It should come as no surprise to Golden Girls fans that the cast members were just as funny in real life as they were on screen. The premise of four single women over 50 living together was unique, but the comedy chops of Bea Arthur, Betty White, Rue McClanahan, and Estelle Getty are what really cemented the sitcom as a classic. If you need further proof, check out the hilarious blooper reel below.
This video, edited together by samet ever, features the takes that didn’t make it to the final cut of the television show. It’s full of the misspoken lines and forgotten cues you’d expect to find in any blooper reel. What makes these outtakes extra funny is the way the cast members react to each other’s flubs, whether with an improvised joke or a loaded look. And because the program was filmed in front of a live studio audience, the actors have plenty of fun breaking the fourth wall.
Though it’s hard to imagine anyone else playing Blanche, Rose, Dorothy, or Sophia, the cast nearly looked a lot different. Lee Grant was series creator Susan Harris’s first choice for Dorothy. When the actress passed, Harris set her sights on Bea Arthur—a move that didn’t please the people in charge at NBC. The studio president believed Arthur wouldn’t appeal to audiences, despite her sitcom background starring in Maude. Arthur herself was also hesitant, but her future co-star Rue McClanahan ultimately pushed her to go for the role.
After watching the Golden Girls gag reel above, you can read more facts about the show here.
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