Who was the oldest Golden Girl? All the Golden Girls from oldest to youngest

Olivia Munson, USA TODAY

Over seven seasons and 180 episodes, four women celebrated the joys of friendship, love, life and most importantly, cheesecake on "The Golden Girls." The television program received critical acclaim throughout its run, including three Golden Globe awards.

The sitcom, starring Bea Arthur, Betty White, Rue McClanahan and Estelle Getty, focused on the lives of four single, older women who shared a home in Miami.

Who was the oldest Golden Girl, and who was the youngest? Here's what you need to know about this fabulous foursome.

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Who was the oldest Golden Girl?

Sophia Petrillo, portrayed by Estelle Getty, was the oldest Golden Girl character. Sophia is Dorothy's mother and moved to Miami after a fire burnt down the Shady Pines retirement home where she lived prior to the series.

At the beginning of "The Golden Girls," Sophia was around 79 years old. She was born in Sicily, Italy. In the season two episode "Piece of Cake," it is revealed Sophia celebrated her 50th birthday in April 1956.

Throughout the series, Sophia is between the ages of 80 to 85. In the first episode of the spin off "The Golden Palace," Sophia is 87 years old.

Sophia is characterized as quick-witted and blunt, yet loving and caring.

"The Golden Girls" during a break in taping in Hollywood, Calif., from left: Estelle Getty, Rue McClanahan, Bea Arthur and Betty White on Dec. 25, 1985.
"The Golden Girls" during a break in taping in Hollywood, Calif., from left: Estelle Getty, Rue McClanahan, Bea Arthur and Betty White on Dec. 25, 1985.

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Who was the youngest Golden Girl?

While Blanche Devereaux, portrayed by Rue McClanahan, never explicitly states her age throughout the series, she is the youngest Golden Girl.

According to the season three episode "Mother's Day," it is revealed Blanche was 17 years old in 1949. So, in 1985 when the series began, Blanche was around 53 years old. Throughout the series, she is between the ages of 53 to 60.

Born to a wealthy family, Blanche grew up near Atlanta, Georgia before relocating to Miami. There, she lived with her husband, George Devereaux, until his death prior to the start of "The Golden Girls."

Blanche is described as a sassy, flirty and outgoing Southern belle.

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All the Golden Girls from oldest to youngest

Throughout the show, the ages of the Golden Girls from oldest to youngest were:

  • Sophia Petrillo: between 80 to 85 years old

  • Rose Nylund: between 55 to 62 years old

  • Dorothy Zbornak: between 54 to 61 years old

  • Blanche Devereaux: between 53 to 60 years old

Rose Nylund, portrayed by Betty White, was 55 when "The Golden Girls" began, as revealed in the season one episode "Job Hunting." Rose is characterized as sweet and innocent, yet competitive.

Dorothy Zbornak, portrayed by Bea Arthur, was around 54 years old at the start of the show. In the season three episode "Nothing to Fear, But Fear Itself," Sophia reveals Dorothy was conceived in 1931. In a later episode, "Stan Takes a Wife," Dorothy shares her astrological sign is Leo, meaning her birthday is in July or August. Dorothy is described as witty and practical, yet short-tempered.

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How old were the Golden Girls when filming?

At the start of the show, Estelle was 62 years old. She was born July 25, 1923. To better fit her role as Sophia, Getty would age up with the makeup team's help; It took an hour to get Getty in character to play Sophia.

Betty White and Bea Arthur were both 63 years old when the series began. White was born Jan. 17, 1922. Arthur was born May 13, 1922, making her a year older than Getty, her on-screen mother.

Much like her character, Rue McClanahan was the youngest, being 51 years old when "The Golden Girls" began. McClanahan was born Feb. 21, 1934.

By the time of the series' finale on May 9, 1992, Getty was 68 years old, White was 70 years old, Arthur was 69 years old and McClanahan was 58 years old.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Who was the oldest Golden Girl? A guide to the cast, characters' ages.

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