15 Things You Didn’t Know About ‘The Golden Girls’

13. Estelle Getty Was Terrified of Death

Betty White later revealed that star Estelle Getty actually had a morbid fear of death, an odd fixation when you’re playing a woman who’s literally on the verge of … let’s just say death was a common theme in episodes of the show. Of course, like her stage fright, the diminutive actress proved feisty to the end and battled past her fears with aplomb.

14. Rue McClanahan Got To Keep Her Wardrobe

Ever the fashion conscious lady, Rue McClanahan actually made sure to have a clause included in her contract that allowed her to keep all of her clothes for the show. It wasn’t a bad deal considering her on-screen wardrobe consisted of custom-made brand name duds. It was said that by the end of the show, she had 13 closets full of clothes she’d gotten from the set.

15. The Queen Mum Loved ‘Golden Girls’

Good taste knows no social ranks, so it’s probably not a huge surprise to discover that the Queen Mother herself was a big fan of the show. All the way back in 1988, she actually invited the entire cast of the Golden Girls to participate in her annual Royal Variety Performance. “We’ll do about seven minutes from the show, but we’ll have to censor a few things for the queen,” said Bea Arthur at the time.