Golden Girls Star Bea Arthur Passes Away

Her only connection to Miami may have been fictional, but actress Bea Arthur has a special place in the city's hearts for playing The Golden Girls' Dorothy Zbornak, a divorced, substitute teacher with an acid tongue and a heart of gold. Sadly, Arthur passed away peacefully in her home today at the age of 86. A spokesman for her family tells the Associated Press that she had been battling cancer. 

Arthur won an Emmy for her work on Golden Girls, as well as one for her her work on the sometimes controversial '70 sitcom Maude. She also received a Tony award for her role in the musical Mame.

After the jump, a few of our favorite clips from the Golden Girls. But first, her rendition of "Miami is Nice", which really should be adopted as our official municipal song.