Behind the scenes, Bea Arthur and Betty White’s days weren’t always so golden.
In 1985, audiences traveled down the road and back again and were introduced to “The Golden Girls.” But while cheesecake was shared generously on screen, camaraderie wasn’t always on the menu behind the scenes — particularly between the women who played Dorothy Zbornak and Rose Nylund.
Picture it: Wednesday, June 18. Some of the people who helped bring the iconic sitcom to life shared behind-the-scenes stories during a 40th anniversary event in Los Angeles, The Hollywood Reporter reports.
“When that red light was on [and the show was filming], there were no more professional people than those women,” co-producer Marsha Posner Williams said. “But when the red light was off, those two couldn’t warm up to each other if they were cremated together.”
Williams recalled receiving phone calls from Arthur, during which the actor would vent her frustrations and refer to White as a “cunt.” She said she advised Arthur to “get past it,” but that wasn’t the case.
“I remember, my husband and I went over to Bea’s house a couple of times for dinner. Within 30 seconds of walking in the door, the C-word came out,” she added.
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Casting director Joel Thurm corroborated the tension, saying he once heard Arthur use the same word to describe White while the two were on a flight.
While Arthur, who died in 2009 from lung cancer, and White, who died in 2021 shortly before her 100th birthday, never publicly acknowledged their tension, White’s legacy remained warm as a Miami night with her fans.
“I just want to thank you all for your love and support over the years. Thank you so much and stick around,” White said in a video she had recorded for her 100th.
