Estelle Getty, best known for her portrayal of acid-tongued Sicilian mother Sophia Petrillo on The Golden Girls, died Tuesday morning (July 22), three days short of her 85th birthday. She had been battling advanced dementia for years. According to her website, she passed away in her own home, surrounded by family.
Born Estelle Scher in New York City on July 25, 1923, Getty started out her career in the Yiddish theater, but her focus soon shifted to settling down and raising a family with Arthur Gettleman, whom she married in 1946. They remained together until Arthur's death in 2004.
She didn't return to acting until many years later, making her first screen appearance in 1978's Team-Mates, followed by small parts in Tootsie and Mask. But it was her 1982 role on Broadway as Harvey Fierstein's interfering mother in the play Torch Song Trilogy that catapulted her into the limelight and landed her the role of Sophia on The Golden Girls in 1985. Always ready with a cutting remark, Sophia was an integral part of the series' character and earned Getty seven consecutive Supporting Actress Emmy nominations between 1986 and 1992, including a win in 1988. Her performance also earned three Golden Globe nominations, including a win for Leading Role in a Comedy series in 1986. She also reprised the role in several spin-off shows, including The Golden Palace and Empty Nest.
Getty is survived by sons Carl and Barry Gettleman, a brother, David Scher, and a sister, Rosilyn Howard.
Share your memories of Estelle Getty and her acerbic Sophia at our PopWatch tribute.
Getty at the 41st Emmy Awards. 
Emmy Award winning American actress Estelle Getty has died at the age of 84. Getty had been previously diagnosed with dementia which had been in its advanced stages. She died while at her home in Hollywood, California early Tuesday morning.

"She was loved throughout the world in six continents, and if they loved sitcoms in Antarctica she would have been loved on seven continents. She was one of the most talented comedic actresses who ever lived," said her son Carl Gettleman.

Getty was probably most famous for her starring role as ''Sophia Petrillo'' in the American television show ''The Golden Girls'' where she co-starred with actresses Bea Arthur, Betty White and Rue McClanahan. It ran from 1985 until 1992 having aired 180 episodes, and was an immediate success. In 1986, Getty was nominated for three Golden Globe Awards, winning one, for her role in the show for "Actress In A Supporting Role - Series, Mini-Series Or Television Movie" and "Actress In A Leading Role - Musical Or Comedy Series".  Ironically, though she played the oldest of the four roommates, and the mother of Arthur's character, Dorothy Zbornak, she was actually younger than Arthur or White.

"Our mother-daughter relationship was one of the greatest comic duos ever, and I will miss her," stated Arthur in a statement to the press.

"The only comfort at this moment is that although Estelle has moved on, Sophia will always be with us," said White to the ''Associated Press.

Getty also starred in several movies after the show including ''Mask'' where she played the mother of singer and song writer Cher and ''Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot'' where she also played the mother of actor Sylvester Stallone. She also starred in the television show spin off of ''The Golden Girls'' titled ''The Golden Palace'' and made a two episode appearance on another spin off called ''Empty Nest''.

Getty was born in New York City on July 25, 1923, passing away just three days before her 85th birthday.