Dorothy Zbornak, later Dorothy Zbornak-Hollingsworth ( ne Petrillo) portrayed by the late veteran actress and Broadway stage actress, Beatrice Arthur (formerly Bernice Frankel), who was born on May 13th, 1922; passed away on April 25th, 2009) is one of the four main, fictional characters on the 1985-1992 NBC situation-comedy/sit-com, The Golden Colucci, Jim. The original pilot had a butler that didn't make it to the series. Dorothy Zbornak (Often used against her mother Sophia, when the latter gets on her nerves.). (Michael's age varied significantly, depending on the episode. February 27, 2023 By scottish gaelic translator By scottish gaelic translator When her mother Sophia makes a new friend Alvin, only for him to not recognize her one day due to a mental condition (possibly Alzheimer's), Dorothy comforts her mother and they openly discuss fears regarding aging and mental health. Appearance. Dorothy was under the impression that John never showed up. Dorothy is also very intelligent, practical, no-nonsense and a known bookworm. One of her former students hired her to teach business executives for his company, but they showed no interest in her teaching, and she realized that she liked teaching younger, impressionable students. She had a previous boyfriend who was emotionally-abusive towards her when she was younger in high school. Sophia begins to cry, terrified that she may have lived her whole life wondering if Dorothy was truly her blood-related daughter. She split with this boyfriend within a short while. 10 to No. Dorothy's strong moral principles brought her into conflict with different people throughout the series, including the school in which she worked. Her college roommate is Jean (former Miss America semifinalist Lois Nettleton) and the two become close friends. [30] For Dorothy Zbornak, the show specified they wanted "a Bea Arthur type". When Dominic and Philomena Bosco visit Miami and find the home address where Dorothy may be residing, they come bearing such troubling news. . A Young Dorothy (played by Lynnie Greene), in a "flashback" scene in an episode of "The Golden Girls". Dorothy destroying Rose's hat when she and Blanche changed the dance trio into a duet. Another suitor turned out to be a married man, Glen O'Brien (portrayed by Alex Rocco in the first season); Dorothy broke off the relationship when she remembered how much it had hurt to be cheated on by Stanley. "It became Golden Girls in the Lobby without Bea. Occupation(s) In the fourth-season episode Foreign Exchange, Dorothy wondered whether she is the biological daughter of the Petrillos, since Dominic and Philomena Bosco claimed that the hospital switched babies. dorothy_zbornak_esq . Dorothy also takes on other odd jobs on occasion. However, Barbara went ahead and insulted Blanche and Rose condescendingly. Because you fed me once and I hung around? At the time, Stan mentioned he was drafted into the military and was going to be sent to South Korea to fight in the war. (when Dorothy realized and explained to Blanche how she would get Sophia to her and Stan's second re-marriage with the airlines stewardess. She became pregnant while still in high school, resulting in a shotgun wedding to Stan possibly in 1946 (however, in the Season 5 episode titled "An Illegitimate Concern," Dorothy states that her wedding date was June 1, 1949). They would eventually make several attempts to reconcile, but never ultimately got back together. Rue McClanahan believed that Arthur felt she didn't have much to do to further Dorothy's development and so felt the role had become stagnant. She appeared in one episode of Empty Nest, entitled Dumped, in which her favorite nephew Jim dumps Barbara (Kristy McNichol). Dorothy became pregnant during this time. However, little to her anticipation, she did. Her given name was Bernice Frankel. A few other suitors were portrayed by well-known actors, including Dick Van Dyke and Leslie Nielsen. Without a doubt, The Golden Girls is one of TV's funniest sitcoms. 2. The death of popular actress Bea Arthur, who starred in the US television sitcom The Golden Girls, has been reported in Los Angeles. Dorothy Zbornak is a character from the sitcom television series The Golden Girls, portrayed by Bea Arthur. Dorothy then decides to complete her high school GED following Dorothy's and Stan's marriage as well as the births of the two children, Michael and Kate. Arthur, who played Dorothy Zbornak at the show, died on April 25, 2009, in Los Angeles, California. He was born in Barcelona, and his most famous role was in the television series "The Golden Girls" as Dorothy Zbornak's husband, Llus Bonet. Dorothy was the strong, sarcastic, sometimes intimidating, and arguably most grounded of the four women in the house. It is learned Dorothy quit the evening-school as she found out none of the adult students really wanted to learn except for Rose. She consoles Jean following the death of the woman's romantic partner Pat and offers her sympathy when Jean later realizes she is developing romantic feelings for a heterosexual woman. Together, the couple had three children. For a brief time, Rose and Dorothy attempt to coach a children's football team. When Blanche considered that she and Rose should defy Dorothy, she made a list of questions, such as "Can she intimidate us?" TV Guide Online. She used to live with her husband, Stanley, but after almost 40 years of marriage, he left her behind for a much younger flight attendant. Long before Sex and the City, there were Dorothy, Rose, Blanche and Sophia. Dorothy was the strong, smart, sarcastic, sometimes intimidating, and arguably most grounded of the four women in the house. The finest school in Dade County. When she didn't take well to being told what to do: Tap to play GIF. During the course of the show, Dorothy saw both of her children get married: Kate, to a podiatrist named Dennis, and Michael to a woman named Lorraine, a singer in his band, whom he had gotten pregnant. Published Feb 1, 2021. If I remember correctly, Sophia was born in 1905, Rose and Dorothy were both born in 1930 and Blanche was born in 1932. "I started doing sitcom television in 1972. Bloom, Ken; Vlastnik, Frank; Lithgow, John (2007). Dorothy and Stan had been married for 38 years, with the 'cause' of their marriage was the fact that Stan had gotten Dorothy pregnant late in their high school years. However, in the third-season episode "Mother's Day," Sophia Petrillo's mother is also played by Bea Arthur, so it is implied that Dorothy and Sophia are biologically related (though in one episode Dorothy states that her grandmother was 94 when she was only 6, though it is never made clear if it is her paternal or maternal grandmother. As depicted in Season 4, Episode 24, 'Foreign Exchange' (aired nationally on May 6th, 1989), Dorothy wondered whether she is the true, biological daughter of the Petrillos because of a random and unexpected surprise-visit from a couple of Dominic Bosco and Philomena Bosco who claimed that the hospital may have switched babies at birth. Season 1, Episode 20, "Adult Education". Farrell, Kelly; O'Connor, Anne Marie; Powell, Joanna. "Dorothy", therefore, as a female companion to Theodore would translate to "Goddess of Gifts".The Wonderful Wizard of Oz was written in 1900, so Dorothy was born before the twentieth century, in the late 1800s. She was previously married to Stanley Zbornak, but they divorced, and she is now married to Lucas Hollingsworth. In reality, he did show up, but was disrespectful toward Sophia, who did not like the way he was dressed or his attitude, and turned him away, without telling Dorothy. Considering this episode aired on May 6th, 1989, this sort of subject was sensitive during the late 80s. Menu. At an early age, Phil demonstrates that he sometimes prefers to wear feminine clothing, and Dorothy accepts this, remarking later that she sometimes borrowed her brother's outfits. Dorothy Parker was born in 1893 and came of age in the Roaring Twenties. [10] Likewise, Dorothy openly discusses her brother Phil Petrillo's cross-dressing without ever shaming him or feeling embarrassed that he does so. She was the great leveler. Young Ellis Wright, three, looked the double of the royalty-reluctant Duke in his outfit. Dorothy and Stan were married for 38 years. During Dorothy's younger years, she suffered from quite extensively low self-esteem. [18] Dorothy is concerned about Michael's marriage since it is partially spurred by the fact that Lorraine is pregnant and is 44 years old while he is in his 20s (though a later episode sets his age at several years older). On some occasions, Dorothy's beliefs and moral judgments are challenged, forcing her to reassess. Her Italian immigrant parents are Sophia Petrillo and Salvadore "Sal" Petrillo. However, she majored in American History. I hear you're doing a new series Something called Golden Girls.'" Beatrice ArthurLynnie Greene (younger Dorothy, in flashback memory scenes) She often acts as the 'bigger sister' in tough situations to straighten up Rose's and Blanche's small misfortunes and losses. Dorothy can be comedically sarcastic, especially towards her less-than-sophisticated roommate, Rose, and man-obsessed Blanche. ", Sophia: "Because I love pussycats, and I love you. . It was well, unplanned and unexpected. In the series, Blanche, Rose and Sophia operate a hotel together after Dorothy has married and left Florida. Thanks! Salvadore "Sal" Petrillo (Father; deceased)Sophia Petrillo (Mother) Gloria Harker (Sister)Phillip "Phil" Petrillo (Brother; deceased)Michael Zbornak (Son)Kate Zbornak-Griffiths (Daughter)Robby Zbornak (Grandson)Stanley "Stan" Zbornak (Ex-Husband)Lucas Hollingsworth (Husband)Katherine Harker (Niece)Jim Harker (Nephew)Harvey Petrillo (Nephew)Don Angelo Grisanti (Maternal grandfather; deceased)Eleanor Grisanti (Maternal grandmother; deceased)Angelo Grisanti (Maternal uncle)Vito Grisanti (Maternal uncle)Regina Grisanti (Maternal aunt)Angela Vecchio (Maternal aunt)Carmine Vecchio (Uncle)Aunt Renata (Great-aunt)Uncle Mario (Great-uncle)Aunt Teresa (Great-aunt)Uncle Nunzio (Great-uncle) Uncle Dominic (Uncle) Uncle Dominic's daughter (Cousin) Angela Petrillo (Sister-in-law)Dennis Griffiths (Son-in-law)Lorraine Wagner-Zbornak (Daughter-in-law)Mr. Zbornak (Ex-father-in-law)Mother Zbornak (Ex-mother-in-law)Theodore "Ted" Zbornak (Ex-brother-in-law)Magda Yitchinson (Ex-cousin-in-law)Curtis "Big Daddy" Hollingsworth (Brother-in-law; deceased)Elizabeth Ann "Big Mommy" Bennett Roquet Hollingsworth (Sister-in-law; deceased)Blanche Devereaux (Niece)George Devereaux (Nephew-in-law)Virginia Lena Warren (Niece)Charmaine Gertrude Hollingsworth (Niece)Clayton "Clay" Louis Hollingsworth (Nephew)Theodore "Tad" Hunter Hollingsworth (Nephew). 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