GOLDEN GIRLS ESTELLE GETTY DIES AT 84

The Golden Girls

Famed television funny woman Estelle Getty, who spent 40 years as an actress, before landing a role of Sophia on TV's "The Golden Girls," has died. She was 84 years old. Getty, who suffered from advanced dementia, died at about 5:30 a.m. Today at her Hollywood Boulevard home, said her son, Carl Gettleman of Santa Monica California."She was loved throughout the world in six continents, and if they loved sitcoms in Antarctica she would have been loved on seven continents," her son said. "She was one of the most talented comedic actresses who ever lived." "The Golden Girls," featuring four female retirees sharing a house in Miami, grew out of NBC programming chief Brandon Tartikoff's belief that television was ignoring its older viewers.Three of its stars had already appeared in previous series: Bea Arthur in "Maude," Betty White in "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" and Rue McClanahan in "Mama's Family." The last character to be cast was Sophia Petrillo, the feisty 80-something mother of Arthur's character. She will be missed.