Due in part to her decades-long career, Betty White is one of the most prominent and beloved actors in history.
This actress has been a part of the lives of numerous generations, with each generation appreciating the various stages of her career.
Although White has become a worldwide name on a global scale through numerous television roles, she is best recognized for playing Rose Nylund on Golden Girls.
Rose was the most iconic character in Betty White’s filmography, as she consistently imbued each of her roles with her signature authenticity.
How Old Was Betty White In Golden Girls?
Betty White was eight years older than her Golden Girls character, Rose Nylund, when she debuted in the role at age 63.
Dorothy Zbornak reveals that Rose is 55 years old during the first season of Golden Girls while recounting how she lost her position at the grief counseling center.
Dorothy Zbornak, portrayed by Bea Arthur, never had her age clearly stated on the comedy, but her mother, played by Sophia Petrillo, has provided ample material for viewers to determine Dorothy’s age.
During the third season of Golden Girls, Sophia tells that Dorothy was conceived in 1931, and Dorothy reveals that she is a Leo in the following season.
In 1985, Dorothy Zbornak was 53 years old, making Bea Arthur 10 years older than her role.
The fact that Sophia Petrillo was 79 years old during the first season of Golden Girls was not revealed until the second season when a flashback scene to her 50th birthday in 1956 revealed her age.
Although she played the oldest character, Estelle Getty was a year younger than Betty White and Bea Arthur.
Blanche Devereaux, at 53 years old, is the youngest character on The Golden Girls, while her actress, Rue McClanahan, was the youngest cast member at 52 years old.
This also made her the actress who most closely matched the character’s age.
Blanche’s efforts to conceal her age are a running gag in Golden Girls, prompting Rose to comb through government papers to learn the truth.
Rose discovers that Blanche’s age has been “removed by Authority of the Governor” rather than her actual age.
Golden Girls provided a fresh perspective on comedy and the lives of older women, attracting decades of admirers of all ages.
