But that's one of the nice things about doing a stage show, if something doesn't work out, you have the luxury of working on it over time. Bea Arthur More Quotes by Bea Arthur More Quotes From Bea Arthur No fruit. No veggie. Bea Arthur fruit I can't imagine working without an audience. Bea Arthur without working audience imagine I really feel all my adult life has been spent in that little black box. If a wonderful part on TV came along I would do it. But I don't want to do a recurring role. It would just be my luck that the thing would be successful. I'm old enough now and also secure enough financially that I really only want to do what I want to do. Bea Arthur feel black luck life I've seen so many excellent actors - excellent actors - who, the minute they're told they're in a comedy, turn into God knows what - creatures from another planet! I mean they just... the voice changes, they don't look the same, it's like - it has no similarity to any living human being, do you know what I mean? Bea Arthur look you voice god I'm very, very involved in charities involving youth. Bea Arthur charities very involved youth My dream was to become a very small blonde movie star like Ida Lupino and those other women I saw up there on the screen during the Depression. Bea Arthur small women dream depression These kids at the Ali Forney Center are literally dumped by their families because of the fact that they are lesbian, gay, or transgender - this organization really is saving lives. Bea Arthur lesbian transgender gay organization I was very shy and withdrawn as a child, but people know me as these assertive women. They are not me. Bea Arthur child me women people I can't say I'm a singer - I'm an actress who can sing. Bea Arthur actress singer say who I realised I had spent the majority of my adult life doing two characters - Maude from 1972-'79 and Dorothy from 1985-'92 - and I really didn't know what I wanted to do after 'Golden Girls.' I knew what I didn't want to do - any more sitcoms, or wait for the next great role that might never come. Bea Arthur wait never great life Someone once accused me of trying to turn the sitcom into an art form, and I really believe that's what I was trying to do. Bea Arthur someone me believe art