Trivia: All of the women who starred in the show, with the exception of Betty White, died one year apart from each other. Estelle Getty in 2008, Bea Arthur in 2009, and Rue McClanahan in 2010. Betty White was the oldest of them all and died in 2021, at age 99.
Trivia: Although she appeared to be an 80 year old on the show, the late Estelle Getty (born 7/25/23) was younger than her costars Betty White (born 1/17/22) and Bea Arthur (born 5/14/22); and Rue was the youngest of the four (2/21/34). Estelle at first was turned down for the role of Sophia (because she was too young). It was only after she came back dressed in a gray wig, thrift store dress, and heavily made-up, that she got the part.
Trivia: There were always 3 chairs around the kitchen table instead of 4 due to limitations of filming, and so one actress wouldn't have her back to the camera.
Trivia: Dorothy got her last name from Kent Zbornak, the show's stage manager.
Trivia: Rue had a clause in her contract that allowed her to keep all of Blanch's custom made clothing she wore on the show.
Trivia: NBC was against casting Bea Arthur as Dorothy, stating she was "recognizable but not lovable".
Trivia: Rue McClanahan (Blanche) said that Estelle Getty (Sophia), who was Jewish, wanted Sophia and Dorothy to be Jewish instead of Italian. She "'would have felt so much more comfortable than trying to be Italian'", according to Rue.
Answer: Ice makers were a new invention, advertisement purposes.