NEED TO KNOW
George Clooney still remembers his time on the Golden Girls set, and which cast member made him laugh the most.
Long before the Academy Award winning actor, 64, was breaking hearts on the big screen, he guest starred on the beloved sitcom as a young undercover detective named Bobby Hopkins in 1987.
In a trailer for The Golden Girls: 40 Years of Laughter and Friendship – Special Edition of 20/20, shared exclusively with PEOPLE, Clooney joins Kelly Ripa, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Laverne Cox, Mario Lopez and more as they discuss the show’s impact.
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“The Golden Girls!” an enthusiastic Clooney begins in the teaser as the clip cuts to Ralph, 68, who asks, “Who wasn’t a fan of The Golden Girls?”
Archival footage of Rose Nylund (Betty White), Blanche Devereaux (Rue McClanahan) and Dorothy Zbornak (Bea Arthur) — three over-50 women living in a Miami home with Dorothy’s mother Sophia Petrillo (Estelle Getty) — then flashes across the screen.
A montage of the stars featured on the upcoming special plays as Ralph and Clooney dub Dorothy one of the most relatable characters, known as “the master of the look” because she tolerated no nonsense.
“She made me laugh harder than anybody,” Clooney admits of Arthur as the camera shoots between him and a scene from his late ‘80s guest appearance.
In the episode, Clooney’s Hopkins was teamed up with Joseph Campanella, who portrayed Detective Al Mullins. The two temporarily set up shop in the ladies’ Miami home to keep a watchful eye on the neighbors, who were suspected of being jewelry thieves.
Hopkins later gets shot while trying to apprehend the crooks and gets a visit from the ladies while in the hospital.
During an October 2022 visit to The Drew Barrymore Show, Clooney reflected on the opportunity and his love for the cast’s wit.
“Bea Arthur was the funniest person in the world,” he said, adding, “They were all hysterically funny, but Bea Arthur really made me laugh.”
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“She was filthy, filthy funny. Filthy. But great,” he continued of the late actress. “They could get away with stuff that if those women were 30, they could’ve never said on network television. But they could do anything they wanted, and they would get away with it. It was so much fun.”
“That was a funny show to work on,” Clooney said, calling White “a Godsend.”
The Golden Girls ran for seven seasons from 1985 to 1992, and is currently available for streaming on Hulu.
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In September, the series celebrated 40 years since its debut on NBC. During its run, the sitcom earned an impressive 68 Emmy nominations.
The Golden Girls: 40 Years of Laughter & Friendship — Special Edition of 20/20 premieres Tuesday, Nov. 11 on ABC. It will stream the next day on Disney+ and Hulu.
