arthur Betty White.” By Arthur, who had previously played on KRAGEShe said: “The thing is that Bea was exactly who she was. She hated to wear makeup. She hated to wear shoes. She hated to wash her hair. She didn’t like to be touched. She drank a lot of vodka. That’s who she was. But when you are on a hit show and you want it to continue, you do better and they did.”

Never miss a story – register for People’s free daily newsletters Keeping up to date on the best of what people have to offer, from celebrity news to compelling stories of human interest.

Arthur’s son Matthew Saks repeated to Closer 2017 that his mother did not like when White spoke to the audience and made it clear: “It wasn’t jealous. It was a focus.”

He continued, “My mother unconsciously carried the attitude that it was fun to have someone to be angry with. It was almost like Betty became her nemesis, someone she could always roll her eyes on work.”

At an event in 2011, White also admitted to Arthur, “She was not so fond of me. She found me a pain in the neck sometimes,” Per The village’s voice. She credited her “positive attitude.”