"IT WAS LIKE A NON-STOP ORGY"

BEA ARTHUR COMES CLEAN ON GOLDEN GIRLS HEYDAY

Los Angeles, CA
October 11, 2005

They were the vision of squeaky-clean America in its retirement age, 4 senior citizen women living it up in aging Florida. On screen, all was apple pie and family-friendly hijinx. However, once the cameras stopped rolling, it was a completely different world.

"You could get whatever you want," explains Bea Arthur of the show. "You would go backstage and there would be drugs, liquor, prostitutes, you name it. It's unbelievable to think about it now, but those were different times."

The shows producers did all they could to keep their talent satisfied.

"We knew we had a big hit on our hands," explains one anonymous NBC Executive. "We did whatever we needed to do to keep those girls happy. Need a little pick-me-up after a late night, Bea? Here you go. Need another man to satisfy you? Here you go, Estelle. It sounds wild, but those girls were like rock stars."

It's not always the young actors who are known for partying. In fact it was the oldest cast member of the Golden Girls that was known as the wildest.

Estelle Getty, seen here at Sex Addicts Anonymous meeting, would push herself to the limits both on and off screen.

"Estelle would do it all," explained the NBC Exec. "She would be backstage with 3 or 4 prostitutes - both men and women - living it up until dawn. She could drink anybody under the table and I swear that woman was never satisfied sexually. I know. We tried everything, and I mean everything, but she always wanted more."

"You can't see it on screen," explain Bea, "but, that's because they cut around it as much as possible. If they zoomed in you would see nothing but bloodshot eyes. "

Partying until dawn. Wild orgies fueled by drugs, alcohol, and the adrenaline of being a tv star started to wear down the cast and crew.

"We were really phoning it for those last couple of years," Explains Betty White also a castmember. "There were so many times that I couldn't barely even speak my lines because I was so high. All I could think about was getting back to the orgy that was going on backstage. It really effected my performance, but looking back on it I wouldn't change a thing."

It seems all of the girls have little regrets about their wild and crazy pasts. "Hey, we were old and stupid, but we had a lot of fun," Bea explains. "I can now die knowing that I did really do it all."