Golden Girls Feud Confirmed at 40th Anniversary Panel

At 'The Golden Girls' 40th anniversary panel, co-producer Marsha Posner Williams confirmed that Bea Arthur and Betty White had a tense off-screen relationship, with Arthur frequently referring to White using a profane slur. The animosity was well known among cast and crew, with theories attributing the feud to White's popularity with live audiences and differences in acting backgrounds. Williams noted Arthur's particular resentment toward White breaking character to interact with the audience. The tension was so significant that Arthur alone refused to renew her contract after seven seasons, effectively ending the Emmy-winning series despite the willingness of the other stars to continue. Despite this discord, both actresses remained highly professional during filming. These revelations provide new insight into the legacy of the beloved sitcom.