Estelle Getty, who played mother Sophia on "The Golden Girls", died three days before her 85th birthday this morning, at her home in Los Angeles.
Beatrice Arthur, Getty's daughter on the show considers that the relationship between them was "one of the greatest comic duos ever," and added that she will miss her.
Her son, Carl Gettleman of Santa Monica, said she suffered from advanced dementia.
Lewy Body Dementia is a disease with similar symptoms to Parkinson's and Alzheimer's.
Getty played the no-holds-barred mother as aco-star on "Golden Girls" from 1985 until 1992.
Getty received the Golden Globe Award in 1986 when she was 62.She also received an American Comedy Award.
Getty played Sylvester Stallone's domineering mother in "Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot."
She also played Grandma Estelle Little in "Stuart Little" in 1999, and more recently she played Sister Roseanne" in "The Million Dollar Kid."
She appeared on "Hollywood Squares" in 1998.
Getty wrote an autobiography, "If I Knew Then What I Know Now ... So What?", where she summarized: "I've played mothers to heroes and mothers to zeroes."
Getty is the founder of the Fresh Meadow Community Theater.
"Fifty years as an actress. All my roles have been originals. Mothers are my favorite characters", Getty said as quoted in Peddler.
When asked what her favorite possession is, Getty replied: "My husband. He's shorter than me." as quoted in "Who's Who on Television", edited by Peddler, London, 1998.
AP
In this Aug. 28, 1998 file photo, actress Estelle Getty displays the Emmy she won at the 40th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards in Pasadena, Calif. Getty won best supporting actress in a comedy series for her role in "The Golden Girls." Getty has died at the age of 84. Her son, Carl Gettleman, says she died early Tuesday at home in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Lennox McLendon, file)
