With the world in mourning after the recent passing ofBetty White, one of her co-stars fromThe Golden Palacehas joined many others in paying tribute to the late comedy legend. AfterThe Golden Girlsconcluded its run in 1992, White reprised her role as Rose Nylund in the spinoff alongside Estelle Getty as Sophia Petrillo and Rue McClanahan as Blanche Devereaux. Newcomers to the cast filling the gap of Bea Arthur’s absence included Cheech Marin andDon Cheadle.
“betty was the best of the best,” Cheadle said of White after her death, taking to Twitter to pay tribute. “when we were shooting scenes together it was difficult for the DP to get the lighting right between my chocolate and betty’s white! she was either a ghost or i was the shadow. i came on set one day and betty had darkened her make up/hair a bit in an attempt to accommodate for it. nobody asked her to do it. and that’s just one small example of her overflowing generosity. my dogs thank her too. she gave us our veterinarian reco who we still see to this day. she was the goldenest of them all and will be forever missed.”
The Golden Palaceserved as a direct continuation ofThe Golden Girls, following the leading ladies after Bea Arthur’s Dorothy Zbornak left their Miami home after getting married. Putting the characters in an entirely new setting, Rose, Sophia, and Blanche are now running a Miami hotel. Cheadle played Roland Wilson, the hotel’s manager, while Cheech Marin also starred as Chuy Castillos, a co-chef alongside Sophia. The series only ran for a single season between 1992-93.
Betty White died on New Year’s Eve while looking forward to her 100th birthday this month. On Jan. 17, she would have become a centenarian and a theatrical celebration of the milestone birthday will be screening in theaters on that same day. Despite the death of the television legend, the event’s producers have confirmed that the special celebration will still move forward as planned, now serving as a memorial.
“Our hearts mourn today with the passing of Betty White," saidBetty White: 100 Years Young — A Birthday Celebrationproducers Steve Boettcher and Mike Trinklein. “During the many years we worked with her, we developed a great love and admiration for Betty as a person, and as an accomplished entertainer. We are thankful for the many decades of delight she brought to everyone. Betty always said she was the ‘luckiest broad on two feet’ to have had a career as long as she did. And honestly, we were the lucky ones to have had her for so long.”
The Golden Palaceis set to start streaming on Hulu on Jun 07, 2025. In the meantime, you’re able to catch more of White’s run as Rose Nylund by bingingThe Golden Girls, also available to watch on the streamer. To celebrate what would’ve been White’s 100th birthday on the big screen, you can check outBetty White: 100 Years Young — A Birthday Celebrationwhen it screens in theaters on Jan. 17 courtesy ofFathom Events.
