Betty White is still going strong in 2019. She’s the only living Golden Girl. At the age of 97, she has a career in entertainment that now spans 80 years. She also has the distinction of having the longest show business career of any female entertainer. She appeared on television as recently as 2018 with shows likeFireside Chat with Esther, and she most recently appeared on film inThe Lorax.
InThe Lorax, Betty provided the voice of Grammy Norma, one of the main characters in the film. This character was created for the feature film adaptation and wasn’t in the originalDr. Seussbook. Like Betty herself, Grammy Norma is vivacious and fun, and the movie captures the hopeful spirit of the book it’s based on.
The Proposal
Rose Nylund meets Deadpool may not exactly describeThe Proposal, but Betty White has a significant part in the movie alongsideRyan ReynoldsandSandra Bullock.The Proposalis a truly funny 2009 feature film that centers around the preposterous predicaments that occur when a power-hungry boss pressures her assistant to marry her so she can keep her visa.
Betty White provides several big laughs inThe Proposal,and she plays one of the most interesting characters in the film. She portrays Grandma Annie Paxton, who is often referred to as Gammy. She’s the wise-cracking grandmother of Andrew Paxton (Ryan Reynolds). She is especially close to the dog and doesn’t at first warm to Sandra Bullock’s character, but you may want to watchThe Proposalto see if she just may have a change of heart during the course of the flick.
Betty White supplies the voice of Yoshie in Disney’s English adaptation ofPonyo. The character of Yoshie was originally voiced by Tomoko Naraoka. Yoshie is a resident of the senior center that’s depicted in the film, and she has blonde hair and wears a pink dress. The character undergoes a transformation in the film when she leaves her wheelchair behind.
Ponyowas critically acclaimed, and it won dozens of awards. The Disney adaptation was released in 2009. It is a loose adaptation ofThe Little Mermaid, but it creates a whole other world than the one described in the original fairy tale. It tells the story of a goldfish who wants to become a human after befriending a human boy.
Estelle Getty has a very memorable role as Evelyn in the 1985 movieMask. The film tells the heartbreaking story of a teenager who lives with a massive face deformity caused by a rare disorder called craniodiaphyseal dysplasia. It’s based on the true story and short but significant life ofRoy L. Denniswho was nicknamed Rocky.
Cherportrays Rocky’s mother in the movie, and Estelle Getty plays Rocky’s grandmother.Maskwas a critical success and a box office hit. It won the Academy Award for Best Makeup, and the cast received nominations for several major awards. Estelle isn’t the lead in the film, but she delivers a memorable performance opposite Cher.
My Little Pony: The Movie
“Thank You for Being a Friend” is often seen as such a central part ofThe Golden Girlsthat it’s considered to be a character itself. It speaks of the sentiments that the four housemates and closest friends must feel about each other, and it sets the mood for the show. Since the show, it’s appeared on major sporting events like the Super Bowl, other sitcoms, animated shows, and countless commercials. It’s even appeared in a movie.
Look for the chorus of this classic song inMy Little Pony: The Movie. The chorus is sampled in Rachel Platten’s song “Thank You For Being A Friend” that appears on the film’s soundtrack. My Little Pony: The Movie is a 2017 animated musical fantasy movie that’s based on the mega-successful toy franchise from the 1980s.
Stuart Little
The 1999 American comedy filmStuart Littlewas Estelle Getty’s final movie before her retirement from acting. She portrayed Grandma Estelle oppositeHarold Gouldwho played Grandpa Spencer.Michael J. Foxprovided the voice of Stuart Little.Geena Davis,Hugh Laurie, andJonathan Lipnickialso starred in the film.
Stuart Littleblends live action film and animation, and the script was written byM. Night Shyamalanwho is better known for his surreal, scary films. It’s based on the classic children’s book byE.B. White. Estelle Getty stood out in her performance as Grandma Estelle.
Now seen as one of the quintessential romantic comedies of the 1980s,Mannequinwas a big hit when it was released in 1987. It centers on the story of an unemployed artist who works in retail out of desperation. The job turns into an unexpected gift when he falls in love with a mannequin who sometimes come to life, but only for him.
Estelle Getty portrays Mrs. Claire Timkin inMannequin.Andrew McCarthystarred as Jonathan Switcher, andKim Cattrallstarred as the mannequin Ema Hesire. Estelle’s character Claire plays an integral role in the film. She is the one who hires Jonathan for the retail store after he saved her life, and she eventually promotes him to a role as vice president of the store. As the story progresses, Claire continues to save the day for Jonathan, and she eventually plays a part in a very happy wedding.
Starship Troopers
Rue McClanahan could have probably done what she wanted afterThe Golden Girlsmade her a star, but she was happy to continue to play character roles and sometimes small parts in feature films and television shows. She played the biology teacher in the 1997 science fiction action flickStarship Troopers.
Rue plays the blind biology teacher who oversees dissection in one especially memorable scene of the film. Since the humans are in a war with giant alien bugs, she teaches them about some of the qualities of the insects.Starship Troopersalso starsPatrick Muldoonas Lt. Zander Barcalow,Denise Richardsas Lt. Carmen Ibanez, andCasper Van Dienas Lt. John Rico.
Savannah Smiles
Bridgette Andersenmemorably appeared on the “The Truth Will Out” episode during the first season ofThe Golden Girls. She played Rose’s granddaughter Charley, and she steals some scenes in the touching episode. A few years before she shared the screen with Rose, Dorothy, Sophia, and Blanche, she starred in a charming kids’ movie.
With her role as Savannah inSavannah Smiles, Bridgette became a child star. Fansof The Golden Girlswill enjoy seeing her in her most iconic role. Sadly, like many other child stars who needed help navigating life after the spotlight, Bridgette had a troubled youth. She passed away from a drug overdose when she was just 21. Her life was cut tragically short, but she shines in this sweet movie.
Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot
The 1992 feature filmStop! Or My Mom Will Shootstarred Estelle Getty as the mom who is mentioned in the aptly titled film. The buddy cop comedy movie starsSylvester Stallonewho does a good job in the film, although he has since stated that he considers this to be his worst film. In fact, he regrets making it. However, it’s a must-see for fans ofThe Golden Girlsbecause of Estelle.
Estelle Getty gives a charming performance as Mrs. Tutti Bornowski, the mom of Sylvester Stallone’s character Sergeant Joseph Bornowski. Tutti comes to live with her son, and she starts to interfere with his life. It starts small but quickly escalates. She finds herself in trouble when she goes to buy a gun for her son to replace one that she accidentally ruined.
