This page uses content from the Estelle Getty biography page on the English version of Wikipedia and is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. This list of authors can be seen in the page history. Rotten Tomatoes disclaims any and all warranties as to the accuracy or reliability of the content.

 Getty, under heavy make-up, as Sophia on The Golden Girls 

Estelle Getty (born Estelle Scher on July 25, 1923 in New York City) is an Emmy and Golden Globe Award winning actress (theatre and screen), whose most important early role was playing Harvey Fierstein's mother on Broadway in the play Torch Song Trilogy; however, she is best known for her role as Sophia Petrillo on the popular 1980s sitcom, The Golden Girls. In it, she played the wise-cracking old Sicilian mother of Dorothy Zbornak, who was the show's main protagonist, played by Bea Arthur. Getty was actually two months younger than Bea Arthur and was heavily made-up to look significantly older.

She married Arthur Gettleman (from whose name she adopted her stage name) in 1946, and he died in 2004. She has two grown sons: Carl Gettleman who lives in California and Barry Gettleman who lives in Florida.

In 2000, she stopped making public appearances after she revealed that she had Parkinson's Disease and osteoporosis. In 2002, it was revealed to the media that she is also suffering from Alzheimer's Disease. It was later found that she actually has Lewy Body Dementia, and both the Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diagnoses were incorrect. She lives in Los Angeles, California.

Emmy Awards

• 1986 - Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series - "The Golden Girls" - (Nominated)
• 1987 - Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series - "The Golden Girls" - (Nominated)
• 1988 - Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series - "The Golden Girls" - (Won)
• 1989 - Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series - "The Golden Girls" - (Nominated)
• 1990 - Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series - "The Golden Girls" - (Nominated)
• 1991 - Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series - "The Golden Girls" - (Nominated)
• 1992 - Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series - "The Golden Girls" - (Nominated)

Golden Globe Awards

• 1986 - Best Performance by an Actress in a TV Series - Musical/Comedy - "The Golden Girls" - (Won)
• 1987 - Best Performance by an Actress in a TV Seires - Musical/Comedy - "The Golden Girls" - (Nominated)
• 1992 - Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Miniseries, or Motion Picture Made for TV - "The Golden Girls" - (Nominated)

Selected filmography

• Stuart Little (1999)
• Empty Nest (1988) (TV series) (1994–1995)
• Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot! (1992)
• The Golden Palace (1992) (TV series)
• Mannequin (1987)
• Copacabana (1985) (TV)
• The Golden Girls (1985) (TV series)
• Mask (1985)
• Tootsie (1982)

External links

• estellegetty.com - official website
• Estelle Getty on the Tongs Wiki

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