Bea Arthur

“But that's one of the nice things about doing a stage show, if something doesn't work out, you have the luxury of working on it over time.”

“You know, I spend most of my life turning things down. There's a lot of crap out there.”

“I'd never even been to Wrigley Field. I never even enjoyed baseball that much, but I loved being there, the crowd was lovely, and they all sang with me!”

“I can't imagine working without an audience.”

“Someone once accused me of trying to turn the sitcom into an art form, and I really believe that's what I was trying to do.”

“PETA has a proven track record of success. Each victory PETA wins for the animals is a stepping stone upon which we build a more compassionate world for all beings - and we will never give up our fight until all animals are treated with respect and kindness.”

“I've seen so many excellent actors - excellent actors - who, the minute they're told they're in a comedy, turn into God knows what - creatures from another planet! I mean they just... the voice changes, they don't look the same, it's like - it has no similarity to any living human being, do you know what I mean?”

“I was very shy and withdrawn as a child, but people know me as these assertive women. They are not me.”

“I'm 5-feet-9, I have a deep voice, and I have a way with a line. What can I do about it? I can't stay home waiting for something different. I think it's a total waste of energy worrying about typecasting.”

“I really cut my teeth on off-off-off Broadway shows.”

“I feel I'm an actress who sings a bit.”

“These kids at the Ali Forney Center are literally dumped by their families because of the fact that they are lesbian, gay, or transgender - this organization really is saving lives.”

“I can't say I'm a singer - I'm an actress who can sing.”

“Making lasting gifts for animals in our estate plans is perhaps the single most important thing we can do to ensure animals have the strongest possible voice for their protection.”

“My dream was to become a very small blonde movie star like Ida Lupino and those other women I saw up there on the screen during the Depression.”

“I believe that you're here on Earth for a short time, and while you're here, you shouldn't forget it.”

“I really feel all my adult life has been spent in that little black box. If a wonderful part on TV came along I would do it. But I don't want to do a recurring role. It would just be my luck that the thing would be successful. I'm old enough now and also secure enough financially that I really only want to do what I want to do.”

“No fruit. No veggie.”

“I'm not playing a role. I'm being myself, whatever the hell that is.”

“I realised I had spent the majority of my adult life doing two characters - Maude from 1972-'79 and Dorothy from 1985-'92 - and I really didn't know what I wanted to do after 'Golden Girls.' I knew what I didn't want to do - any more sitcoms, or wait for the next great role that might never come.”