Arthur who was Maude is a character from the 1971 film Harold and Maude. He is portrayed by actor Bud Cort and is a young man in his twenties who is obsessed with death. He meets an elderly woman named Maude, played by Ruth Gordon, and the two form an unlikely bond. BEA, short for Beatrice, is Maude's best friend and confidante. She is a free-spirited artist who encourages Maude to live life to the fullest.