That she was. Bea Arthur could say more with just one facial expression and glance than most actresses today can say with 10 pages of dialogue and any amount of acting "training." Of course, it didn't hurt that over her TV career she had some of the best writers and fellow on-screen actors ever. I have watched my "Golden Girls" DVDs 100 times and I still laugh out loud, even though I have watched them so much I can practically recite the scripts. They are fresh and hillarious every time.
Golden Girls was great, but you know, her in the title role on the tv show
Maude, that has
got to be her signature work right there! She tackled that role- as well as her role in the
Golden Girls- with great virtuosity. She will be sorely missed!