Bea Arthur, the three-letter answer to the crossword clue 'Maude portrayer, ' was an American actress, comedian, and singer. She was best known for her roles as Dorothy Zbornak in the sitcom The Golden Girls and Maude Findlay in the sitcom Maude. She won two Emmy Awards for her work on The Golden Girls and was nominated for a Tony Award for her performance in the Broadway musical Mame. Arthur was also a successful stand-up comedian and was the first woman to host the Grammy Awards.