Bea Arthur

Bea Arthur, originally named Bernice Frankel, (born on May 13, 1922 and passed away on April 25, 2009), was a celebrated American actress. Throughout her extensive career, she became well-known for her distinctive, resonant voice and her skillful delivery of comedic dialogue, gaining recognition in Broadway productions, television shows, and films. A significant achievement in her career was her own sitcom, Maude, which enjoyed a successful run of six seasons.

In 1978, Arthur received an invitation to make an appearance on The Star Wars Holiday Special, a variety show with a holiday theme. This show was set within the Star Wars universe and aimed to leverage the immense popularity of the _Star Wars_ film from the previous year. Arthur played the character Ackmena, a stern bartender at the Mos Eisley Cantina. Ackmena's unruly customers disregarded a planet-wide curfew enforced by the Galactic Empire, leading her to sing "Goodnight, But Not Goodbye," which compelled them to leave the premises in a waltz.

Arthur achieved further television success in the 1980s sitcom The Golden Girls, where she portrayed the down-to-earth Dorothy Zbornak. The show was extremely popular during its seven-season run. After suffering from cancer, Arthur died at her home in 2009. She was lovingly remembered by her friends, family, and the Broadway community.

Biography

The Star Wars Holiday Special

Arthur sang to a group of intoxicated aliens in The Star Wars Holiday Special.

As a leading actress who won an Emmy for one of TV's most watched programs, Arthur was a star of great magnitude. In 1978, she was approached by Ken and Mitzie Welch, the writers of a tune known as "Goodnight, But Not Goodbye," to perform it on a television broadcast called The Star Wars Holiday Special. The previous year's release of Star Wars had been a massive cinematic hit, and a holiday-themed variety show was being created to capitalize on its popularity. Arthur took on the role of Ackmena, a brusque and assertive bartender who worked the graveyard shift at the Mos Eisley Cantina. Ackmena found herself needing to shut down the bar because the Galactic Empire had implemented a planet-wide curfew. When the cantina's clientele refused to leave, she resorted to singing "Goodnight, But Not Goodbye," which resulted in everyone present waltzing out of the establishment.

The filming of Arthur's scene turned into a long endeavor, lasting a full twenty-four hours. Nevertheless, she enjoyed her involvement in the special, even though she was unaware that it was connected to the broader Star Wars saga. Years later, she would reminisce about singing to a collection of individuals with peculiar head shapes, as the cantina's diverse patrons were aliens hailing from different parts of the Star Wars galaxy. While the special initially garnered favorable reviews, it eventually faced near-universal criticism from later reviewers. Arthur's musical performance, however, has been highlighted as one of the special's better aspects, despite being just as outlandish as the rest of the production. Following her appearance, Arthur received numerous letters and requests for signed photos from Star Wars enthusiasts in the years that followed.

Death

After her health declined due to cancer, she passed away at her residence on April 25, 2009, and her remains were cremated. Arthur was fondly remembered by many of her friends and fellow actors, including Angela Lansbury, Betty White, and Adrienne Barbeau. The Broadway community honored her life by briefly dimming the marquees in New York City's Broadway theatre district for a minute on April 28, 2009.

Works

Filmography

Sources

Notes and references

External links

Appearances