Today is the big day! Happy birthday to Bea and happy mother’s day to her and everyone else!

I received an email from a fellow Bea fan, Roland, who shared his attempt in seeing Bea on Tuesday when she was on The View. I was happy to see the photos and very happy to see that Billy was continuing to be close by her side!

Roland writes ::

My name is Roland and I happen to be a huge Bea Arthur fan. The release of Maude on DVD is just a dream come true. I’m getting my copy tomorrow.
I live in New Jersey, very close to Manhattan and this morning I decided to go to The View studios with a friend to try to get standby tickets. Unfortunately, we weren’t that lucky. but decided to stay around to wait for Bea to come out after the show.
After waiting for about an hour and a half, Adrienne came out, followed by Bea. I got to take pictures, which I am attaching to this e-mail. Perhaps, you may want to post some of them on the website.
By the way, the guy next to Adrienne is not me. He happens to be an autograph hunter and is a big fan of hers.
Enjoy,
Roland

Thanks Roland!

What an exciting week! Two superb interviews on the radio yesterday and a television appearance on The View today, Bea Arthur and Adrienne Barbeau are at their prime and are just as excited about Maude on DVD as we are!

All the goodies that I have been working on are available on the Maude Season 1 page of the Maude mini site! Be sure to speak up and let everyone know your thoughts about this classic that is now available for the masses… finally! Enjoy!

Kev!

PS :: I cannot stop glowing on how Bea’s appearance and how coherent she has been on the radio and television this week. She seems to have all her energy back and ready to continue to entertain us for years to come! Congrats to a healthy Bea!

Bea will be doing a live radio spot with Adrienne on Monday, March 19, 2007 on the Sirius Satellite Radio network, more specifically on The Frank Decaro Show. Channel 109. The interview starts at 11:15am (eastern)!

If you have access to Sirius radio, post a comment on what was said! I don’t have access to it, so love to find out through you guys! That being said, there may be a way to listen to it online, but I haven’t research that full yet.

Update :: Looks like you can sign up to a free 3-day trial at www.siriusoutq.com

Thanks to the recently resurrected Ironicwit in the Yahoo Group for finding this information popping up in television directory listings!

The View
Actresses Bea Arthur and Adrienne Barbeau; actress Melina Kanakaredes; guest co-host Audra McDonald.

March 20th 2007 – Set your Tivos, DVRs, PVRs, and VCRs (not like anyone uses those anymore) [feeling old?]

Kev!

Thanks to Andy from DameElizabethTaylor.com via the yahoo group for letting us know today that, finally, Mame is going to be released on DVD, June 19, 2007 for $19.95! Read excerpts below ::

From the DVD Times:

Warner Home Video have announced the Region 1 DVD release of the Lucille Ball Collection for 19th June 2007. Those who `love Lucy’ may be surprised to learn that Ms. Ball had nearly 20 years of big-screen credits prior to launching the TV show that made her a household name, and WHV will debut on DVD five of the films she made from 1940 through 1974: Critic’s Choice, Dance Girl Dance, Du Barry Was a Lady, The Big Street and Mame. In addition, Best Foot Forward will be available separately for the first time nationally. All the films will include special features such as Oscar® nominated vintage short subjects, featurettes and classic cartoons. Packaged as a collectible gift set, the five-disc Lucille Ball Collection will sell for $49.92 SRP, with individual titles and Best Foot Forward available for $19.97 SRP.

Mame (1974)
This lavish 1974 screen version of the beloved Broadway musical stars Lucille Ball as a high-living grande dame who’s outlandishly eccentric and, when suddenly faced with raising an orphaned nephew, fiercely loving. Veterans of the New York stage original join her:
Beatrice Arthur as best friend Vera, Jane Connell as prim governess Agnes Gooch, choreographer Onna White and director Gene Saks. As Mame’s husband Beauregard, Robert Preston (The Music Man) sings Loving You, written specially for the film. Jerry Herman’s songs, from It’s Today to We Need a Little Christmas and If He Walked into My Life, rank among the best show tunes ever.

Special Features:
Vintage featurette Lucky Mame
Theatrical trailer
Subtitles: English (feature film only)

… in the meantime, just wanted to check in and let you know that I have been making some updates to the web site to make it even more valuable to the Bea fan then before!

First, continuing to add on the Maude DVD page. I have some plans to make this into a fun little mini-web site over time. First season in 21 days, followed by 5 more seasons (assuming all goes accordingly with Sony) over the next couple of years. Look forward to some fun, new surprises!

Second, I am currently working on an extensive filmography section. It will take a bit of time to complete, but eventually, it will be the one stop for all your Bea-ttractions!

Finally… well, you are just going to have to check back often and snoop around some, as more information and media will be updated and added! Have a delicious 21 days and counting!

Kev!

It’s been a while since we’ve heard anything of what Bea has been up to, but there still has been hidden treasures to be found from not only her past, but fan’s as well! Wanda is back with some amazing stories and photos to share with you all on her visit with Bea at Bea’s house! Every Bea fan’s dream and Wanda accomplished it! So, be sure to check out this ultimate experience!

Also, stay tuned as I will be posting a video blog that will cross between my own personal LimeBlog and this web site. It should be fun, as I go through some of my collection, history of this web site and also just happened to have recorded myself opening Wanda’s package that she sent me… well it was fun for me :) I’m a dork.

Kev!

This is from DavisDVD.com, check it out ::

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment will release Maude: The Complete First Season one March 20th. Prolific TV producer Norman Lear’s groundbreaking spin-off from “All in the Family” starred the ever-lovely Bea Arthur as the outspoken and strong-willed title character. The three-disc set will include all 22 episodes presented in remastered fullscreen and Dolby Digital 2.0 tracks. Retail is $29.95.

Funny cause I was in Virgin Megastore yesterday and saw that they had Archie Bunkers Place on DVD. I thought to myself about someone once saying that Maude would then be released, so my hopes got high once again. Then when I return home, Alex had sent me an email about this wonderful news! Let’s hope it is accurate! Keep your eyes peeled and keep checking back for more info when I get it!

Kev!

UPDATE :: It is official now, more info from tvshowsondvd.com

01. Maude’s Problem
02. Doctor, Doctor
03. Maude Meets Florida
04. Like Mother, Like Daughter
05. Maude and the Radical
06. The Ticket
07. Love and Marriage
08. Flashback
09. Maude’s Dilemma Part 1
10. Maude’s Dilemma Part 2
11. Maude’s Reunion
12. The Grass Story
13. The Slumlord
14. The Convention
15. Walter’s 50th Birthday
16. Maude and the Medial Profession
17. Arthur Moves In
18. Florida’s Problem
19. Walter’s Secret
20. Maude’s Good Deed
21. The Perfect Marriage
22. Maude’s Night Out

Yes, that is right… Happy holidays from all of us (tee hee) at BeatriceArthur.com! Sorry, about the delay in this important, non-repetitive message, but I was out giving the gift of Season 6 to the poor souls out there that still have never seen the Golden Girls… yes, they are out there!

Anyway, enough about saving the world. If you missed Alex’s comment post, then be sure to check out this link to the Biography channel’s clips of Bea’s biography!

2007 – Bring it on, Bea!
Kev!