BROADCASTS.com

b'Bea Arthur (1922-2009) was a comedian who used her height and unusually deep voice to reimagine what an American leading lady could look and sound like. Her characters on hit shows, Maude and The Golden Girls, became icons during the women\\u2019s movement of the 1970s and 80s and offered refreshing portrayals of strong women who didn\\u2019t conform to gender norms.'