Estelle Getty was a one-of-a-kind woman best known for her role as Sophia Petrillo in NBC’s hit show The Golden Girls.

She was born Estelle Scher to Jewish immigrants in New York City on July 25, 1923, and began her career in Yiddish theater. While she was well received by the audience, she received little acclaim for the roles.

Her father, a practical business owner, doubted her ability to make a career out of acting and encouraged her to pursue a more normal life. She did what every woman had to do at the time: she married and had children.

Estelle was fortunate in that her husband encouraged her ambitions to become a famous actress, and she worked while raising her two sons. Arthur died in 2004 after being married for an incredible 57 years.

While Estelle spent most of her career in small theaters, her big break came when she was 60 years old and was cast as Mrs. Beckoff in the Broadway production Torch Song Trilogy.

Witt/Thomas/Harris Productions saw the role and cast her as Sophia Petrillo in the new NBC show, The Golden Girls, in 1985.

Getty, who was only 62 at the time, played a 90-something-year-old woman and had to rely heavily on wigs and makeup to appear older than her on-screen daughter.

In 1988, she received a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for her work on the show, and America adored her as Sophia! She is best known for her witty comedic timing and “rude” but hilarious insults directed at the other members of the girl gang.

Getty continued to land minor or guest roles in various other shows and even a few films after the show famously ended in 1992, while also writing an autobiography.

Estelle Getty was more than just an actress; as an AIDS activist, she used her celebrity to establish a hospice care home in North Carolina for people suffering from the disease, which still exists today.

Her last television appearance was in 2001, before she retired due to health issues. Estelle died of dementia on July 22, 2008, just shy of her 85th birthday.

Estelle is a great example of never giving up on your dreams and remembering that life is short and that your big break could come at any time!

The Golden Girls is still one of television’s most popular shows of all time, thanks to its timeless comedy and fantastic actresses. Estelle is no longer with us, but she lives on as Sophie Petrillo.