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After
The Golden Girls became a hit, Estelle bought the first house she ever owned in her life.
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In 1982 Estelle won the Helen Hayes Award in the category of "Best Supporting Performer in a Touring Show" for her work in the play Torch Song Trilogy.
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Estelle attended the New School for Social Research in New York. She also trained in New York's Herbert Berghof Studio.
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In the 1940's Estelle worked as a stand-up comic in the Catskills, but soon gave up the idea when audiences failed to enjoy her routines.
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Estelle released her autobiography entitled If I Knew Then What I Know Now …So What? in 1988.
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Estelle became interesting in acting at the age of four when her parents took her to see a vaudeville show at the New York Academy of Music.
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Estelle was nominated for a Golden Globe in 1986, 1987, and 1992. She won once, in 1986. All were for her work as "Sophia Petrillo" on the hit series
The Golden Girls.
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She was nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for
The Golden Girls from 1986-1992. She only won once, in 1988.
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She won an American Comedy Award in 1991 and 1992 for Funniest Supporting Female Performer in a TV Series for
The Golden Girls.
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Her caregiver's name was Paul Chapdelaine.
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Estelle had an older sister, Rosilyn, and a younger brother, David. Both were with her at the time of her death in 2008.
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Her nicknames were Stella and Ettie.
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Estelle's Off-Broadway debut was in a play called The Divorce of Judy and Jane in 1971.
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Estelle dressed in old-lady clothes for her fourth and final audition for
The Golden Girls in order to prove that she wasn't too young to portray the part of Sophia Petrillo.
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Estelle played mother to
Bea Arthur on
The Golden Girls, however, Bea is actually 2 1/2 months older than Estelle. Estelle being born July 25, 1923 and Bea was born May 13, 1923.
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Estelle supported many causes including; AIDS charities, gay rights, and alternative living for the aging.
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For many years Estelle was believed to be suffering from Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. What she actually had was Lewy Body Dementia, which has very similar symptoms.
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Estelle was 4' 10½" tall with blue eyes and brown hair.