Bouncy grandmother is a 63-year-old fake VIEWERS’ VIEWS

Press, 22 October 1986, Page 19

Bouncy grandmother is a 63-year-old fake

VIEWERS’ VIEWS

Estelle Getty, who plays the 80-year-old Sophia, the razor-tongued grandmother who has become the hit of “The Golden Girls” (Mondays on One) is nowhere near as old as she appears. Bouncy, Estelle Getty was originally considered too young for the part of Sophia, but she managed to convince the producers that she was just right for the role that has made her an international star at the age of 63. She says she knew the producers had misgivings about her in the part: “I walk fast, I move fast, I talk fast. Too much pep for an 80-year-old. “But I knew I could do the job; I had played 80 on the stage when I was only 45. So I told the make-up man to make me look eighty and he did so well I landed the job. “I joke about my age because I always seem to play characters older than I am, but I keep young by thinking young. No matter how old I get, I want to remain mentally youthful and that keeps me young physically. “I have always played mothers and it seems I always will. I’ve done them all — Jewish mothers, Italian mothers,

you name it. Now as Bea’s mother, I’m having the most fun of all. Bea is great with one-liners, but so am I. We keep each other on our toes.” (Bea Arthur plays Dorothy). So great is Getty’s association with the mother role that Harvey Fierstein, who played her son in the Broadway hit “Torch Song Trilogy,” says that she did not speak to him for a week because he forgot to send her a Mother’s Day card. Now she is revelling in her part in “The Golden Girls.” “I love all three girls; they’re gorgeous and

Children’s TV Sir, — Ken Strongman may have learnt from gazing into the television world of children that adults do some rather silly things (“The Press,” October 14). I have learnt, from my glances at television cartoons, that I am the silly one to succumb to the temptation to have the children sitting quietly while I attend to the 101 chores. At 3.30 p.m. on Friday, September 26, I could not believe what I was seeing and hearing. Some cartoon boys, about eight-years-old, had formed a “he-man woman haters club.” When they would not let a girl join she said she would form a men haters club. Along comes a new girl to town and all the boys are “knocked over” by her and compete for her attention in all sorts of bizarre ways, e.g. strongarm wrestling. The dialogue was incredible. I ignored the howls of protest and pressed the button. The mud outside is positively clean in com, parison. Yours, etc.,— SUE PIERCEY. October 14, 1986.

great actresses and it’s important for middle-aged women to be seen on the small screen these days. “Men look at pretty young things for sure, but half the population today is over 45 and we’re getting older. Even Joan Collins knows that. So why

should the networks try pretending we old folks don’t exist.” Getty, who considers herself a crazy lady, has not let success change her lifestyle. She still drives an ageing Toyota and sincerely hopes that she will not get well known enough to have to give up shopping in the flea markets. Bargain htmting is her week-end passion — that and cooking and cleaning. She has an apartment near the studio that she shares with a couple of stuffed cats and commutes to her home and husband in New York when she can. She has been married for more than 40 years to a business man, Arthur Gettleman, and is very happy about the health of their marriage. “After 40 years a little separation while I’m working is not necessarily a bad thing,” she jokes. “I have always worked, sometimes at two jobs. Arthur is used to separations — he knew he married an actress. “I’m happy to be alive, well and working. I don’t plan ever to retire, until the good Lord comes for , me. I plan to live to be at least 100.” —DUO copyright.