caption death_date religion birth_name birth_place death_place years_active other_names children occupation birth_date spouse image article_title name television death_cause
getty at the 41st primetime emmy awards in 1989 22 july 2008 jewish estelle scher new york city , new york , u.s. los angeles , california , u.s. 1978-2006 estelle shweet-gettleman 2 actress , comedian 25 july 1923 arthur death -rrb- gettleman -lrb- m. 1947 -- 2004 ; his estellegetty2.jpg estelle getty
 estelle getty '' '' '' empty nest '' the golden girls '' '' the golden palace lewy body dementia
estelle getty

estelle getty -lrb- july 25 , 1923 -- july 22 , 2008 -rrb- was an american actress and comedienne , who appeared in film , television , and theatre .
she was best known for her role as sophia petrillo on `` the golden girls '' from 1985 to 1992 , which won her an emmy and a golden globe , on `` the golden palace '' from 1992 to 1993 , and on `` empty nest '' from 1993 to 1995 .
in her later years , after retiring from acting , she battled lewy body dementia .
