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The Golden Girls character guide

Who is Dorothy Zbornak in The Golden Girls?

The sharp-tongued, sensible substitute teacher of the Miami household, a Brooklyn-born divorcee whose deadpan put-downs, sparring with her mother Sophia, and bitter history with ex-husband Stan anchor the show.

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Dorothy Zbornak's Sitcomdle clue card

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Show
The Golden Girls
Debut
1985
Network
NBC
Role
Main
Gender
Female

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Show
The Golden Girls
Played by
Bea Arthur
First episode
“The Engagement”Season 1, Episode 1, aired September 14, 1985
Role
Main cast
Network
NBC
Occupation
Substitute teacher
Show run
1985 to 1992
Also known as
Dorothy, Dorothy Petrillo, Dorothy Hollingsworth

Dorothy Zbornak is the dry, practical voice of reason in a house full of big personalities. Played by Bea Arthur, she can flatten anyone with a single look, yet she is also the friend the others turn to when life gets hard.

On The Golden Girls, Dorothy Zbornak's story runs through Sophia Petrillo (Mother), Rose Nylund (Roommate), and Blanche Devereaux (Roommate and Landlady).

Other NBC sitcom characters from around the same time include Woody Boyd (Cheers) and Lilith Sternin (Cheers).

Dorothy Zbornak from The Golden Girls: Sitcomdle character card

Who is Dorothy Zbornak?

Dorothy is a substitute teacher who grew up in Brooklyn, the daughter of Sicilian immigrants Sophia and Sal Petrillo. She became pregnant in high school and married Stan Zbornak, and the couple stayed together for 38 years and raised two children, Kate and Michael, before Stan left her for a young flight attendant.

After the divorce, Dorothy answered Blanche Devereaux's ad for a roommate and moved into her Miami house, where Rose Nylund was already living. In the pilot, her mother Sophia joins them after her retirement home burns down, and Dorothy's life becomes a running negotiation between her friends, her mother, and her own sharp temper.

Personality and comedy

Dorothy is the realist of the group: smart, sarcastic, politically engaged, and quick to call out nonsense. Bea Arthur's perfectly timed silent stares, often aimed at Rose's stories or Blanche's boasting, are some of the most famous reactions in sitcom history. Her back-and-forth with Sophia, a running mix of insults and affection, drives many of the show's best scenes.

The writers also gave Dorothy real vulnerability. She is sometimes insecure about her looks and about whether people find her fun, she is wary of new relationships after her divorce, and she has a soft spot for anyone sincerely trying to make amends. Arthur, a trained stage singer, also got occasional chances to show off Dorothy's voice.

Key storylines

Stan keeps drifting back into Dorothy's life, from their daughter Kate's wedding to a surprise night together after Chrissy, the flight attendant he left Dorothy for, leaves him. In season six the two rekindle their romance and plan to remarry, over Sophia's furious objections, before it falls apart. In season five, after months of exhaustion that several doctors dismiss as being in her head, Dorothy is finally diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome, one of the show's most serious storylines.

In the hour-long series finale, Blanche sets Dorothy up with her uncle Lucas Hollingsworth. The two start a fake romance to tease Blanche, then genuinely fall for each other, and Dorothy marries Lucas and leaves Miami for Atlanta.

Behind the scenes and legacy

Creator Susan Harris wrote Dorothy with "a Bea Arthur type" in mind, and Arthur took the role after learning that Rue McClanahan and Betty White had swapped the parts originally planned for them. She won the 1988 Emmy for lead actress in a comedy for "My Brother, My Father," one of the four acting Emmys the cast collected.

Arthur decided the seventh season would be her last, wanting to return to the stage and leave before the character grew stale. Her exit ended the original series, though she returned as a guest in the spin-off The Golden Palace, and the four stars were named Disney Legends in 2009.

Key Dorothy Zbornak episodes

  1. “Guess Who's Coming to the Wedding?”Season 1, Episode 2Dorothy must face her ex-husband Stan at their daughter Kate's wedding.
  2. “Stan's Return”Season 1, Episode 11Dorothy spends the night with a newly single Stan, who mistakes it for a fresh start.
  3. “My Brother, My Father”Season 3, Episode 17Sophia asks Dorothy to pretend she is still married to Stan for a visit from her priest brother; Arthur won her Emmy for it.
  4. “Sick and Tired”Season 5, Episode 1After doctors dismiss her symptoms, Dorothy is finally diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome.
  5. “There Goes the Bride”Season 6, Episode 16Dorothy secretly reunites with Stan and plans to remarry him while Sophia vows to stop the wedding.
  6. “One Flew Out of the Cuckoo's Nest”Season 7, Episode 25Dorothy falls for Blanche's uncle Lucas, marries him, and says goodbye to the girls.

Season and episode numbers follow the original broadcast order.

Dorothy Zbornak's catchphrase

  • “Shady Pines, Ma.”

More lines fans still quote: famous sitcom catchphrases and who said them.

Dorothy Zbornak: frequently asked questions

Who plays Dorothy on The Golden Girls?

Bea Arthur, credited as Beatrice Arthur, plays Dorothy for all seven seasons, from 1985 to 1992. She won the 1988 Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series.

Who does Dorothy marry at the end of The Golden Girls?

In the finale, "One Flew Out of the Cuckoo's Nest," Dorothy marries Blanche's uncle Lucas Hollingsworth, played by Leslie Nielsen, and moves to Atlanta.

Who is Dorothy's ex-husband?

Dorothy's ex-husband is Stan Zbornak, played by Herb Edelman. They married young after she became pregnant, and he left her after 38 years for a flight attendant.

Why did Bea Arthur leave The Golden Girls?

Arthur chose to make season seven her last. She wanted to return to live theater and felt it was better to leave while the show was still strong.

What is Dorothy's job?

Dorothy works as a substitute teacher in Miami. Teaching is central to her character, and former students turn up more than once.

Test yourself: Dorothy Zbornak quiz

5 questions about Dorothy Zbornak. Think of your answer, then open the reveal to check it.

  1. Question 1

    Sophia moves in with the girls after a fire destroys which retirement home?

    1. Sunny Acres
    2. Golden Sands
    3. Palm Grove Manor
    4. Shady Pines
    Show the answer

    Answer: D. Shady Pines

    Shady Pines burns down in "The Engagement," which is how Sophia comes to live with her daughter and the other girls.

    See question 3 in the full quiz

  2. Question 2

    How is Sophia related to Dorothy?

    1. She is Dorothy's aunt
    2. She is Dorothy's mother
    3. She is Dorothy's grandmother
    4. She is Dorothy's mother-in-law
    Show the answer

    Answer: B. She is Dorothy's mother

    Sophia is Dorothy's sharp-tongued mother, a Sicilian immigrant who came to New York as a young woman.

    See question 5 in the full quiz

  3. Question 3

    What is the name of Dorothy's ex-husband?

    1. Stan
    2. Charlie
    3. George
    4. Sal
    Show the answer

    Answer: A. Stan

    Stan Zbornak and Dorothy divorced after 38 years of marriage, and they have two grown children, Kate and Michael.

    See question 7 in the full quiz

  4. Question 4

    Who did Stan leave Dorothy for?

    1. His secretary
    2. Dorothy's cousin
    3. A young flight attendant
    4. A nurse from his doctor's office
    Show the answer

    Answer: C. A young flight attendant

    Dorothy and Stan married young when she became pregnant in high school, and he walked out decades later for a much younger flight attendant.

    See question 8 in the full quiz

  5. Question 5

    What does Dorothy do for work?

    1. She works at an art museum
    2. She is a substitute teacher
    3. She is a grief counselor
    4. She is a nurse
    Show the answer

    Answer: B. She is a substitute teacher

    Dorothy, a Brooklyn-born Italian American, works as a substitute teacher, which gives her plenty of practice keeping a room in line.

    See question 10 in the full quiz

Take the full The Golden Girls quiz (20 questions)

Sources and corrections

Reference pages used for this guide, including character, cast, and episode details.

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