Top 10 Stars You Forgot Were on The Golden Girls
#10: Mario Lopez “Dorothy's Prized Pupil”
Before he was A.C. Slater on “Saved by the Bell,” an approximately 13-year-old Mario Lopez appeared in a rather topical season two episode. This wasn’t the first time he’d worked with Bea Arthur or the show’s creators either. You might even consider this storyline ahead of its time. He played Mario Sanchez, Dorothy’s star pupil, who faces deportation due to being an undocumented immigrant. Dorothy vows to fight for him but sadly she’s unsuccessful. Speaking to “Today,” Lopez recalled happy memories from his time on set. He shared that the ladies were wonderful to him and taught him a lot about comic timing.
#9: Julio Iglesias “Valentine’s Day”
While Lopez was at the center of his story, this Latin singing superstar only made a cameo at the end of this episode. During season four’s “Valentine's Day,” Sophia watches as the others head out on their dates. But then her beau comes a-knocking and guess who it is? Apparently, Iglesias was supposed to sing during his appearance but got cold feet and refused. Estelle Getty, who played Sophia, knew all too well how stage fright feels, but she reassured the panicked producers that she had a plan. As the lovebirds head out on their date, they sing one of Iglesias’ best know songs together.
#8: Leslie Nielsen “One Flew Out of The Cuckoo’s Nest: Part One & Two”
This Canadian-born actor, comedian, and producer played some 220 different characters over his 60-year career. He appeared on TV 46 times just in 1950 alone! You might recognize him from his memorable performances in “Forbidden Planet,” “Airplane!” and “The Naked Gun” series, just to name a few. In “The Golden Girls” he played Blanche’s uncle, Lucas Hollingsworth. We first meet him during the two-part series finale when he comes to visit his niece. However, after a fake date, he ends up falling in love with Dorothy and the two get married. She then leaves their Miami home to move to Georgia with her new husband.
#7: Beth Grant “Rose Fights Back” & “Witness”
If you’ve seen any number of TV shows, including “The Mindy Project,” then you probably recognize this actress. She might even look familiar from the “Friends” episode “The One with the Thumb.” Among her long and illustrious resumé, she also had two stints on “The Golden Girls,” to her name. In season five, she played Terry Franco, a receptionist at a local TV station, who’s assigned to help Rose with her age discrimination case. She returned in season six in a different role entirely. This time she played Louise, a woman who gets kicked out of the exclusive Daughters of the Old South club’s initiation banquet.
#6: Quentin Tarantino “Sophia’s Wedding: Part 1”
Among all the names on our list, we bet you weren’t expecting this one. Before becoming the world-renowned, multi-award-winning director he is today, Quentin Tarantino tried to make it as an actor. One of the few gigs he managed to book was this season four episode. He played one of the Elvis impersonators who turns up to Sophia and Max Weinstock’s wedding, following an invitation mix-up. You might also be surprised to learn that there’s another connection between “The Golden Girls” and his 1992 movie “Reservoir Dogs.” Thanks to re-runs, Tarintino was able to use his residual paychecks to fund his famous crime flick.
#5: Debbie Reynolds “There Goes the Bride: Part 1”
We can’t imagine a more iconic foursome than our golden girls. But in season six, Dorothy’s upcoming wedding means that the others must find a new roommate. They meet Truby, played by star of stage and screen, Debbie Reynolds, and she seems like the perfect fit for them. If you need a reminder of where you’ve seen this actress before, let us jog your memory. [1] [2] [3] However, Dorothy decides that she doesn’t want to be Mrs. Yutz, after all, leaving Truby to find a new home. Still, her appearance was so memorable that it’s almost a shame they couldn’t build a fifth room just for her.
#4: Alex Trebek “Questions and Answers”
When Dorothy learns that “Jeopardy!” tryouts are coming to Miami, she jumps at the opportunity to get on the show. She works so hard to prepare that she ends up dreaming that she’s actually made it as a contestant. Obviously, you couldn’t have “Jeopardy!”, even a dream version, without late longtime host Alex Trebek. As you can imagine he’s totally charming in the role and has a fantastic sense of humor. Trebek was actually a longtime friend of Betty White’s and her late husband, Allen Ludden. He even threw her name in the hat to replace him on the show. Maybe just don’t tell Dorothy.
#3: Dick Van Dyke “Love Under the Big Top”
This Tony, Grammy, and five-time Primetime Emmy-award-winning actor has been entertaining audiences for several decades. Buried somewhere between his endless stage, film, and television credits is a season five guest appearance as Dorothy’s love interest, Ken Whittingham. Dorthy is thrilled to be dating one of Miami’s top lawyers. That is until he decides to pack it all in to become a full-time circus clown instead. Dick Van Dyke is known for clowning around and getting the big laughs, so this role was a perfect fit. The episode, which aired in 1989, also earned him his first Emmy Award nomination since 1977.
#2: Rita Moreno “Empty Nests”
Top 10 Moments That Made Us Love Rita Moreno
Rita Moreno is a celebrated EGOT legend, perhaps best known for playing Anita in the 1961 “West Side Story” movie. You might also recognize her as the feisty Abuelita Lydia from “One Day at a Time.” But if we rewind back to 1987, she played the ladies’ neighbor Renee Corlis, who struggles with Empty Nest Syndrome and a rocky marriage. This episode was meant to serve as a backdoor pilot for “The Golden Girls” spin-off, “Empty Nest.” Moreno divulged that the show needed a lot of work before it could go on air. By that point, she was no longer attached to the series.
#1: George Clooney “To Catch a Neighbor”
Turns out that this heartthrob had audiences swooning long before he became a Hollywood A-Lister. He’s also one of the few names on our list who didn’t become famous until after their time on the show. In this season two episode, two undercover detectives use the ladies’ home for a sting operation to catch their jewel-thief neighbors. Clooney played Bobby Hopkins, one of these detectives, and Sophia’s fake grandson. Reportedly, Clooney’s agent asked for the role to prevent his client from losing his health insurance. Clooney may not necessarily be known for comedic roles, but he can really keep up with the best of them.
