Don’t you love it when TV shows have inside jokes and references? The Golden Girls did just that. In one of the episodes, Blanche watches the soap opera, Another World. This was a show in which Rue had actually appeared as a guest star quite a few times.
The creators of the show thought that fans would get a real kick out of this. It also helped characterize the actresses quite a lot
Naming Names
There seemed to be a bit of confusion about what the full names of some of the characters were over the years. For instance, Blanche was named as “Blanche Marie Hollingsworth” in one episode, but in a later episode, it was implied that her name was “Blanche Elizabeth Devereaux.”
It was never revealed why it was altered over time.
The President of Disney Demanded Changes
Michael Eisner, former president of Disney adored the whole idea behind The Golden Girls when it was first pitched to him. The big-time producer, however, had some changes in mind and felt that the addition of some young blood might help it appeal to a younger crowd. To meet his demands, Sophia was written in, as well as Dorothy.
Eisner loved it, and he gave them the green light.
Golden Girls: An All-Male Show
Fans and audiences alike were in for quite a surprise, when in 2003, an all-male cast put on a live off-Broadway rendition of the show. Susan Harris, one of the original creators of the legendary series was reportedly unimpressed.
In fact, she started making phone calls, calling for the immediate cancellation of the production. Her wish was granted, and the men were forced to cease their efforts.
Kind of Racist?
Writers have in the past admitted that Sophia had some racist tendencies, but they attributed her outbursts to a stroke that she’d had a few years back.
The show’s creators thought that it would be okay to let her deliver some of the controversial lines, as long as it could be blamed on her condition.