Silver Anniversaries of "The Golden Girls" and "227"

When The Golden Girls debuted on September 14, 1985, Variety called it "a funny, fast-paced, well-written sitcom with all the earmarks of a potential hit."  They called it.  The series was a top ten hit for nearly its entire run and won Emmy Awards for each of its four leading players— Beatrice Arthur, Betty White, Rue McClanahan, and Estelle Getty.

On the very same day, another TV legend was getting a second wind, when The Jeffersons' Marla Gibbs starred in 227.  227 was also one of the most popular late-80s sitcoms, peaking at #14 in it's second season. Breakout star Jackee Harry won the Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress for her role as "Sandra Clark."  Both series aired on NBC in the network's Saturday night line-up.

The Archive of American Television has interviewed many of the creators of these two hit series, including stars Beatrice Arthur, Marla Gibbs, Rue McClanahan, and Betty White.  Visit the Archive's "show pages" for The Golden Girls and 227, as we look back on these classic sitcoms.