WEST SEATTLE, Washington, November 30, 2009 (WSFB) – It’s been just over 200 days since the passing of one of stage, television, and film’s most beloved actresses, Bea Arthur. Born in 1922, Ms. Arthur succumbed to cancer on April 25th, 2009, just shy of her 87th birthday.

Best known for her roles on TV’s All in the Family, Maude, and The Golden Girls, she had a raspy voice that carried both sensationalism and sensuality.

Her acting accomplishments aside, Ms. Arthur also had a late-blooming career as a model. In the accompanying photo from a Maxim Magazine feauture article from October, 2004, Arthur showed her sexy side after several decades of sporting polyester pant suits exclusively.

Said Arthur, “I’ve sung, I’ve danced, I’ve made audiences piss their pants. I’ve pilled. I’ve bottled. Now I can say that I’ve modeled.”

The October 2004 issue of Maxim sold out in a matter of days, a first and since unrepeated feat for the Cinemax of the 7/11 magazine rack. Maxim’s editor in chief, Kevin Johnson, had this to say about the sit-com and stage icon. “Bea Arthur was a MILF before American Pie made it a household term. Then she became television’s first GILF, and this was prior to her stint on The Golden Girls. We couldn’t pass up the opportunity to feature her in this light. Man, what a foxy, foxy lady.”

Said Golden Girls co-star, Rue McClanahan, “Bea was 12 years my senior, but I always got the scraps when we went cougaring.  I’m honored to have been the wingcat to such a gorgeous and sensual superstar. With Bea’s passing, my days of herding young men for sport are pretty much over.  I play a lot of cribbage with Betty White now.”

Furthered McClanahan, “Bea is sorely missed.  When she called ‘knobs’, it meant something completely different and definitely more fun.”

Yes, we here at the West Seattle Funblog also rue the day we lost such sweet, sweet, senior action.  God bless you, Bea Arthur.  And thanks for the blogboners.

Pete@westseattlefunblog.com