Betty White died in 2021 at the age of 99
“Golden Girls” writer Stan Zimmerman is reflecting on the ever-eclectic, significantly talented group of women he’s worked with in Hollywood, as well as some of the intriguing dynamics he witnessed on set of one of America’s most beloved sitcoms.
He writes extensively about his experiences in his book, “The Girls: From Golden To Gilmore,” and spoke candidly with Fox News Digital about his perception of actress Betty White.
Writing several scripts for the show’s premiere season, Zimmerman questioned the way White treated co-star Estelle Getty.
During those early days, Getty was having trouble remembering her lines.
“The thought in the writer’s room was that she was out going to Hollywood parties because here she was, a sudden celebrity,” Zimmerman shared. “That she wasn’t studying hard enough.”
In reality, he believes Getty was dealing with dementia, though she had not been formally diagnosed with the illness at the time. Getty was diagnosed with Lewy body dementia many years later. She died in 2008.
Stan Zimmerman says during the first season of “Golden Girls,” Estelle Getty had been dealing with early dementia. (ABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images)
“That’s why sometimes [in] scenes, you’ll see Sophia eating raisins. She actually has the lines on her hands,” Zimmerman explained of Getty’s character. “So, when we would break because of a mistake from Estelle, Betty would go walk over to the bleachers and start making jokes. And, at the time, because I was close with Estelle, I felt, ‘Why is she making fun of Estelle?’ I was very protective,” he said.
Zimmerman and Getty had cultivated a close friendship while he was writing for the show, and he initially thought White was taking an opportunity to go “off making jokes at the expense of Estelle.”
