Though petite at just 4-foot-10 and under 100 pounds, Estelle Getty lived large.
In her later years, she resided in a five-bedroom, five-bathroom mansion perched above Sunset Boulevard, offering sweeping views of Los Angeles. She took great pride in designing its interior.
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A devoted advocate for HIV/AIDS awareness and the gay community, Estelle hosted charitable efforts and supported hospice care for AIDS patients. She also cared for her nephew, who sadly died from the disease.
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Later in life, Estelle became a symbol in the fight against dementia. She battled Lewy body dementia, which made memorizing lines increasingly difficult on The Golden Girls. To cope, she discreetly wrote her lines on props placed around the set.
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In 2001, she sold her large home and moved to a more manageable Hollywood Boulevard condominium. She died there in 2008 — just three days before her 85th birthday.
Her former Hollywood Hills mansion later returned to the market with a $7.65 million asking price. It features a formal dining room, a chef’s kitchen, a family room with two fireplaces, a 1,500-bottle wine cellar and a spa-style primary bath with heated floors.
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