A Quick Thought For Bea Arthur
My favorite Golden Girl is gone, but her stunning comic timing lives on to teach the generations to come.
An entertainment world now bent on glorifying cheap thrills, moronic laughs, flash-in-the-pan youths, and stars of dubious talents lost a truly amazing actress and comedian this weekend. 
Bea Arthur was built like a defensive end and had a bizarrely masculine voice. Like Carol Burnett, her looks dictated a career in comedy rather than romantic films. Fortunately, Bea had the kind of comic timing that comes directly from God's right hand, and she wielded it like a well-trained ninja. One of the most inspirational aspects of Bea's long career is that she really didn't hit her stride until THE GOLDEN GIRLS. Bea was in her sixties at that time, a time when most actresses have been shot and turned into glue. She had already secured her place in entertainment history with MAUDE, a controversial sitcom from the seventies. But as Dorothy Zbornak, Bea created one of television's most memorable characters. One of the things I loved best about Bea's approach to comedy was her innate understanding of silence. Rather than flail around, Bea used stillness and a laser-like stare to draw the comedy out and prolong the laughs. Look at this brilliant example of what I'm saying: Of course, Bea could do frantic as well as anybody. It's a shame that Bea didn't venture into movies more. It's also a shame that she co-starred in THE STAR WARS HOLIDAY SPECIAL. But she had a wonderful career in comedy, and her unique talents and unparalleled comic abilities will be sorely missed in an industry that is quickly forgetting what she had to offer. Goodbye, Bea ... and thanks.