Did Maude Get a Facelift?

Maude Findlay, the feisty sex-obsessed older woman who brought a new kind of feminist comedy to ABC’s The Golden Girls, did not actually get a facelift. Instead, Bea Arthur’s character had the lighting and makeup done to mimic what she would have looked like after a facelift.

The facelift wasn’t the only physical transformation Arthur and her character went through over the six years of the show, as she also lost weight, got wrinkles, and even underwent a liposuction operation, but it was certainly the most dramatic. Her sex-obsessed personality, which had always been more of a sideline than an integral part of her identity, was now the center of the show and one that would be scrutinized by both critics and viewers alike.

Bea Arthur was a Broadway vet in her fifties when she first appeared on The Golden Girls, and though she still looked young and fit (not to mention feminine) on the show, she didn’t have the same “sexy” qualities that many people associated with her before she was even cast on the show. But she was a good actress, and she was very good at playing her ageing character as well as delivering a powerful message about women’s rights to sexual fulfillment and freedom in the workplace.

She had never really gotten close to men before she got the role, but by the time she started on The Golden Girls she was already used to having regular sex. This could be a function of her gender, since American culture is dominated by male-female roles, but it’s probably also a result of her character, who has a strong tendency to be self-involved and impulsive.

Her ego was often out of proportion to her abilities and she made a lot of mistakes. She drank too much, was impatient with her children, and got in over her head when trying to set up a charity. She was also quite stubborn and confrontational, as evidenced by her constant fights with Walter, which often ended in her getting a black eye from him.

But she was also a realist. She knew that her impulsiveness and a lack of tact were likely to cause problems, so she often sought counsel and reassurance from her friends. Her husband, Walter, was also a great help in this area and helped her cope with her insecurities and nagging self-doubt.

While the show did not depict Walter’s problems, he had his fair share as well, including a long-running drug addiction and alcoholism that threatened their marriage. He had to undergo treatment for his drinking and was eventually sober again, but he was still often drunk when he was home and he and Maude had a few heated arguments over the years.

He also tried to remarry, and even gave up the job he loved when it became a drain on his finances. But he was eventually reconciled with his wife and she supported him as he became a sober person.