Bea Arthur Net Worth - Pulptastic

Publish date: 2024-04-19

What was Bea Arthur’s net worth?

Bea Arthur was an American actress, comedienne, and singer, known for her strong, independent portrayals of women. Her net worth at the time of her death in 2009 was $25 million.

Arthur starred in the iconic sitcom “The Golden Girls” for a total of 177 episodes, playing the character of Dorothy Zbornak. She also had a successful career on stage and screen, winning multiple awards for her work.

Arthur was a twice-divorced mother of two and an activist for LGBTQ and feminist issues. She died in 2009 of lung cancer.

Early Life and Military Service

Born Bernice Frankle on May 13, 1922, in Brooklyn, NY, Arthur was the middle child of three girls. Her family moved to Cambridge, MD, when she was 11, where she graduated from an all-girls high school in the Amish community of Lititz, PA. Arthur enlisted in the United States Marine Corps Women’s Reserve in 1943 and served her full two years, working as a truck driver and dispatcher in Cherry Point, North Carolina.

Acting Career and Personal Life

After leaving the military, Arthur attended acting classes at New York City’s famed New School and met Robert Alan Aurthur, a fellow marine and future husband. They were married from 1947 to 1950. She adjusted the spelling of her last name and kept it for the remainder of her career. Arthur went on to have a successful acting career and later married the theater director Gene Saks.

Arthur’s Early Career in Live Theater

Like many of her generation, Bea Arthur began her career in live theater. She joined the Cherry Lane Theater, an Off-Broadway repertory company, and played primarily small roles during her time there.

Arthur’s Role in “Mame”

In 1966, Arthur’s husband Gene Saks was set to direct the Broadway production of “Mame.” Arthur auditioned for the titular role, but Broadway veteran Angela Lansbury was cast in the part. Arthur ended up playing the role of Vera Charles, Mame’s boozy bosom buddy. The role suited her well and she received a Tony Award for her performance.

Bea Arthur’s Iconic Television Roles

During the 1970s, women’s roles on television began to change drastically. “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” and feminist activism by Gloria Steinem helped pave the way for new representations of women. One such representation was Maude, played by Bea Arthur in Norman Lear’s sitcom of the same name. Maude was a thrice-divorced real estate agent who led the relationship with her alcoholic husband and became a congresswoman. The show tackled issues such as mental illness, gay rights, and abortion, including a controversial two-part episode in 1972 that dealt with Maude’s decision to have an abortion. The series ended in 1978, but Arthur would later find success in “The Golden Girls,” playing the opinionated substitute teacher Dorothy Zbornak. The show tackled topics like menopause, financial difficulties, and romantic problems, and remains a television classic today.

Bea Arthur’s Philanthropy and Personal Life

Despite not having biological children, Bea Arthur and her second husband Gene Saks adopted two boys. The couple divorced in 1978. Arthur was politically active and a lifelong Democrat. She was a vocal supporter of animal rights and gay rights, and was particularly popular with the gay community. In 2009, upon her death, she left an endowment to the Ali Forney Center, an organization that helps homeless LGBTQ youth in New York City. The money was used to open an 18-bed shelter.

Bea Arthur’s LA Mansion Sells for $15 Million

In the 1970s, Bea purchased a 7,000 square-foot mansion on 3.7-acres in LA’s Brentwood neighborhood. After extensive renovations in the mid-2000s, her heirs rented the home for sale for up to $60,000 per month. The home was listed for sale in 2015 for $16 million, ultimately selling for $15 million a few months later. The buyers were film producers Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall.

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